Harper unveils law-and-order agenda

[southerncomfort]

Sounds good to me.

Harper unveils law-and-order agenda

www.CTV.ca News Staff

December 3, 2005 12:21 PM ET

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper unveiled his law-and-order agenda today in British Columbia, promising tougher sentences for drug trafficking.

Harper, speaking in Burnaby, B.C., vowed mandatory minimum prison sentences of at least two years for the most serious drug offenders.

He said that crack dealers, marijuana grow operators and crystal meth manufacturers "have to know that if they are caught, they will not get a slap on the wrist.

"They will go to prison. It is a serious crime, and they will do serious time."

He also said he would ban conditional sentences, also known as house arrest, for serious drug crimes. Stiffer fines will also be implemented.

[cybercoma]

Sounds good to me.

Harper unveils law-and-order agenda

www.CTV.ca News Staff

December 3, 2005 12:21 PM ET

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper unveiled his law-and-order agenda today in British Columbia, promising tougher sentences for drug trafficking.

Harper, speaking in Burnaby, B.C., vowed mandatory minimum prison sentences of at least two years for the most serious drug offenders.

He said that crack dealers, marijuana grow operators and crystal meth manufacturers "have to know that if they are caught, they will not get a slap on the wrist.

"They will go to prison. It is a serious crime, and they will do serious time."

He also said he would ban conditional sentences, also known as house arrest, for serious drug crimes. Stiffer fines will also be implemented.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good. Trafficking and the production and sale of hard drugs is a serious offense and should be dealt with as such. Your average Joe isn't gutting houses to grow weed, these are organized crime elements in society raising funds for more serious crime. I hope Harper gets in and this law gets passed, so we can crack down on these criminals.

[normanchateau]

Good.  Trafficking and the production and sale of hard drugs is a serious offense and should be dealt with as such.  Your average Joe isn't gutting houses to grow weed, these are organized crime elements in society raising funds for more serious crime.  I hope Harper gets in and this law gets passed, so we can crack down on these criminals.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with Harper on hard drugs. But marijuana is not a hard drug and he wants to treat it as such. Many average Joes in BC are indeed growing marijuana for personal consumption. They should be allowed to do so and the dysfunctional law crminalizing that should be changed. Neither police nor RCMP enforce possession laws in BC and successive BC provincial governments have no interest in punishing those who possess small amounts. Having a dysfunctional law which is ignored does not exactly encourage respect for the law. Joe Clark when he was the PC leader and Stockwell Day when he was the Alliance leader both agreed on that point.

[sharkman]

Right now in the Lower Mainland of B.C., a violent offender (with over 40 convictions) was released. One of his offenses was raping a lady who was over 70. A real sick puppy. I'm not sure of all the details, I think he's in some kind of half way house.

Here's the thing: the police are reduced to warning communities about these criminals when they know the offender hasn't been rehabilitated and the parole board just releases them on the public. The Vancouver Police didn't even tell which community this guy is in so at least people would know to lock their children up.

And this is all because of our judges giving lenient sentenses and no one is protecting the public. We need tougher laws and I'm glad to hear Harper announce this.

[Shakeyhands]

Is Harper the second coming or what!!!!!!

[cybercoma]

Good.  Trafficking and the production and sale of hard drugs is a serious offense and should be dealt with as such.  Your average Joe isn't gutting houses to grow weed, these are organized crime elements in society raising funds for more serious crime.  I hope Harper gets in and this law gets passed, so we can crack down on these criminals.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with Harper on hard drugs. But marijuana is not a hard drug and he wants to treat it as such. Many average Joes in BC are indeed growing marijuana for personal consumption. They should be allowed to do so and the dysfunctional law crminalizing that should be changed. Neither police nor RCMP enforce possession laws in BC and successive BC provincial governments have no interest in punishing those who possess small amounts. Having a dysfunctional law which is ignored does not exactly encourage respect for the law. Joe Clark when he was the PC leader and Stockwell Day when he was the Alliance leader both agreed on that point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, did you actually want to discuss the point I made about how the average joe doesn't gut houses to make grow operations? Or would you rather just post a bunch of inaccuracies?

