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Getting Tough on Crime
Innisfil Enterprise
February 21, 2007
By Peter Van Loan, MP, York-Simcoe
Last week was crime week in the House of
Commons. As Government House Leader, I set
an agenda where most of the week focused on
our plans to make our streets and
communities safer by getting tough on crime.
It demonstrated clearly that there is a
difference between the Conservative
Government and the Liberal Opposition.
We started by debating the Anti-Terrorism
Act provisions – first enacted in 2002, but
now needing a vote to be extended before
they expire on March 1. We expected the Bloc
and the NDP to oppose this – but we were
surprised when Liberal MPs started speaking
out against anti-terrorism provisions. After
all, it was the Liberals that originally
introduced these public security measures.
As time passed, it became clear that the
Liberal Party was split. Stephane Dion
decided to oppose the Anti-Terror
provisions. But as I write this, there were
still very credible voices in his Party
trying to pressure him to reverse his flip
flop on this serious matter.
The next item up for debate was our
Dangerous Offender’s legislation. This Bill
would create a presumption that anyone
convicted of, for example, three separate
violent sexual offences, would be declared a
Dangerous Offender. (Now the Crown must seek
to persuade the court this is the case).
Again, the Opposition Parties oppose this
change.
Our third Bill last week, making it tougher
to get bail for some serious crimes, was
also opposed by the Opposition Parties.
At Justice Committee, the Liberals and Bloc
Quebecois took out all the meaningful
aspects of Bill C-10, our proposal to create
mandatory prison sentences for those
committing gun crimes. Again, as is often
the case with our having only a minority in
Parliament, the Opposition blocked our
efforts to get tough on crime.
Beyond all this, the Opposition Parties
criticized the changes we have made to the
Judicial Advisory Councils that review
applications for judgeships. They did not
like our addition of a police officer to
each panel (in addition to other panel
members like those representing lawyers).
Our view is simple – police officers are in
courts across the country every day and in a
good position to evaluate the qualities of
good judges. We are open about our objective
of making streets and communities safer and
getting tough on crime.
The Liberals may disagree, but we think
getting tough on crime is a change for the
better!
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