My constituents continue to express their concerns regarding justice and crime issues. As most Canadians know, our government made the safety and security of Canadians and their communities a key priority in the last election. We have done much to fulfil those promises.
Indeed protecting citizens is key for our Conservative Government, and we thought this concern would be equally shared by all Canadians. However, having listened to and participated in the debates on our justice legislation last session, I was very disappointed to hear members of the Opposition try to weaken and otherwise gut our proposed bills. Yet despite all the efforts to the contrary, my colleagues and I – especially the Prime Minister – remained determined to address what we see as a serious problem.

Unfortunately the Liberal Party has spent close to two years using procedural tricks to obstruct our government’s safer-streets agenda. Whether by gutting crime bills in committee, or by relying on their unelected and unaccountable friends in the Senate to delay legislation, Liberals have blocked necessary criminal justice reforms, and left victims and vulnerable families at risk. No Canadian should accept the Stéphane Dion Liberals once again playing political games with these badly needed measures.

As a result, the Prime Minister made C-2, our omnibus justice bill, this government’s first piece of legislation this session. It is also important to note that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has made it clear this legislation will be considered a confidence issue and, as the Liberals supported the mandates outlined in our Speech from the Throne, we expect them to pass this bill without delay.

Other justice initiatives implemented by our government this Parliament include:

• tabling the comprehensive Tackling Violent Crime Act that aims to better protect youth from sexual predators, protect society from dangerous offenders, get serious with drug impaired drivers and toughen sentencing and bail for those who commit serious gun crimes;
• introducing legislation to strengthen the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA);
• invested in crime prevention community projects across Canada that target youth;
• announced a comprehensive review of the YCJA in 2008;
• passed legislation to increase penalties for those convicted of street racing;
• plans to institute mandatory prison terms for serious drug crimes;
• passed legislation to end house arrest for serious crimes such as personal injury offences; and
• announced legislation to protect Canadians from identity theft.
  

Tackling violent crime (C-2)

• The measures included in Bill C-2 will:
• impose mandatory jail time for serious crimes committed using guns;
• create tougher bail rules when a gun is used to commit a crime;
• increase the age of protection for sexual activity from 14 years to 16 years;
• crack down on drug impaired driving; and
• ensure that high-risk and dangerous offenders face tougher consequences when they are sentenced and are better monitored post-release to prevent them from offending again and again

Identity theft (C-27)
C-27 will help combat the complex and serious problem of identity theft in Canada. Organized crime and modern technology are changing the criminal landscape, with new and rapidly-evolving technologies making identity theft easier than ever. As a result, this problem has been an increasing threat for Canadians. C-27 will create three new offences directly targeting aspects of the identity theft problem, all subject to five-year maximum sentences:

• obtaining or possessing identity information with intent to use it to commit certain crimes;
• trafficking in identity information with knowledge of or recklessness as to its intended use in the commission of certain crime;
• unlawfully possessing and trafficking in government-issued identity documents.

Cracking down on drug crime (C-26)
This government intends to get tough on people who commit the serious crimes of producing and selling illegal drugs. Drug producers and dealers who threaten the safety of our communities must face tougher penalties. Bill C-26 will impose mandatory jail time for serious drug offences that involve organized crime, violence, or youth, when for example:

• the offence of trafficking is carried out for organized crime purposes or a weapon or violence is involved;
• the drug is sold to youth or the trafficking offence takes place near a school or an area normally frequented by youth; and
• the production of the illegal drug constitutes a potential security, health or safety hazard to children or a residential community.

The maximum penalties for drug production are also increased from 7 to 14 years. Mandatory prison sentences send a clear message to potential offenders: grow-ops and drug labs located in residential neighbourhoods, selling drugs to youth or trafficking near schools will not be tolerated and you will be punished.

REVISING THE YOUTH CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT (YCJA) – (C-25)
Our Government is committed to responding to the problems posed by youth crime and to using fair and appropriate measures to hold young people accountable when they break the law. Bill C-25 will serve to include deterrence and denunciation as principles of sentencing and strengthen pre-trial detention within the YCJA. This legislation will:

• amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) to allow courts to consider deterrence and denunciation as objectives of youth sentences (this change would allow judges to impose punishments with the objective of deterring and denouncing for serious offences committed by youth);
• change the current pre-trial detention provision in the YCJA, making it easier to detain youth in custody prior to their trials if the youth pose a risk to public safety;

Our youth criminal justice system must effectively hold young offenders accountable for serious crimes with meaningful consequences; instill within them a sense of responsibility for their delinquent or criminal behaviour; and give them better opportunity for rehabilitation so that they do not re-offend.

Additionally, the Justice Minister promised a comprehensive review of the Act will be done next year, to address concerns and criticism regarding various provisions and principles of the YCJA.