OMNIBUS BILL TARGETS DRUG DEALERS, PREDATORS

Critics Denounce Cost at a Time When Offence Rates Falling

OTTAWA -- A sweeping omnibus crime bill tabled Tuesday that seeks to
crack down on young offenders, drug dealers, sexual predators and
Canadians in foreign prisons is under fire from critics -- who argue
it's a waste of time and money since crime rates are on the wane in Canada.

The bill, dubbed the Safe Streets and Communities Act, comprises nine
individual justice bills that died during the previous parliamentary
session because the then-minority Tory government could not push them through.

Speaking in Brampton, Ont., on Tuesday accompanied by a number of
representatives from victims' rights groups, Justice Minister Rob
Nicholson said the new legislation will include measures to protect
children from sexual offenders by setting mandatory minimum
penalties, target organized drug crime and crack down on young offenders.

The legislation will take away the option of house arrest for those
who have been convicted of serious violent and property crimes, such
as sexual assault, human trafficking, arson, break and enter,
child-luring and kidnapping, he said.

"Since coming into office, our government has accomplished a great
deal when it comes to cracking down on crime and better protecting
Canadians," he said.

"But we know more needs to be done. Canadians want and deserve to
feel safe in their homes and their communities."

The government has vowed to pass the bill within the first 100
sitting days of the new Parliament, which began Monday.

The opposition has promised to oppose it, citing Statistics Canada
data suggesting crime is going down in this country, as well as U.S.
studies that conclude locking people up for longer doesn't necessarily work.

With their Commons majority, however, the Conservatives no longer
need the opposition's support to pass legislation.

NDP justice critic Joe Comartin said that the bill focuses on
incarceration rather than crime prevention.

"The evidence generally was overwhelmingly opposed to most of this
legislation," Comartin said.

The bill will also heap additional costs on provinces, Comartin said,
as provincial institutions house more prisoners for minor drug crimes.