OTTAWA  – Leon Benoit, Member of Parliament for Vegreville-Wainwright, today announced the government’s latest measures to get tough on crime. “Our Conservative government is serious about protecting Canadians from organized crime,” said Benoit. “That’s why we are introducing new regulations specifically targeting criminal gangs.”

Benoit explained that organized criminal groups usually rely heavily on revenue generated by certain crimes, including large-scale illegal gambling, prostitution rings, and various drug-related activities.

“Our government’s new regulations will specifically target these types of crimes,” Benoit said. “These regulations will classify offences typically associated with organized crime groups as “serious offences” under the Criminal Code.

“This action will give police and prosecutors the necessary tools to target organized criminal activities, and will help to keep dangerous criminals behind bars.”
Benoit also noted that these new regulations are the latest steps in the Conservative government’s efforts to get tough on crime. “As some may recall, our government recently introduced several pieces of “tough on crime” legislation,” said Benoit. “We have taken steps to crack down on the exploitation of children, to toughen sentencing for white-collar criminals, and to eliminate pardons for serious crimes. We are sending the clear message that crime will not be tolerated in Canada.”

“Our government’s efforts to target organized crime reaffirm our commitment to punish criminals, and to ensure that law-abiding Canadians can live in safety and security,” stated Benoit.  “We are committed to ensuring that the rights of victims continue to come before the rights of criminals.”