The Conservative Party is calling on the federal government to implement legislative measures aimed at increasing penalties for home invasions and allow homeowners to protect their families without fear of facing charges.

Tory MP and shadow minister for justice Arpan Khanna wrote an open letter to Justice Minister Sean Fraser this week demanding support for two private member’s bills currently before Parliament: the Safe at Home Act and the Stand on Guard Act.

“Canadians are less safe and they deserve a justice system that holds offenders accountable,” Khanna wrote. “Conservatives are prepared to work with your government to move this legislation forward as quickly as possible. This should not be a partisan issue. Keeping Canadians safe should be a shared priority.”

Citing Toronto Police Service data, Khanna said there have been 112 home invasions in 2026 as of Oct. 8—a 47.4 percent increase over the same period in 2025.

That number rose last week after a violent home invasion in one of Toronto’s upscale neighbourhoods sent 75-year-old Toronto real estate executive David Morton and his family to hospital.

Three masked suspects armed with handguns and a hammer forced their way into the Morton home overnight on Oct. 29 and demanded valuables from the family. Morton, who is CEO of the MAC Group, and his two adult daughters sustained gunshot wounds. He and his wife were also assaulted with a hammer.

Police are investigating and have identified one suspect so far.

Khanna said the government needs to undo bills enacted under the former Liberal government that “weakened important safeguards and contributed to growing concerns about repeat offenders and public safety.”

He cited Bill C-75, which was made law in 2019, creating what has become known as a “catch-and-release” system.

The Liberals say the law didn’t remove judges’ authority to detain accused people, while Conservatives argue it has made it easier for repeat violent offenders to obtain bail.

Khanna also cited Bill C-5, passed in 2022, which repealed certain mandatory minimum penalties for specific firearms and drug offenses, and expanded the availability of house arrest.

The Acts

Conservative MP Michael Guglielmin introduced Bill C-293, or the Safe at Home Act, on Oct. 20 to create a stand-alone Criminal Code offence for violent home invasions.

The legislation would establish a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of life imprisonment. It would also make it harder for accused home invaders to obtain bail by requiring them to justify their release, and require those convicted to provide DNA samples.

Tory MP Sandra Cobena introduced the Stand on Guard Act in March. If made law, it would amend Section 34 of the Criminal Code to create a legal presumption that force used against a threatening intruder in a home, including deadly force, is reasonable unless proven otherwise. Party Leader Pierre Poilievre called on the Liberals to introduce similar legislation last summer.

Both bills have received first reading in the House of Commons.

The justice minister said this spring that Canadians already have the right to use reasonable force to defend themselves in the event of a home invasion.

“In Canada, you have the right to use reasonable force to defend yourself and others who are in your home should you be facing a circumstance where someone may intrude and threaten violence,” Fraser said at an unrelated March press conference in Ottawa. “It’s essential that we maintain that rule.”

Khanna also criticized the Liberal government for not supporting the Conservative Jail Not Bail Act this spring. It was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on March 25.

The bill sought to amend the Criminal Code and the Department of Justice Act to make public safety, rather than the principle of restraint, the primary consideration in bail decisions. It would also have expanded reverse-onus provisions for violent and repeat offenses, and tightened rules for sureties and passport surrenders.

Fraser criticized the Jail Not Bail Act as a counterproductive approach to criminal justice.

Fraser instead focused on passing the government’s own Bail and Sentencing Reform Act (Bill C-14), which he said offers “stricter bail laws and tougher sentencing laws.”

“With over 80 targeted changes to the Criminal Code, bail will be harder to get for repeat and violent offenders, and sentencing laws will be tougher for serious crimes,” he said. “We are strengthening the Criminal Code, supporting the front lines, and investing in long-term prevention.”