Juno News - August 14, 2025


Conservative MP targets ＂two-tiered justice system＂ for non-citizens


Episode Stats

Length

9 minutes

Words per Minute

148.85614

Word Count

1,438

Sentence Count

69

Misogynist Sentences

1


Summary


Transcript

00:00:00.000 Conservative MP Michelle Rempel-Garner announced a bill to block lighter sentences for non-citizens,
00:00:10.080 ending the two-tier justice system that favours immigrants.
00:00:13.420 A new government housing report warns housing starts are set to sink below pandemic levels this year.
00:00:19.900 The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Tim Hodgson,
00:00:23.520 confirms that he holds U.S. dual citizenship, but says he won't renounce.
00:00:28.060 Hello Canada, it's Thursday, August 14th, and this is the True North Daily Brief.
00:00:33.040 I'm Isaac Lamoureux.
00:00:34.260 And I'm Geoff Knight.
00:00:35.260 We've got you covered with all the news you need to know.
00:00:37.780 Let's discuss the top stories of the day and the True North exclusives you won't hear anywhere else.
00:00:46.100 A Conservative MP is seeking to change the criminal code to prevent judges from giving lighter sentences to non-citizens because of immigration concerns.
00:00:54.300 At a Wednesday morning news conference in Ottawa, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel-Garner said her upcoming private member's bill
00:01:01.160 would reverse a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that requires judges to consider immigration status during sentencing.
00:01:08.000 Rempel said, quote,
00:01:09.440 Anyone seeking citizenship in Canada has responsibilities as well as rights.
00:01:14.080 She argued the current system has led to what she calls a two-tiered justice system
00:01:18.440 where non-citizens sometimes receive reduced sentences to avoid deportation.
00:01:24.420 Rempel pointed to several high-profile cases, including one where an Indian foreign national received a conditional discharge
00:01:30.540 after pleading guilty to attempting to buy sex from a minor so he and his wife could stay in Canada.
00:01:36.180 She also referenced another case involving a visitor's permit holder convicted of groping twice,
00:01:41.620 yet avoiding a permanent criminal record to keep appealing a deportation order.
00:01:45.340 Rempel said, quote,
00:01:46.880 This offends all principles of fairness when it comes to our justice system.
00:01:51.100 So, Jeff, does the 2013 Supreme Court ruling still reflect Canadian values,
00:01:55.640 or is it time to revisit the balance between immigration consequences and criminal sentencing?
00:02:00.720 Yeah, Isaac, some might say the ruling does not fully reflect Canadian values,
00:02:04.860 as it has sparked debates about fairness in the justice system,
00:02:08.500 particularly with cases where non-citizens receive lighter sentences to avoid deportation.
00:02:13.260 Critics argue this creates a two-tiered justice system where individuals like the Indian foreign national
00:02:19.060 who avoided a record for attempting to buy sex from a minor,
00:02:22.300 or the visitor's permit holder convicted of groping who evaded a permanent criminal record,
00:02:27.200 are benefiting from their immigration status in a way citizens cannot,
00:02:31.320 challenging the principle of equal accountability.
00:02:34.680 Supporters might contend that the ruling aligns with Canada's humanitarian values,
00:02:39.420 recognizing the collateral impact of deportation on families and communities,
00:02:44.420 which is a consideration some are arguing in favor of.
00:02:48.260 However, the growing public and political push,
00:02:50.840 exemplified by calls to prioritize responsibilities over rights for citizenship seekers,
00:02:56.520 suggests a shift towards valuing uniform sentencing over immigration leniency,
00:03:01.440 especially as high-profile cases fuel perceptions of inequity.
00:03:06.140 Revisiting the balance could ensure sentences reflect the crime's severity rather than immigration outcomes,
00:03:12.060 potentially restoring trust in a system where fairness is increasingly being questioned,
00:03:16.560 though any change must weigh the human cost of deportation against judicial consistency.
00:03:21.340 A new report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation says Canada's housing supply is set to worsen,
00:03:31.340 falling below even pandemic lows.
00:03:34.440 The Crown Corporation projects just 237,800 housing starts this year,
00:03:40.020 down from 245,367 in 2024,
00:03:44.680 and well short of the 271,198 homes built in 2021.
00:03:49.980 The forecast sees no more than 227,000 starts in 2026 and 220,000 starts in 2027.
00:03:57.280 This stands in stark contrast to the Carney government's campaign promise to build 500,000 homes a year over the next decade.
00:04:04.320 Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged $25 billion for a new Crown Corporation called Build Canada Homes,
00:04:10.920 plus another $10 billion in low-rate capital for housing construction.
00:04:14.900 But CMHC says, quote,
00:04:17.940 housing activity has weakened since January,
00:04:21.000 as buyers and developers take a wait-and-see approach amid slowing growth and trade tensions.
00:04:26.520 Montreal Economic Institute analyst Gabriel Jaguer said in April that the federal plan fails to address the real problem,
00:04:34.560 adding, quote,
00:04:35.280 Yeah, Jeff, so as you said, the CMHC's latest projections indicate that the Carney government's housing plan
