Opinion Piece

September 01, 2009

During the past two elections, Canadians made it clear that they wanted a Government that is serious about tackling crime. As a result, our first major piece of legislation after forming Government in 2006 was a comprehensive bill aimed at tackling violent crime. Prime Minister Harper and our Conservative caucus are continuing to take action to help ensure the safety and security of our communities. We are proud to stand up for victims of crime, and put the rights of law-abiding citizens ahead of the right of criminals.

Since forming Government in 2006, our Conservative Government has:

• Passed the comprehensive Tacking Violent Crime Act, which:

• Has toughened sentencing and bail for those who commit serious gun crimes;
• Better protects youth from sexual predators;
• Better protects society from dangerous offenders; and
• Gets serious with drug impaired drivers

• Passed legislation to end conditional sentences for serious personal injury offences, including sexual assault;
• Passed legislation that will ensure all murders committed in connection with organized crime will become first degree murders, subject to a mandatory sentence  of life imprisonment without eligibility for parole for 25 years;
• Passed legislation to increase penalties for those convicted of street racing;
• Established the national Anti-Drug Strategy to reduce the supply of and demand for illicit drugs in Canada; and
• Established the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime.

As we move forward into the fall session of Parliament, our Government will continue to ensure that serious crime means serious time.  We introduced many important pieces of legislation during the past session of parliament that need to be passed when parliament resumes.

This legislation will put the priorities of victims and law-abiding families first while holding offenders accountable for their crimes, as well as give law enforcement the tools they need to fight gangs and organized crime, by targeting the criminal enterprises on which these groups depend. These bills include:
legislation that would impose mandatory penalties on drug pushers, drug traffickers and drug producers;
legislation that would eliminate the practice of giving convicted criminals ‘2 to 1’ credit – or in some circumstances even ‘3 to 1’ credit – for pre-sentencing custody;

• legislation that takes away the ‘faint hope’ clause that allows first or second degree murderers to apply for early parole;
• legislation that restricts the use of conditional sentences or ‘house arrest’;
• legislation to help combat the complex, serious and growing problems of identity theft and identity fraud; and
• legislation to tackle property crime, especially the serious crime of auto theft.

Unfortunately, Michael Ignatieff’s Liberals continue to stick to their soft-on-crime ideology, and used their majority in the Senate to stall the passage of two of these important bills from coming into effect at the beginning of the summer. Bill C-15, aimed at cracking down on drug crime and the gangs that profit from illegal drugs; and Bill C-26, legislation which would crack down on auto theft, did not protect Canadians this summer because the Liberals delayed their passage.

I personally, along with many of my Conservative government colleagues, have been frustrated on many occasions when it is revealed how the Liberals created a justice/penal system which is focused on the rights of the accused and criminals over those of the victims. We are working to change that focus, and our justice agenda is an important step towards that goal. Prime Minister Harper has made it clear that we want our Bills dealing with crime passed, however the Liberal party continue to block and delay our legislation.
Enough is enough. The Liberal Party must stop being soft on crime and vote to protect the safety and security of all Canadians.

I am sure that Canadians expect Michael Ignatieff and all the opposition parties, when Parliament resumes this fall, to vote with our Government to pass legislation to further protect Canadians, their families, and their communities.

Leon Benoit, MP
Vegreville-Wainwright