Local MP Dave MacKenzie's Private Member's Bill passes third reading
OTTAWA - Local MP Dave MacKenzie says he's pleased his Private Member's Bill passed Third Reading in the House of Commons.
Bill C-483 received overwhelming support with only Elizabeth May voting against it and will now go on to the Senate for approval.
MacKenzie says prior to introducing this bill, the National Parole Board would refuse to grant a temporary absence for offenders serving life sentences who are within three years of full parole eligibility, but then within a short period of time a Warden could grant a temporary absence and the Parole Board's views were not taken into account.
"You have to have permission from National Parole to have an escorted temporary absence and then the Prison Warden can give it. So it just puts it into the realm of more victim input but also victim safety and safety of community at large."
MacKenzie says there is no set timeline for the Bill to be passed by the Senate.
"The difficulty is you just never know with the Senate. They have different rules. Something in the Senate take a long time to get through the Senate and some things get through quicker. David Tilson had a Bill on defacing war memorials and cenotaphs and I think it's nearly two years."
MacKenzie says he is confident it will become law.
"It passed in the House unanimously with one exception, Elizabeth May voted against it. The Liberals supported it, the NDP supported it, Elizabeth May didn't for whatever reason."

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