PM expects opposition to 'parrot' critics of

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1 Page 1 of 5 PM expects opposition to 'parrot' critics of anti-gang measures Liberals, NDP say they support bill in principle Last Updated: Thursday, February 26, :05 PM ET Comments1378Recommend177 CBC News Prime Minister Stephen Harper gestures while responding to a reporter's question in Burnaby, B.C., on Thursday. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press) Prime Minister Stephen Harper insists tougher sentences included in the anti-gang legislation the Conservatives tabled on Thursday will deter crime but said he expects opposition parties will "parrot" critics of the measures because they believe in "soft-on-crime" policies. Speaking in the Vancouver area, which has seen 18 shootings in the past month, Harper said the Tories received the Canadian public's backing in the last election to ensure violent criminals face strong penalties. B.C. HOMICIDES Homicides in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley have been charted in this map. "The truth of the matter is, those who say that the tougher penalties on perpetrators will not work don t want them to work because they don t believe in his kind of approach," he told reporters. "We know that we re going to hear these critics, and we know that we re going to hear the opposition parrot some of these critics because they all believe in soft-on-crime policies." Shortly after the prime minister spoke, the Liberals and NDP announced they would support the bill in principle, while also criticizing the Tories for not going far enough in terms of crime prevention. The proposed amendments to the Criminal Code would make any gang-related homicide a first-degree murder charge, as well as create a new charge for drive-by shootings that would carry a mandatory four-

2 Page 2 of 5 year minimum sentence upon conviction, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said. The bill will also seek to increase sentences against those convicted of assaulting police officers with a weapon or causing bodily harm to a maximum of 10 years in prison. "We are sending a very clear message," Nicholson told reporters in Ottawa. "We will not tolerate such violent criminal activity that attempts to flourish at the expense of law-abiding Canadians." The justice minister added that the bill would not be treated as a confidence vote, unlike the Tories' past anti-crime laws that were pushed through the last Parliament. The Bloc Québécois said it is in favour of the bill but wants to review the mandatory minimum sentences in the justice committee. Rash of killings A second bill, which could be introduced Friday, is targeted at drugs, Nicholson told CBC News earlier in the day in an interview. "Drugs are an intimate part of what gangs and organized crime are involved with in this country. We recognize they go hand in hand," he said. B.C.'s Lower Mainland has seen a sudden rash of gun violence, with incidents ranging from Abbotsford, in the Fraser Valley east of Vancouver, to Kitsilano, the heart of latte-land on Vancouver's west side. On Wednesday, provincial politicians, including B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal, travelled to Ottawa to discuss the surge in violence with federal parties. B.C. is lobbying for extra provisions to help tackle gang-related violence, including wiretap access to intercept internet and BlackBerry communications. It will also ask for laws ending two-for-one credits for time served and for fewer demands placed on prosecutors to disclose evidence to defence lawyers. The prime minister said ending two-for-one credits is "certainly" one of the many reforms the government is considering for Canada's justice policy, which he said has been "going in the wrong direction" for the past 40 years. "This is another first step," Harper said. "There are many more that have to be done to get the system turned around, and we will certainly be looking at all useful suggestions from our provinces." Tories failed on crime prevention: Dosanjh But Liberal Ujjal Dosanjh, an MP from B.C., promptly lashed out at Harper for failing to include the B.C. government's proposals. Dosanjh told reporters the Tory bill simply "repackages" current offences, and accused the government of completely ignoring crime prevention programs over the past few years. "We support the bill in principle, but we believe that this bill could have been done earlier and it doesn t really create any new offences," Dosanjh said.