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear cybercoma,

So, did you actually want to discuss the point I made about how the average joe doesn't gut houses to make grow operations? Or would you rather just post a bunch of inaccuracies?

They are not 'inaccuracies', the fact remains that both arguments are true. I believe that the only way to address both the relative harmlessness of pot (and thereby the silliness of classifying it as 'worse' than the already legal alcohol, or lumping it in the same category as heroin or crack) and the criminality of grow-ops is to legalize it.

[Argus]

Getting tough on drug crime is all well and good, but how about getting tough on violent crime?

Laws I would like to see implimented:

The elimination of automatic parole as a right. Parole would henceforth be reserved for those who have shown a particular remorse and a genuine effort to reform themselves. Yes, this will cost more money, and no, I don't care.

Anyone caught trying to sell a restricted weapon illegally gets an automatic 2 year minimum prison sentence. On a second offence it jumps to 5.

Anyone caught smuggling firearms across the border gets a 2 year sentence - suspended if they have no criminal record and they were not intending to sell the weapons. On a second offence the sentence jumps to 5 years. On a third, to 20.

Anyone with a criminal record found in posession of a firearm they are not permitted to own gets an automatic 2 year prison sentence. On a second offence it jumps to 5.

Anyone who uses a firearm in the commision of an indictable crime gets an automatic 2 year term, consecutive to whatever other sentence he or she gets.

Reform of our definitions of homocide and attempted homicide. Canada has one of the most restrictive requirements for proving murder and attempted murder in the world. You can chase someone down and shoot them several times, and still not be charged with attempted murder. Instead you'll be charged with aggravated assault, as it's so difficult to prove intent. Likewise, there have been many cases of obvious intent to murder which have resulted in lesser charges because of how hard it is to prove intent. A famous local case is a man who picked a fight in a mall with a stranger, stabbed the man to death with the hunting knife he had brought, and shouted "I killed you, you bastard! I'm going to watch you die!" in front of numerous witnesses. He was charged with manslaughter.

Henceforth anyone who shoots at anyone (whether he hits them or not) with a firearm or who stabs anyone will be considered to have had the intent to kill, and prosecuted accordingly. Likewise, anyone who kicks anyone in the head or throat repeatedly or uses any kind of object on their head or neck will be considerd to have the intent to kill and prosecuted accordingly.

[sharkman]

Argus, I agree with your comments wholeheartedly. Add to that our judges who mostly seem to give slap on the wrist punishments and you have a recipe for multiple repeat offenders. I read an article in our local paper that stated a big part of our crime is commited by gangs, who have grown in numbers to the point of being a cause for 'public concern. And our justice system is not protecting the public. Where there is no deterent, organized crime grows.

[scribblet]

Getting tough on drug crime is all well and good, but how about getting tough on violent crime?

.

Henceforth anyone who shoots at anyone (whether he hits them or not) with a firearm or who stabs anyone will be considered to have had the intent to kill, and prosecuted accordingly. Likewise, anyone who kicks anyone in the head or throat repeatedly or uses any kind of object on their head or neck will be considerd to have the intent to kill and prosecuted accordingly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can agree with that, and along the same theme which I think was lost in the election call.:

Reform tougher rules on judgeships proposed

Cristin Schmitz, CanWest News Service

Published: Tuesday, November 29, 2005

OTTAWA - Eager to shake off allegations of cronyism as they head to the polls, Liberal MPs voted with the opposition to endorse reforms that would make it harder for future governments to use federal judgeships as patronage plums.

In one of the last symbolic acts of the 38th Parliament, a Commons subcommittee tabled in the House yesterday a non-binding interim report that unanimously acknowledges that the present appointment scheme for Canada's 1,000 appellateand superior court trial judges leaves the door wide open to political patronage.

