March 04, 2009

OTTAWA  (04 March 2009)  –   “Every area in Canada is vulnerable to the menace of organized crime and gang activities,” said Leon Benoit, Member of Parliament for Vegreville-Wainwright. “For that very reason, our Conservative government is continuing to move on our justice agenda, most recently to address the often lethal impact of gangs and organized crime on our families and communities.” 

If passed by Parliament, the proposed Act to amend the Criminal Code (organized crime and protection of justice system participants) will:

• make murders connected to organized crime activity automatically first-degree (mandatory 25 year sentence);
• create a new offence to address drive-by and other reckless shootings, with a mandatory minimum sentence which would increase if the offence was committed for a criminal organization or with a prohibited or restricted firearm such as a handgun; and
• create two new offences of aggravated assault against a peace or public officer and assault with a weapon on a peace or public officer (punishable by maximum penalties of 14 and 10 years respectively).

“Our Government is committed to targeting gangs and other organized criminal groups that are involved in violent crimes,” explains Benoit. “We will continue to take tough, responsible action to make our streets and communities safer and more secure.”

Benoit went on to state that: “Prior to the last federal election, Canadians told us they were feeling less safe than they once did.  That’s why we’ve introduced numerous pieces of legislation to make this country more safe.”  Some of the bills include:

• mandatory prison sentences for criminals who commit crimes with guns;
• tougher bail rules to make it easier to keep those accused of serious gun crimes in jail and off the street;
• a higher age of consent—16 years old—to protect children from sexual predators;
• new, stronger measures against drunk or drug-impaired driving; and
• provisions that make it easier to keep the country’s most dangerous offenders behind bars, where they belong, forever.

“But there’s more to be done,” says Benoit. “That’s why we’re getting tough on drug pushers. That’s why we’re getting tough on car thieves. That’s why we’re taking on the challenge of youth crime by proposing new laws that will make it easier to detain accused young offenders who pose a risk to public safety.”

“We are doing what it takes to ensure safer streets. We are putting the interests of victims and law abiding families first. I am committed to ensuring Canadian communities will not go back to a weak justice system that favours criminals over victims.

However Benoit points out that the Opposition parties do not support an agenda which focuses on strengthening Canada’s justice system. Indeed, one of the main reasons the Prime Minister dissolved Parliament last September 7th was because the Opposition shut down three House of Commons Committees during the past Parliament – including the Justice Committee – which virtually killed all related legislation. 

“These Committees are an integral part of the legislative process, so this effectively meant that legislation was not going through,” concludes Benoit. “For instance, in terms of the Justice Committee alone, legislation dealing with: amending the Youth Criminal Justice Act; providing increased product safety for consumers; increasing penalties for auto and identity thefts; and for organized-crime related activities (the bill which the Justice Minister tabled again this week), simply died.  It was an unacceptable situation and unfortunately the Opposition has resumed playing these type of games so changes to the justice system are being stalled.  Our Conservative Government will continue to use all means at our disposal to move these bills through Parliament, however it is certainly not happening as quickly as we, and indeed most Canadians, would like.”