OPPOSITION STILL FIGHTS TOUGHER LAWS ON CRIME

When political parties go before voters in an election campaign, we
put forward ideas and priorities to help people make an informed
choice. During the past 13 years in Parliament, I have worked hard to
have our laws place public safety, crime prevention and punishment for
violent crimes at the forefront. For too long, past governments have
focused more on moving violent offenders through the system than
preventing crime and protecting people who obey the laws.

I have advanced many pieces of legislation and efforts that many
Canadians supported -- a sex offender registry, longer sentences for
violent crime, cracking down on child pornography and sexual
predators, mandatory minimum sentences for violent crime. Each time,
they were killed by the Liberals.

Sadly, the Liberals continue to lead opposition to much-needed
anti-crime laws, even though Canadians elected a new government that
was more in tune with their values and priorities to toughen up the
justice system.

The Conservative government is advancing legislation for mandatory
minimum sentences for serious, repeat and violent crimes. We have also
proposed legislation to limit the ability to give conditional
sentences and house arrest, especially for violent and repeat
offenders. Unfortunately, the soft-on-crime Liberal-NDP-Bloc team has
forgotten campaign promises to crack down on violent crime, and if
they get their way, arsonists, thieves and robbers will be allowed to
serve their sentences in their living rooms, instead of going to
prison for victimizing innocent Canadians. Some crackdown!

As chairman of the federal Justice and Human Rights Committee, I see
where the priorities of the Liberals, NDP and Bloc lie -- making
excuses for crime instead of preventing it from happening. The
opposition parties have shown they are more interested in protecting
criminals, than law-abiding, hard-working, taxpaying Canadians.

The opposition parties had a chance to rise above their soft-on-crime
philosophies and work with the government to show Canadians we can
tackle the violent crime problem.

Instead, they have shown they do not understand the nature of crime,
how to deal with it or how to protect Canadians from victimization by
criminals who have no regard for rules or public safety. The public
needs to let the Liberals, NDP and Bloc know how they feel about their
soft attitudes. If they don't want to change, Canadians should hold
them accountable for the impact of crime.