Amend Criminal Code self‑defence
Petitioners ask the government to amend Criminal Code sections 34 and 35 to remove 'reasonable' standards, authorize use of any means including lethal force for self‑defence, and enshrine a Castle Doctrine protecting homeowners from prosecution.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would broaden legal protection for people who use force to defend themselves, reducing the risk of criminal charges after defensive actions.
- Enshrining a castle doctrine would give homeowners clarity and legal certainty when defending their home and property against intruders.
- Removing 'reasonable' standards could help rural residents who face delayed police response to act immediately without fear of prosecution.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Removing 'reasonable' limits and authorizing lethal force could legalize excessive or unnecessary force and raise risks of wrongful deaths.
- Broad immunity from prosecution may undermine judicial oversight and hinder assessment of whether force was truly necessary or proportionate.
- The change could encourage vigilantism or escalate confrontations, worsening public safety rather than improving it.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: Property crimes and crimes against persons have been on the rise in Canada for the past decade; Recent news from across the country where victims of crime are being criminally charged for simply defending themselves proves that Canadians do not have the right to self-defence; Canadians are deprived of their right to self-defence due to the limitations in section 34 and 35 of the Criminal Code which only permits the use of force to defend themselves under a vague and unjust criterion of "reasonable grounds", which does not fully protect victims of crime from legal prosecution by the Crown, and a clear infringement to the universal human right to self-defence under the UDHR; Victims of crime must necessitate the use of self-defence immediately when violent offenders commit crime in rural communities due to the delayed response time from law enforcement; and Canadian are deprived of their right to self-defence to protect their property due to the absence of the concept of inviolability of one's home, also known as "Castle Doctrine" in the Criminal Code. Therefore we, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of Canada to: Immediately introduce and pass legislation that will repeal and replace wording in section 34 and 35 of the Criminal Code by removing any mentions of "reasonable" or "reasonable grounds", and replace it with the phrase, “by any means necessary including the use of lethal force"; and Amend section 35 of the Criminal Code to enshrine the fundamental right to the inviolability of one's home, also known as "Castle Doctrine," that will allow victims of crime to use any means necessary including the use of lethal force, to defend themselves and their property against a violent offender, free from fear of any legal prosecution by the Crown.
Government response
No government response is available yet.