Changes to Canadian parole rules sought by parents of Edmonton armoured guard slain in 2012

The parents of an armed guard killed during a stop at Hub Mall in 2012 are pushing for changes to when convicted murderers in Canada can apply for parole.

The parents of an Edmonton armoured car guard killed almost 14 years ago are pushing for changes to when murderers in Canada can apply for parole.

Dianne and Mike Ilesic’s son Brian was one of four colleagues shot by Travis Baumgartner in June 2012 while they were servicing a bank machine at the University of Alberta’s Hub Mall. Illesic was one of three victims who died.

Baumgartner was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 40 years, one of the longest sentences ever given in Canadian history.

Four years ago, the Supreme Court decided that imposing consecutive 25-year periods of parole ineligibility is unconstitutional because it denies offenders the chance of reforming and re-entering society.

It means Baumgartner can apply for parole after serving just over half of his 40-year sentence.

The decision is something the Illesics have been trying to get reversed as they don’t want to have to attend regular parole reviews and be near their son’s killer.

“It does shake up people who have attended the parole board and are present in the midst of the murderer,” Dianne Ilesic told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday. “It’s quite an intense process.”

It’s why, with help from two local members of parliament, the Illesics are pushing for change.

Brian’s Bill, formally known as Bill C-243, seeks to amend the federal Corrections and Conditional Release Act so people convicted of first- or second-degree murder cannot apply for a parole review and must wait for their next mandatory review.

The current legislation allows offenders to apply for a parole review one year after the board denies, cancels or terminates parole.

The passing of Brian’s Bill would mean people convicted of first-degree murder could apply for parole after 25 years, or between 10 and 25 years for second-degree murder, but if denied, they’d have to wait five years before being able to apply again.

“I think this is a reasonable amendment to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, because murder is a life sentence, and a life sentence should mean something,” Michael Cooper, the MP for St. Albert-Sturgeon River, told CTV News Edmonton.

“Let’s face it, if you’ve been incarcerated for 25 years and your parole is considered, what are the chances that you’re releasable after being turned down the next year or the following year? The chances are next to nothing. What we have right now is a process that penalizes and re-victimizes the families of victims for parole hearings that are almost certainly going to be turned down.”

Cooper introduced the private member’s bill in parliament last year before it made it to the Senate, where it was held up due to several bills before it at the time.

Edmonton Griesbach MP Kerry Diotte introduced the bill again this year, and as a result, it will be before the House of Commons for a second reading next week, followed by a vote at the end of the month on whether it should be sent to the justice committee.

“There are two hours of debate for private members’ bills in the House of Commons before there is a vote, so we’re going to have that debate here in the next week, and I’m hopeful that it will pass, at least a second reading to get it to committee,” Cooper said. “Frankly, this is legislation that should pass. It should be a no-brainer. It’s common sense to say that convicted murderers who are serving a life sentence shouldn’t be able to apply year after year for parole.”

Diotte said he’s hopeful the Liberal government will recognize the need to amend the legislation.

“I hope that they really will see this as a good way to favour the rights of victims,” he said. “I’m quite hopeful it will pass. I’ll note that private members’ bills are not as apt to pass, but in the last 10 years, 30 to 40 private members’ bills have passed into law in Parliament.”

In the end, the Ilesics say they hope the bill gets passed to save the families of victims from further trauma.

“I really do not want to have to face him year after year. It is far too difficult,” said Mike Ilesic, Brian’s father. “The bill was done, yes, in memory of Brian but (also) in memory of all victims, their loved ones and friends.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson