OTTAWA - The Conservative government is introducing legislation to repeal the so-called "faint hope" clause from the Criminal Code.
If passed into law, the legislation would mean that anyone convicted of first- or second-degree murder would no longer be able to apply for early parole.
"Our government believes murderers must serve serious time for the most serious crime," Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said in a statement Friday.
"By ending faint hope reviews, we are saying No to early parole for murders.
"We are also sparing families the pain of attending repeated parole eligibility hearings and having to relive these unspeakable losses, over and over again."
Under the faint hope clause, criminals convicted of first- and second-degree murder can apply for an earlier parole eligibility date at the 15-year mark of their sentence.
The legislation would directly impact people convicted of murder once it becomes law.
But under the Tory proposal, anyone currently serving life sentences would also face tougher rules when applying for early parole.
Today's move is one of a series of law-and-order announcements the Conservative government is making in the weeks before Parliament rises for the summer.
