Bill C-59 · 40th Parliament · Stephen Harper
Abolition of Early Parole Act
An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (accelerated parole review) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
Government bill. Became law.
- IntroducedFeb. 9, 2011
- Debated in principleFeb. 15, 2011
- Studied by a committeeDone
- Passed its first chamberFeb. 16, 2011
- Passed the second chamberMarch 23, 2011
- Became lawMarch 23, 2011
Leading supporters
Ranked by the part each played: who is responsible for the bill, who carried it, and who spoke for it most.
- Stephen HarperPrime Minister
- Larry W. SmithSenate · Sponsor in the Senate
- Maria Mouranibacks abolishing accelerated parole review after years of advocacy and calls it the conclusion of a needed reform.
- Bernard GénéreuxExplicitly states support for the bill to abolish accelerated parole review and prioritize victim safety.
- Ben Lobburges immediate passage to support victims of white-collar crime and calls for all parties to back the bill.
- Tilly O'Neill-Gordonexplicitly backs the bill to abolish accelerated parole
- Pierre PaquetteCalls the bill necessary to renew public confidence and deter major fraud.
- Paul Calandracommends support for the bill and states it ensures accountability for offenders.
Who carries this bill
Arrows run from the person responsible to those who answer to them on this bill. The critic leads the Senate’s scrutiny and answers to no one on it.
What it set out to do
On 9 February 2011, the Minister of Public Safety introduced Bill C-59, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (accelerated parole review) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (Abolition of Early Parole Act), in the House of Commons and it was given first reading. Bill C-59 amends the Corrections and Conditional Release Act to eliminate accelerated parole review and makes consequential amendments to other Acts.
Summary by the Library of Parliament.
Where members stand
That the Bill be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. · 2011-02-15 · Passed
How it changed on the way
75% of the text as introduced was changed or removed by the time it became law (3,899 words introduced, 2,185 passed).
substantial changeintent mostly kept
The core change to end accelerated parole review under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act stayed the same from introduction to royal assent. Extensive coordination clauses with other pending bills were stripped out, along with some transitional text, leaving a shorter statute.
- Dozens of coming-into-force coordination rules with Bills C-39 and C-41 were removed.
Before: “(2) If section 2 of this Act comes into force before subsection 17(2) of the other Act, then that subsection 17(2) is repealed.”
- Additional coordination clauses for sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 were deleted.
Before: “(5) If section 3 of this Act comes into force before section 24 of the other Act, then that section 24 is replaced by the following:”
- A clause repealing subsection 94(2) of another Act was dropped.
Before: “(2) Subsection 94(2) of the Act is repealed.”
How precisely it is written
mostly preciseChallenging the law: HardDisputing a charge: Hard
The bill abolishes accelerated parole review through explicit repeals of named sections and subsections of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, with detailed transitional rules that apply regardless of sentencing date. A few provisions retain limited subjective language around information review and parole cancellation.
Open to argument
“information that could not reasonably have been provided to it at the time parole was granted”
Uses a reasonableness standard that requires case-by-case judgment rather than an objective checklist.
Clear-cut
“Subsection 93(3.1) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act is repealed.”
Directly identifies and eliminates a specific subsection by number.“The heading before section 125 and sections 125 to 126.1 of the Act are repealed.”
Names exact sections for removal, leaving no interpretive gap on scope.“This Act, other than sections 14 and 15, comes into force on a day to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.”
Specifies precise coming-into-force mechanism and exceptions.
Discretion. Ministers and officials receive almost no ongoing discretion; the Act operates through fixed repeals and transitional rules that apply automatically.
Challenging the law itself. The text consists of repeals and mechanical amendments rather than new prohibitions, offering few openings for vagueness or overbreadth claims under the Charter.
Disputing a charge under it. The provisions do not create offences or duties for individuals to breach; disputes would centre on the mechanical application of repealed parole processes rather than factual violations.
Read by a language model from the royal assent text; every quoted phrase appears in the bill. A reading of the drafting, not legal advice.
Did it work?
no evaluation found
Who lobbied on it
No lobbying registration naming this bill is loaded.
Stages and dates from LEGISinfo.