MP'S COLUMN - STOPPING CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Mayerthorpe Freelancer -- This past week I was in the riding for
Easter, to meet with constituents, and to take part in a crime
prevention workshop. "Take Back our Community" brought
representatives from Hinton, Edson, Grande Cache, Jasper, and
provincial and federal governments together in a co-ordinated effort
to figure out how to prevent crime before it happens. It was
encouraging to see all levels of government represented at the table
as we looked at how to coordinate our efforts to bring about
solutions to Yellowhead's crime problems.

Yellowhead's communities have been very busy actively targeting
criminal activity in the region. At the premier's task force on
crystal meth 's stop in Drayton Valley, over 40 community members
were present to listen and offer suggestions to combat the crystal
meth problem. The premier's task force and the "Take Back our
Community" meetings are great initiatives, and they are just two of
many community projects that are the result of local citizens working
together to make Canada better.

The Conservative government is committed to joining with the citizens
of Yellowhead to make our communities safer. We will do this by
implementing mandatory minimum sentences for drug trafficking,
weapons offences, and repeat offenders. We will end house arrest for
serious offences, violent and sexual crimes, and crimes involving
children. As your MP, I have received hundreds of letters asking for
the government to implement these laws to protect our communities. We
are going to implement them and we will do so quickly.

By creating tougher sentences for serious and repeat offenders we
will protect our communities. But, an equally important part of
creating safe communities is preventing crime before it occurs. That
is why the efforts of Ivan Strang, MLA for West Yellowhead, who
initiated "Take Back our Community," and other community groups and
support services are very important. We need to make sure that we are
educating young people as to the consequences of poor decisions and
illegal actions. If we are able to inform them at a young age we will
decrease the likelihood that they will engage in destructive
behaviour when they are older.

Above all, we need to keep working together. The federal government
will do its part by strengthening the criminal code to create
stricter consequences for criminals. The provincial government and
local communities are stepping forward to educate, create awareness,
and implement action plans. As we continue to work together to both
prevent criminal action and toughen sentences we will see our
communities become safe again.