Sudbury MP advances Bill to support communities on the front lines of trafficking and addiction

Ottawa - Today in the House of Commons, Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe delivered her speech at second reading of Bill C-238, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (restitution orders).

The Bill seeks to amend the Criminal Code to allow judges, in cases of drug trafficking or human trafficking, to order restitution directly to community organizations that can demonstrate measurable costs arising from those crimes, such as emergency care, trauma counselling, harm-reduction supplies, or security expenses.

“Across Canada, our shelters, outreach workers, and first responders are on the front lines of two intertwined crises, organized crime and the opioid epidemic,” said MP Lapointe. “They respond with compassion and courage every day, yet their role in recovery isn’t reflected in our justice system. Bill C-238 ensures restitution can flow where harm is proven and where healing begins.”

Lapointe told the House that the proposal is pragmatic, cost-neutral, and consistent with existing sentencing principles. Restitution orders remain offender-paid and fully at the discretion of the courts; no new programs or mandatory penalties are created.

“This is about fairness,” Lapointe said. “When an offender is ordered to pay restitution, it should help the very people and organizations who pick up the pieces after the harm. It doesn’t ask more of taxpayers, it simply makes justice tangible for the communities carrying the weight.”

The Greater Sudbury Police Service, Angels of Hope, and The Go-Give Project have all expressed strong support for the bill. Sudbury Police Chief Sara Cunningham noted that the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police views the initiative as a practical measure that could benefit communities across Ontario.

Lapointe emphasized that the inspiration for her bill came directly from her constituency. “In Sudbury, we’ve seen record overdose calls, shelters stretched to capacity, and front-line workers facing trauma every day,” she said. “These organizations told me that funding ends, but the trauma doesn’t. This bill gives Parliament a chance to recognize that truth and act on it.”

Bill C-238 is now under consideration at second reading in the House of Commons. Following the second hour of debate later this year, Members of Parliament will vote on whether to refer the bill to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights for detailed study.

Quick Facts:

• Bill C-238 amends section 738 of the Criminal Code to clarify that restitution orders in drug or human trafficking cases may include eligible community organizations.

• Restitution remains offender-paid and subject to judicial discretion; it does not require new government spending.

• Eligible expenses could include trauma counselling, harm-reduction or overdose prevention costs, security, and other measurable operational impacts.

• The proposal aligns with principles in the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and supports restorative approaches within Canada’s justice system.

 

Link to Speech.