Liberal members on the subcommittee continued to insist that the Martin

government has never used judgeships as a political reward. But the justice subcommittee's unanimous report nevertheless signals for the first time the federal government's acknowledgment that substantive reform is in order.

"We agreed on the need for change," MPs of all four federal parties wrote.

"While prescriptions for reforming the system varied, the feeling that some type of change was needed was universal."

[Montgomery Burns]

Nice to see one of our political leaders getting tough on crime. I live in the robbery capital (per capita) of Canada and the US (yes higher per capita robbery rate than major cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, NYC, LA, and Chicago).

I'm tired of these criminals getting slaps on the wrist. From last week:

1) Winnipeg gang member Michael Gary Regamy gets only 12 years for shooting a cop in the face and nearly paralyzing him (the bullet went down his throat and lodged near his spine).

Wpg Free Press, November 30

An Alberta man was sentenced to 12 years in prison yesterday for shooting a Manitoba Mountie in the face with a stolen .357-Magnum handgun.

Michael Gary Regamy, 24, offered a faint “I’m sorry” before Queens Bench Justice Albert Clearwater approved the joint-sentencing recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.

Regamy could be eligible for parole in four years, and would likely be granted statutory release after serving eight years.

Regamy shows remorse:

“I couldn’t have possibly had a fair trial there. The jury hated me, and the judge didn’t like me. If I had a fair trial, I could have beat this case. The Crown had a weak case,” said Regamy.

“If anything, I should be guilty of attempting to murder a police car,” said Regamy, who along with co-accused Danny Courchene were wanted for a home invasion in Alberta and trying to avoid arrest.

“I wasn’t firing at the officer. I was trying to shoot through his radiator and take out his engine. I was trying to screw up his car.”

Well, that changes everything. Release this poor "victim of society"!!

2) Regamy's partner also got 10 years for attempted murder

3) More harsh Canadian justice:

A woman charged in the murder of a Winnipeg teen at a Canada Day house party has been granted bail.

Johanna Lopez, 21, was released from custody yesterday on $5,000 bail after an appearance before Justice Murray Sinclair.

The Crown agreed to her release.

While on bail, Lopez is to live in Pitt Meadows, B.C., observe a 24-hour curfew and report regularly to police.

Eighteen-year-old Tonya Kirchen died July 1 when her throat was slashed with a knife at a Margolis Place home in Transcona.

Kill an 18 y/o girl by slashing her throat and get out on $5000 bail.

And more harsh Canadian justice:

Vancouver police are warning citizens about a dangerous sex offender who is being released from prison on Thursday, and plans to live in the city.

Thirty-nine-year-old Richard Hector Major served his full prison sentence. But police say he did not complete any sex offender rehabilitation program while in jail.

Const. Tim Fanning says Major has a extensive history of violent sex crimes, and is considered a major risk to re-offend – posing a significant risk to children and elderly women.

Major was convicted in 1991 of sexually assaulting an elderly woman at knifepoint after beating her with her own cane. He then tried to abduct another woman during an attempted carjacking in 2002, just 23 days after being released for the 1991 offence.

State-run, taxpayer-funded ultra leftwing CBC spins youth crime

The first paragraph reads:

The number of young people jailed for their crimes has fallen significantly since the introduction of the Youth Criminal Justice Act in 2003, according to a Statistics Canada report released Thursday.

But if you scroll down to the last paragraph, you see this:

In 2003-04, there were, on average, 8.8 young people in jail each day for every 10,000 young people in the country, compared with 12.4 a year earlier and 19.6 in 1994-95. These numbers exclude Ontario because of data unavailability.

However, in a December 2004 article on youth crime, the Toronto Sun reported the following:

"While the number of all crime cases heard in Canadian youth court has dropped 20% over the last decade, violent crimes cases -- for homicide, sexual assault, assault and robbery -- have jumped 25% over the same period, reports Statistics Canada.

"Separate stats from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS) show an increase of 13% in the youth violent crime rate between 1993-2003, with a significant jump in 2000 after a decade of relative stability."

