In early March 2026, Darren Scott Ray — currently serving a life sentence for the 1986 rape, torture and murder of Darren Pepin, a 14 year old Scarborough boy — was granted a 72-hour pass to live unescorted in Oshawa.
Durham Regional Police promptly issued an urgent warning to the community, urging residents to be on guard and remain vigilant.
Residents, police and victims' rights advocates were shocked that a high-risk sex offender and murderer was released unescorted into Oshawa. It remains unclear how or why the federal Correctional Service and Parole Board granted this pass.
Child murderers handed life sentences must remain behind bars — away from our kids and out of our neighbourhoods.
Though no Member of Parliament or a Minister can single-handedly send a murderer back to prison, Rhonda and the Opposition are urging the House of Commons Committee on Public Safety and National Security to undertake an urgent review of Canada’s parole and release processes.
This review would require officials from the Correctional Service and Parole Board to provide answers to federal legislators.
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Our Petition
Whereas Canadian communities are seeing increasing instances of first degree murderers, including child killers, paroled to roam free in our communities,
We, the undersigned, call upon the federal government to:
1. Prioritize the rights of victims, their families and our communities by ensuring that Canada's justice system upholds real consequences for the most serious violent offenders;
2. Study and recommend improvements to Corrections Canada and Parole Board processes; and,
3. Ensure that a life sentence means life in prison.
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