00:04:55.220 is already drifting from its stated goal of 500,000 new homes per year,
00:05:00.100 and that housing starts are on track to decline annually, at least through 2027.
00:05:05.940 Carney, in that sense, is following his predecessor, Justin Trudeau,
00:05:09.260 who, despite making bigger and bigger promises, of course, also saw housing starts decrease year over year.
00:05:14.560 And we've seen Carney similarly making big statements and big promises,
00:05:18.400 but already falling behind when it comes to housing starts.
00:05:21.080 On top of housing starts, we've seen the problem compound with immigration.
00:05:25.040 For example, in 2025's first quarter alone, over 817,000 newcomers arrived,
00:05:31.040 which is, of course, an annualized rate of more than 3.2 million.
00:05:34.920 And if all new homes built went exclusively to newcomers,
00:05:38.960 more than a dozen people would be vying for each unit, with, of course, none left for Canadians.
00:05:43.140 We've also reported on recent data similarly showing that municipalities have built fewer than one home
00:05:49.160 for every 10 new residents, so the numbers just don't add up.
00:05:53.480 And Carney's signature solution, which is a $35 billion push into prefabricated and modular housing
00:05:59.200 via the new Build Canada Homes Agency, has also drawn skepticism.
00:06:03.900 Realtors and mortgage brokers have warned that these units often have high carrying costs,
00:06:08.400 depreciate over time, are seen in the eyes of the bank and of lenders very, very poorly
00:06:14.280 because what they value is the land, not this unit that falls apart.
00:06:18.600 And, in fact, some critics have called Carney's plan altogether as smoke and mirrors,
00:06:24.340 one that might just benefit firms like his former employer, Brookfield,
00:06:28.560 who own modular housing companies instead of actually helping buyers.
00:06:32.500 With the CMHC estimating that Canada needs 430,000 to 480,000 starts annually just to restore affordability,
00:06:40.880 and with the federal housing minister signaling he doesn't want prices to fall,
00:06:45.400 the projections suggest Ottawa's current strategy is ill-suited to the scale of the crisis.
00:06:50.800 And without substantial policy changes, like cutting municipal red tape or aligning immigration levels
00:06:56.100 to realistic home-building capacity, the government's housing targets are unlikely to be met.
00:07:02.500 Canada's Energy and Natural Resources Minister has confirmed he holds dual Canada-U.S. citizenship
00:07:10.920 and says he has no intention of giving up his American passport.
00:07:14.800 Jonathan Hodgson made the remarks on Tuesday when speaking on the Vassie Capelow Show,
00:07:19.100 explaining he became a dual citizen in the early 1990s while living and working in the United States.
00:07:24.360 He said, quote,
00:07:26.040 I have no concerns about being a dual citizen, adding that 700,000 Canadians share the same status.
00:07:31.620 Hodgson noted he disclosed his citizenship to the federal ethics commissioner and national security officials
00:07:37.680 and that his top-secret security clearance has been renewed.
00:07:41.500 The muted media reaction stands in contrast to the sustained coverage that former conservative leader
00:07:46.600 Andrew Scheer underwent in 2019, when his U.S. dual citizenship became a major election story.
00:07:53.660 Hodgson also said he has not considered giving up his U.S. citizenship,
00:07:57.000 even amid heightened tensions with Washington under President Donald Trump,
00:08:02.060 citing family ties across the border and the convenience of travel.
00:08:05.840 So, Jeff, is there a double standard in how the media treats dual citizenship issues for liberals versus conservatives?
00:08:12.040 Yeah, Isaac, the contrast with the scrutiny that Andrew Scheer faced about his U.S. citizenship
00:08:17.480 definitely appears to suggest a potential double standard here in the media.
00:08:21.560 Scheer's case dominated headlines and fueled loyalty debates nationwide,
00:08:25.680 while Hodgson's disclosure had drawn little attention,
00:08:28.720 possibly reflecting partisan bias or a shift in public tolerance.
00:08:32.260 This disparity could indicate that media outlets, often perceived as leaning left in general,
00:08:37.100 are more lenient towards liberals like Hodgson, who frames his dual status as a practical benefit
00:08:42.700 and notes 700,000 Canadians share it, compared to the harsher lens on conservatives,
00:08:48.060 where Scheer's delay in renouncing citizenship was highly politicized.
00:08:51.820 On conflict of interest, dual citizenship for ministers like Hodgson,
00:08:55.460 especially with a top-secret clearance and oversight by the ethics commissioner,
00:08:59.520 doesn't inherently create a conflict, as long as decisions align with Canadian interests.
00:09:03.660 However, heightened U.S.-Canada tensions under Trump could definitely raise concerns
00:09:08.500 if Hodgson's personal ties influence energy policy negotiations.
00:09:13.020 Critics might argue that retaining a U.S. passport risks divided loyalties,
00:09:17.420 particularly in sensitive roles,
00:09:19.260 though Hodgson's clearance renewal would suggest that there's no serious security breach.
00:09:26.320 That's it for today, folks.
00:09:28.000 Thanks for tuning in.
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