3 Page 3 of 5 "This government has absolutely, miserably failed in advancing our agenda, the Canadian agenda, on crime prevention." NDP justice critic Joe Comartin called on the Conservatives to fast-track the bill into law, saying it is consistent with themes that his party have supported in past elections. "We will be supporting it and we will be pushing it through the House as fast as we can," Comartin said. But he also called for more action to be taken as part of a comprehensive strategy, including more police officers on the street, especially in the Metro Vancouver area, as well as more diversion projects for youths at risk of joining gangs. But Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan defended the government's national crime prevention strategy and cited last month's launching of five separate projects to divert young people from criminal groups. "They re rolling out," Van Loan said. "Obviously, those take years to have their full impact, but we are taking action on that front where it was neglected for far too long." Canada 'navigating in the fog' on gangs: author Michael Chettleburgh, a criminal justice analyst and author of Young Thugs, which chronicles the rise of Canada's homegrown gang culture, said the Tories' measures won't add much clarity to how ill-equipped the justice system is to handle gang violence in Canada. "Right now we are navigating in the fog around the gang issue," he told CBC News from Toronto. "For many gang members, tougher laws doesn't matter. They don't pay attention to tougher laws." He said Canada is lagging behind compared to the recent changes made in the United States, such as allowing the testimony of witnesses against gangs to be entered into court records without the witness having to stand before the court. With files from the Canadian Press Post a comment 1378Comments have been posted Recommend this story 177People have recommended this story Story comments (1378) Sort: Most recent First to last Agreed unknowncanadian wrote:posted 2009/03/25 at 3:23 PM ETMore of the US- War On Drugs. Not an original thought in Harper's head. Obama is easing the war on marijuana finally and we have this moron who still wants to follow George Bush's ideas. The war on drugs is a war on marijuana. Leave the crack, cocaine, heroin, etc. alone and concentrate on marijuana. Put pot smokers in jail. Harper is an idiot and should be removed.

4 Page 4 of 5 1Agree 2DisagreePolicy Report abuse MDO250 wrote:posted 2009/03/08 at 7:57 AM ETThere is no place for such wreck less and putrid gang violence in this fine country. One thing I do not understand about this proposed legislation is the fact that someone can be peddling crack or heroin on the street (ptp) with no mandatory minimum; while on the other hand a person with one pot plant is hit with a mandatory six month minimum jail time! I really hope that some revisions are made before the final cut. let s face it fellow people it is fact after all, Canadians smoke the most marijuana per capita in the world; therefore, pot will still be in huge demand but riskier to obtain leading to higher prices and more organized criminal activities to produce and distribute it. It does not take too much research to understand that organized crime will always follow the money trail. I am convinced that if this bill passes the marijuana industry will no longer belong to the quiet hippy in a basement somewhere; it will get handed over to the criminal organizations it is trying to stop creating even more greed and bloodshed. 4Agree 1DisagreePolicy Report abuse MDO250 wrote:posted 2009/03/08 at 7:50 AM ETLet s Vote this guy out next round people. Criminals can peddle crack with no mandatory minimums (ptp) but one pot plant is an automatic six months in the bucket...who is the one smoking to much dope here?? 5 5Agree 2DisagreePolicy Report abuse One_realist wrote:posted 2009/03/02 at 3:30 PM ETTo the folks who believe the answer is for government to decriminalize pot : A terrible, terrible idea first off..which is why it would be totally legal if the government could completley control growth and sale, but... What government wouldn't want it's people further drugged?... Aask pharmaceutical companies, they seem to do well Agree 4DisagreePolicy Report abuse One_realist wrote:posted 2009/03/02 at 2:31 PM ETI cannot believe that we have become so complacent that government can still re-hash the same tired nonsense over and over and over and not only do we not challenge these recycled fairy-tales, but we argue with each other over it based on some fictional "left v. right" fight... Once again under the guise of "protecting the people", we are told gang crackdowns and the war on drugs are back front and center...what a joke..again.. Spying on us = tracking gang activity...and

5 Page 5 of 5 War on drugs= locking up petty criminals to further the U.S. private prison system in Canada (private prisons already exist here...) Private prisons are a big industry, and who's going to question the move if it will "keep drugs off our streets Agree 1DisagreePolicy Report abuse First Previous Next Last Post your comment Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are pre-moderated/reviewed and published according to our submission guidelines. You must be logged in to leave a comment. Log in Sign up Comment: Post Submission policy