Crime statistics in Canada chart here

Just like Saskatchewan's NDP when it comes to cooking the numbers when they claim that they have reduced welfare...

[sharkman]

Wow, Monty, a good post.

[tml12]

Nice to see one of our political leaders getting tough on crime.  I live in the robbery capital (per capita) of Canada and the US (yes higher per capita robbery rate than major cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, NYC, LA, and Chicago).

I'm tired of these criminals getting slaps on the wrist.  From last week:

1)  Winnipeg gang member Michael Gary Regamy gets only 12 years for shooting a cop in the face and nearly paralyzing him (the bullet went down his throat and lodged near his spine). 

Wpg Free Press, November 30

An Alberta man was sentenced to 12 years in prison yesterday for shooting a Manitoba Mountie in the face with a stolen .357-Magnum handgun.

Michael Gary Regamy, 24, offered a faint “I’m sorry” before Queens Bench Justice Albert Clearwater approved the joint-sentencing recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.

Regamy could be eligible for parole in four years, and would likely be granted statutory release after serving eight years.

Regamy shows remorse:

“I couldn’t have possibly had a fair trial there. The jury hated me, and the judge didn’t like me. If I had a fair trial, I could have beat this case. The Crown had a weak case,” said Regamy.

“If anything, I should be guilty of attempting to murder a police car,” said Regamy, who along with co-accused Danny Courchene were wanted for a home invasion in Alberta and trying to avoid arrest.

“I wasn’t firing at the officer. I was trying to shoot through his radiator and take out his engine. I was trying to screw up his car.”

Well, that changes everything. Release this poor "victim of society"!!

2) Regamy's partner also got 10 years for attempted murder

3) More harsh Canadian justice:

A woman charged in the murder of a Winnipeg teen at a Canada Day house party has been granted bail.

Johanna Lopez, 21, was released from custody yesterday on $5,000 bail after an appearance before Justice Murray Sinclair.

The Crown agreed to her release.

While on bail, Lopez is to live in Pitt Meadows, B.C., observe a 24-hour curfew and report regularly to police.

Eighteen-year-old Tonya Kirchen died July 1 when her throat was slashed with a knife at a Margolis Place home in Transcona.

Kill an 18 y/o girl by slashing her throat and get out on $5000 bail.

And more harsh Canadian justice:

Vancouver police are warning citizens about a dangerous sex offender who is being released from prison on Thursday, and plans to live in the city.

Thirty-nine-year-old Richard Hector Major served his full prison sentence. But police say he did not complete any sex offender rehabilitation program while in jail.

Const. Tim Fanning says Major has a extensive history of violent sex crimes, and is considered a major risk to re-offend – posing a significant risk to children and elderly women.

Major was convicted in 1991 of sexually assaulting an elderly woman at knifepoint after beating her with her own cane. He then tried to abduct another woman during an attempted carjacking in 2002, just 23 days after being released for the 1991 offence.

State-run, taxpayer-funded ultra leftwing CBC spins youth crime

The first paragraph reads:

The number of young people jailed for their crimes has fallen significantly since the introduction of the Youth Criminal Justice Act in 2003, according to a Statistics Canada report released Thursday.

But if you scroll down to the last paragraph, you see this:

In 2003-04, there were, on average, 8.8 young people in jail each day for every 10,000 young people in the country, compared with 12.4 a year earlier and 19.6 in 1994-95. These numbers exclude Ontario because of data unavailability.

However, in a December 2004 article on youth crime, the Toronto Sun reported the following:

"While the number of all crime cases heard in Canadian youth court has dropped 20% over the last decade, violent crimes cases -- for homicide, sexual assault, assault and robbery -- have jumped 25% over the same period, reports Statistics Canada.

"Separate stats from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS) show an increase of 13% in the youth violent crime rate between 1993-2003, with a significant jump in 2000 after a decade of relative stability."

Crime statistics in Canada chart here

Just like Saskatchewan's NDP when it comes to cooking the numbers when they claim that they have reduced welfare...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very good post indeed.

That is just more encouraging to criminals... :angry: