OTTAWA (LifeSiteNews) — Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre upheld Canadians’ right to protect themselves after a man was charged for defending himself against an armed home invader.
During an August 22 press conference, Poilievre supported Canadians’ right to defense after Ontario resident Jeremy McDonald was charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon for fighting off an armed home invader.
“Crime is raging to such a point where people are now demanding the ability to defend themselves in their own homes because they know the law will not defend them,” Poilievre said
“And rightly, Canadians believe that they need to defend themselves if an intruder who is probably out on bail for the 100th time under Liberal laws comes into the house, and frankly, they should have the right to defend themselves and their property against an intruder,” he continued.
In the early morning of August 18, McDonald awoke to find 41-year-old Michael Kyle Breen, a known criminal with previous offenses, breaking into his apartment.
During the altercation, McDonald allegedly used a knife, resulting in serious, life-threatening injuries to Breen, who was airlifted to a Toronto hospital. Breen faces charges that include possession of a weapon, break and enter, theft, mischief under $5,000, and failing to comply with probation.
At the same time, McDonald was charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon for defending himself with a knife from the armed assailant. Police have not revealed Breen’s weapon.
In Canada, self-defense laws under Sections 34 and 35 of the Criminal Code allow individuals to use reasonable and proportionate force to protect themselves or their property, including their home, without a duty to retreat.
Lethal force is only justified in cases of imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm, and even then, excessive force can lead to criminal charges. However, it is not clear exactly what excessive force entails.
Unlike some U.S. jurisdictions, Canada has no “Castle Doctrine,” meaning homeowners do not have automatic legal immunity for defending their homes and must prove their actions were reasonable in court.
The case has stirred up national concern over Canadians’ right to defend themselves and sparked a push for “castle laws” to clarify Canadians’ rights.
When reporters pressed Poilievre on his stance regarding “castle doctrine” or “stand your ground” laws, he upheld Canadians’ right to do “whatever is necessary” to ensure their safety during a home invasion.
“The law needs to be clear that if someone comes into your house uninvited to steal your property or harm your family, you need to do what is you need to be able to do whatever is necessary to stop them,” Poilievre said. “And my message to the criminal thugs who are invading the homes of Canadians in unprecedented numbers because of liberal laws is that you should be in serious danger if you go into someone’s house illegally and try to harm them.”
“If you don’t want to be harmed, then don’t invade someone’s house and don’t threaten their security,” he continued. “The law needs to be very clear that people have the right to defend their homes and their families against law breakers.”
