MPs to mull over proposed new ‘groceries and essentials’ benefit, criminal justice reforms – iPolitics
February 2nd, 2026
What’s happening on (and off) Parliament Hill, plus the news you need to start your day.
As the second week of the sitting begins, two high-stakes bills are at the top of the minority Liberal government’s legislative to-do list: Justice Minister Sean Fraser’s pitch to overhaul the criminal justice system, which includes new measures targeting “child protection” and “gender-based violence,” as well as the ongoing challenge posed by lengthy delays in bringing cases to trial and a rework of the existing rules for mandatory minimum sentences to address concerns raised by the Supreme Court of Canada last year.
Introduced just before the House of Commons rose for the holidays, the bill made its second-reading debut last week, and could be on track to proceed to committee as early as later today — if, that is, all parties are wiling to allow it to go to a vote.
