COBOURG ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS EXAMINES JUSTICE SYSTEM

Conservatives Tough On Crime: Minister Of Justice

COBOURG -- It's not every day area police services and community
representatives can air their concerns and hopes for Canada's
criminal justice system with the country's top elected official
within the justice portfolio, said Cobourg's police chief.

Chief Paul Sweet, and representatives from the Port Hope Police
Service and Northumberland OPP, along with community stakeholders met
with Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of
Canada, and Northumberland-Quinte West MP Rick Norlock at the Cobourg
police station, on Feb. 17. The roundtable discussion provided Mr.
Nicholson and Mr. Norlock an opportunity to share the federal
government's plans to tighten up the Criminal Code and help make it
easier for police to intercept criminals who use the Internet to
perpetuate their illegal activities.

"A small session like this, talking with the Minister of Justice," is
a unique opportunity to discuss the tools officers need to keep
communities, Chief Sweet said.

Mr. Nicholson said Bill C-46 and Bill C-47 are pending legislations
designed to make it easier for police to do their jobs. Bill C-46
will equip law enforcement agencies with new investigative tools
adapted to computer crimes, and Bill C-47 will require
telecommunications service providers to have technology in place to
enable police services to carry out lawful interceptions on their
networks. Both are much-needed technical changes to the Criminal
Code, said Mr. Nicholson.

"The Criminal Code is out-of-date, stuck in 1955 technology," he said.

Chief Sweet agreed, noting these changes will give police a bigger
stick to tackle online crime, including child porn.

The way people communicate has changed dramatically, it's not just
the phone anymore and police services must be able to keep up with
rapidly-changing technologies, he added.

The justice minister told roundtable participants the government
supports a "get tough on crime" agenda. Just before Christmas, the
Senate came back with what Mr. Nicholson called a "watered-down"
version of a new drug bill introduced in the legislature in June of
last year. The bill sets out stiff penalties for drug importers,
exporters, and those who run grow-ops, he said. The bill doesn't
target drug users or addicts; rather, it targets drug production,
trafficking and organized crime, he explained. He said he is
committed to tougher drug penalties and will reintroduce the
legislation until it becomes law.

"If you're going to bring illegal drugs into Canada, distribute drugs
or run a grow-op business, you're going to jail," said Mr. Nicholson.

As part of the government's effort to crack down on crime, Bill C-25,
which eliminates the old rule of double credit for time served before
sentencing, rolls out next week, he explained. As of Feb. 22, anyone
charged with a crime will only get single credit for time spent in
custody. Mr. Nicholson said the outgoing two-for-one rule undermined
the public's confidence in the justice system. He said the change
will unclog the justice system by discouraging suspects and their
lawyers from dragging out bail hearings and trials with continual
adjournments, due to the benefits of the two-for-one credit system at
sentencing.

Finally, Chief Sweet said police services need better tools to
investigate proceeds of crime. He cited an example of someone living
in a mansion, wearing expensive jewelry yet has never worked a day in
their life. The money to support that type of lifestyle most likely
comes from the proceeds of crime, he said.

"Give us a Revenue Canada person in our office and watch us go," said
Chief Sweet.