OH CANADA, CRIMINAL HAVEN

Canadians must be proud when they reflect upon our accomplishments as
a nation, except when we consider the recent UN report announcing we
have achieved pre-eminent status as the world's leading exporter of
illegal drugs such as methamphetamine and ecstasy.

Canada is also renowned among the criminal element for having the some
of most comfortable prisons, along with one of the most lenient
judicial systems in the civilized world. I'm not sure why we as a
nation have decided to promote an environment that actively encourages
criminal behaviour or does absolutely nothing to discourage it.

Consider some of the delightful aspects of being a criminal in Canada:

1. Double or even triple time credit for pre-trial custody. 2. Bail
routinely granted for even the most serious of offences. 3. Reasonable
likelihood of being sentenced to house arrest instead of
incarceration. 4. Crime solvency rates fluctuate from about only 13%
to 25% throughout the country, and arrested does not mean convicted.
5. Mandatory release from custody for the final one third of your
sentence. 6. Numerous appeals and faint hope parole hearings for even
the most heinous crimes, all taxpayer funded (ex. Robert Pickton and
Clifford Olson).

Now for drug abuse:

1. Manitoba Health-funded local program to provide free crack pipe
kits to crack users. 2. Safe Injection Sites (Vancouver) for
intravenous drug users, again funded through health care dollars.

There are other similar "harm reduction" programs in many other
jurisdictions. These are not drug rehab or addictions recovery. They
exist to reduce risks when engaging in drug use. If that's not
enabling I don't know what is.

As for organized crime:

1. We have laws that allow for gangs to be designated as criminal
organizations. However because the burden of proof is so onerous and
Judges are reluctant to convict, these prosecutions are so rarely
successful they're almost useless. 2. Canada's ports police were
decimated years ago and have never recovered. This permits unfettered
exploitation of ports for drug exportation. 3. Canada's cops are
overworked and rarely granted the time and effort required to solve
lengthy and complicated organized crime cases. When they are
prosecuted, sentences are not always lengthy even for known gangsters.
Most learn from their mistakes when they get out. Cops are justifiably
frustrated. 4. Top level crime bosses are well insulated. They take
advantage of every protection afforded by Canada's Charter. When their
underlings are arrested, more are recruited. 5. Witnesses are
reluctant. They know the dangers in speaking out, for them and their
families. Witness protection is woefully inadequate.

We're constantly told crime is decreasing, but if that were true, why
can't we keep dangerous offenders behind bars longer? Jails are now
often overcrowded. Were there more jails and shorter sentences decades
ago? Is anyone truly surprised that we have serious organized crime
and drug abuse problems? What better way to allow a problem to fester
than to deny its existence. Canada is a fine country, but we have some
serious issues. I love my country. I just wish fewer criminals did.