Tuesday September 23, 2025 | OTTAWA, ON [Updated September 24 & 26, 2025]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Conservative MP Jeff Kibble (Cowichan—Malahat—Langford) introduced his Private Member’s Bill C-235 on September 22, 2025 in the House of Commons: An Act Respecting Families of Murdered and Brutalized Persons” – an Act to Amend the Criminal Code – increasing parole ineligibility.
The Bill is about extending parole ineligibility for individuals convicted of some of the most serious crimes of abduction, sexual assault and murder. Kibble it’s about respecting families of murdered and brutalized person.
Bill C-235 aims to amend the Criminal Code to empower judges, following jury input, to extend the parole ineligibility period for a person convicted of abduction, sexual assault and murder of the same victim in respect of the same event or series of events is to be sentenced to imprisonment for life without eligibility for parole until the person has served a sentence of between twenty-five and forty years.
Kibble pointed out that these are criminals who are almost certainly to never be released anyhow (or have died), and that revictimizing the families during a parole hearing process should be avoided.
The Bill was introduced by Kibble, seconded by MP James Bezan (Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman) who is the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on National Defence and who originally tabled the Bill in the 43rd Parliament before the 2021 election was called.
Context:
For context, Kibble named some criminals, as examples, of where the proposed Bill might apply. His list inclded Bernardo (serial rapist and serial killer in Scarborough Ontario), Pickton (murdered multiple women on his pig farm in BC / he died in prison in 2024), and Rafferty (convicted of kidnapping and killing his daughter Tory).
His other point of context is having met with the family of Kimberly Proctor here on Vancouver Island who was abducted, raped and murdered in Langford 15 years ago. The offenders in that case were Kruse and Moffat, whom Kibble mentioned when he tabled the bill. The Proctor family attends parole hearing almost every year (two offenders) “where they relive the gruesome and heartbreaking details” of the case.
Shielding families of victims:
“We must do what we can to shield families of victims from the additional trauma often caused by parole hearings every two years, where offenders rehash heinous details of their crimes ‘revictimizing’ loved ones,” said Kibble.
“Conservatives believe that ensuring that brutal murderers be denied parole ineligibility responds to the pressing public concern of families being revictimized during parole hearings,” Kibble added.
He says the bill is important and timely. Kibble notes that the Bill “previously received wide support from the members opposite and was set to pass committee in 2021 however an early election was called”.
Longer parole and sentencing discretion:
Presently, judges have the discretion to assign parole ineligibility for murder cases, considering a jury recommendation, of up to 25 years. If this act is passed, they will have discretion to assign parole ineligibility up to 40 years in cases of abduction, sexual assault and murder of the same victim.
If passed, the bill would:
- Allow jury recommendation: After conviction, the presiding judge may ask the jury whether they wish to recommend a longer parole ineligibility period (up to 40 years) before sentencing.
- Allow sentencing discretion: The judge, in consideration of the offender’s character, the offences’ nature and any jury recommendation, may choose to impose between 25 and 40 years of parole ineligibility at sentencing.
Proportional:
“This legislation responds in a proportional way to ensure that victims are spared the pain of having to relive their trauma, prepare for hearings that may ultimately change nothing, bear the emotional and financial costs and confront safety concerns without any real prospect of closure,” Kibble said.
The Act is fair as “it doesn’t change the outcome — these offenders are unlikely ever to be released”, said Kibble in his presentation of the Bill in the House of Commons yesterday. As an example, parole was denied for a third time for Bernardo in November 2024.
The Act is just, said Kibble: “The courts and judges retain their discretionary powers based on the circumstances of the case.”
Most importantly it is compassionate, being about “sparing the victims families of loved ones from appearing at unnecessary parole hearings year after year”.
“These hearings feed criminals’ depraved nature to revictimize as they describe their heinous crimes in detail,” said Kibble.
First-term MP:
Kibble is a first-term Conservative member of parliament. “I really enjoy working both in the riding and in Ottawa,” says Kibble this week. The fall session just got started on September 15.
“I am driven to fight for positive change that will make life more affordable and our streets safer,” Kibble tells Island Social Trends this week.
In his geographically large riding on South Vancouver Island Jeff Kibble has two constituency offices — one in Langford and one in Duncan.
“The staff in my Duncan and Langford offices are doing amazing work in supporting the residents of Cowichan-Malahat-Langford through their case work.
“When I am not working hard in Ottawa, I am busy connecting with people, organizations and businesses across our riding,” said Kibble this week.
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NEWS SECTIONS: CONSERVATIVE PARTY of CANADA | 45th PARLIAMENT OF CANADA