Bill C-10 is intended to expand the powers of provincial & territorial review boards, the legal bodies that make decisions about the detention, supervision, & release of mentally disordered persons, by allowing them to order psychiatric assessments, adjourn hearings, and extend the time for review of an accused persons' disposition. The Bill also allows victim impact statements to be read at hearings and gives review boards the power to issue publication bans similar to courts. This document reviews the legislative history of the Bill, provides background on the mental disorder provisions of the Criminal Code and the parliamentary review of those provisions, and describes & analyzes each clause of the Bill. The clauses relate to such matters as assessment orders, disposition hearings, publication bans, review of dispositions, persons unfit to stand trial, enforcement of orders, and consequential amendments. Finally, commentary received about the Bill from members of Parliament and the media is summarized.

Bill C-10 is intended to expand the powers of provincial & territorial review boards, the legal bodies that make decisions about the detention, supervision, & release of mentally disordered persons, by allowing them to order psychiatric assessments, adjourn hearings, and extend the time for review of an accused persons' disposition. The Bill also allows victim impact statements to be read at hearings and gives review boards the power to issue publication bans similar to courts. This document reviews the legislative history of the Bill, provides background on the mental disorder provisions of the Criminal Code and the parliamentary review of those provisions, and describes & analyzes each clause of the Bill. The clauses relate to such matters as assessment orders, disposition hearings, publication bans, review of dispositions, persons unfit to stand trial, enforcement of orders, and consequential amendments. Finally, commentary received about the Bill from members of Parliament and the media is summarized.