ANTI-CRIME MEASURES MOVE SLOWLY THROUGH PARLIAMENT

I've been getting an earful from concerned Kootenay Columbia residents
over the "Shane Doan affair."

We have far more important things to do than worry about who is the
captain of Team Canada. And I agree. That's what the national media is
focussed on -- here's what they under-report.

During the last election campaign, the Conservative party promised
Canadians that we would deliver on justice measures. We listened and
that is exactly what we are doing. The government is proceeding at
full speed with its law-and-order agenda.

Let's talk specifics. One of the most important bills we've put
forward would impose mandatory prison sentences for criminals
convicted of using guns in the commission of serious, violent crimes.
Under this bill, for crimes like attempted murder, sexual assault,
kidnapping, robbery and extortion, the mandatory minimum sentence
would be five years for a first offence and seven years for second and
subsequent convictions.

To fight organized crime, another important bill we've introduced
would reverse the onus on bail applications for people accused of
serious crimes involving firearms. In fact, we made history by
allowing parliamentarians to publicly question the first Supreme Court
of Canada justice appointed on our watch. And we have opened up the
Judicial Advisory Committees -- the bodies that recommend judges for
the federal courts -- to include representatives from the law
enforcement community.

We believe the Canadian justice system should be more broadly
reflective of the country and the people it serves.

Since taking office last year, Canada's New Government has brought
forward 12 new justice bills that will help reduce crime and create
safer communities for Canadians. To make Canada safer, Canada's New
Government has introduced legislation to get violent, dangerous
criminals off our streets. Since May 2006, we've introduced
legislation to restrict conditional sentences, otherwise known as
house arrest, for serious crimes; introduce mandatory minimum
sentences for serious firearm offences; continue the fight to
crack-down on offenders who operate motor vehicles while impaired by
alcohol or drugs; raise the age of consent from 14 to 16 years to
protect youth from adult sexual predators; and keep the most violent,
dangerous repeat offenders in the country in prison.

These measures have been making their way through this minority
Parliament very slowly.

Canada's New Government will continue to fulfill its promise to
protect Canadian families and communities by cracking down on guns,
gangs and drugs.

For more information on justice legislation, please visit
www.tacklingcrime.gc.ca/stronger_laws_e.asp

Jim Abbott is the Conservative MP for Kootenay-Columbia riding