Tories criticized for crime act

By Kyle Mumford

The Safe Streets and Communities Act that has been introduced by the Tory government is being met with a lot of opposition for its outlook on crime in Canada.

In Canada, according to Stats Can, crime has continued its downtrend.  Both the volume and severity of crime fell from the previous two years by 5 % and 6 % respectively and there were 77,000 fewer police-reported crimes in 2010 than in 2009 .

Despite this decline, the Tories are proposing a bill that will get tough on crime.  The bill aims to protect communities by providing better protection to the most vulnerable members of society.  They also hope to curb terrorism and further enhance the ability of the justice system to hold criminals accountable.  The basic premise is to improve the safety and security of Canadians.

This omnibus bill includes amendments to the Controlled Drugs and Substances including mandatory sentences for drug offenders, including an increase in sentencing for marijuana producers from seven to 14 years.  This is the same type of mandatory sentencing that has bankrupted the state of California.  Studies showed that the mandatory three-strike law in that state would increase costs during the period by $5.5 billion dollars per year.