Tilson’s private members bill passes second reading in the senate

OTTAWA, ON – David Tilson, Member of Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon, today expressed satisfaction at the passage of his Private Members Bill C-217, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (mischief relating to war memorials), at Second Reading in the Senate.

“I am pleased my bill has moved one more stage toward becoming the law of the land,” said Mr. Tilson. “We owe it to our veterans and the fallen to protect our cenotaphs and war memorials.”

The Bill now moves to the Senate’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee where this Spring, Senators will give it further study, call witnesses and hear testimony from interested parties.

“I look forward to testifying before the Senate’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee,” noted Mr. Tilson. “I hope Senators will feel as MPs did that stronger deterrents are needed to prevent senseless and disgusting acts of vandalism against our cenotaphs and war memorials.”

The Bill, which was passed by the House of Commons on October 31, 2012, amends the mischief section of the Criminal Code by making a specific offense for mischief involving a war memorial, cenotaph, or other structure honouring or remembering those who have served in our Canadian Forces and those who have died as a consequence of war. It seeks to impose minimum penalties of a fine not less than $1,000 for a first offence, a prison term of not less than 14 days for a second offence, and a prison term of not less than 30 days for all subsequent offences. The New Democratic Party voted against the Bill at Third Reading in the House of Commons.