Sunday, March 26, 2023
No Result
View All Result
  • Media
Support Us
Macdonald-Laurier Institute
  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Who Makes MLI Work
    • Tenth Anniversary
    • Jobs
    • Women’s History Month Fundraiser
  • Experts
    • Experts Directory
    • In Memoriam
  • Issues
    • Domestic Policy Program
      • Agriculture and Agri-Food
      • Canada’s Political Tradition
      • Economic policy
      • Health Care
      • Innovation
      • Justice
      • Social issues
      • Telecoms
    • Energy Policy Program
      • Energy
      • Environment
    • Foreign Policy Program
      • Foreign Affairs
      • National Defence
      • National Security
    • Indigenous Affairs Program
  • Projects
    • COVID and after: A mandate for recovery
    • COVID Misery Index
      • Beyond Lockdown
    • Provincial COVID Misery Index
    • Centre for Advancing Canada’s Interests Abroad
      • Dragon at the Door
      • The Eavesdropping Dragon: Huawei
    • An Intellectual Property Strategy for Canada
    • Competition Policy in Canada
    • Speak for Ourselves
    • Canada and the Indo-Pacific Initiative
    • DisInfoWatch.org
    • The Transatlantic Program
    • Indigenous Prosperity at a Crossroads
      • Aboriginal Canada and Natural Resources
    • Talkin’ in the Free World with Mariam Memarsadeghi
    • Past Projects
      • Justice Report Card
      • Munk Senior Fellows
      • A Mandate for Canada
      • Confederation Series
      • Fiscal Reform
      • The Canadian Century project
      • Fixing Canadian health care
      • Internal trade
      • From a mandate for change
      • Size of government in Canada
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
      • MLI Dinners
      • Great Canadian Debates
  • Latest News
  • Libraries
    • Annual Reports
    • Inside Policy Magazine
      • Inside Policy Back Issues
      • Inside Policy Blog
    • Papers
    • Columns
    • Books
    • Commentary
    • Straight Talk
    • Video
    • Multimedia
    • Podcasts
    • Leading Economic Indicator
    • Labour Market Report
    • MLI in the Media
  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Who Makes MLI Work
    • Tenth Anniversary
    • Jobs
    • Women’s History Month Fundraiser
  • Experts
    • Experts Directory
    • In Memoriam
  • Issues
    • Domestic Policy Program
      • Agriculture and Agri-Food
      • Canada’s Political Tradition
      • Economic policy
      • Health Care
      • Innovation
      • Justice
      • Social issues
      • Telecoms
    • Energy Policy Program
      • Energy
      • Environment
    • Foreign Policy Program
      • Foreign Affairs
      • National Defence
      • National Security
    • Indigenous Affairs Program
  • Projects
    • COVID and after: A mandate for recovery
    • COVID Misery Index
      • Beyond Lockdown
    • Provincial COVID Misery Index
    • Centre for Advancing Canada’s Interests Abroad
      • Dragon at the Door
      • The Eavesdropping Dragon: Huawei
    • An Intellectual Property Strategy for Canada
    • Competition Policy in Canada
    • Speak for Ourselves
    • Canada and the Indo-Pacific Initiative
    • DisInfoWatch.org
    • The Transatlantic Program
    • Indigenous Prosperity at a Crossroads
      • Aboriginal Canada and Natural Resources
    • Talkin’ in the Free World with Mariam Memarsadeghi
    • Past Projects
      • Justice Report Card
      • Munk Senior Fellows
      • A Mandate for Canada
      • Confederation Series
      • Fiscal Reform
      • The Canadian Century project
      • Fixing Canadian health care
      • Internal trade
      • From a mandate for change
      • Size of government in Canada
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
      • MLI Dinners
      • Great Canadian Debates
  • Latest News
  • Libraries
    • Annual Reports
    • Inside Policy Magazine
      • Inside Policy Back Issues
      • Inside Policy Blog
    • Papers
    • Columns
    • Books
    • Commentary
    • Straight Talk
    • Video
    • Multimedia
    • Podcasts
    • Leading Economic Indicator
    • Labour Market Report
    • MLI in the Media
No Result
View All Result
Macdonald-Laurier Institute

National Post: The government’s omnibus crime bill is not draconian by MLI Senior Fellow Ben Perrin

September 28, 2011
in Columns, Domestic Policy Program, In the Media, Justice, Latest News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A

September 28, 2011 – In today’s National Post, new MLI Senior Fellow and Law Professor Benjamin Perrin discusses the criminal justice reforms included in the Safe Streets and Communities Act. He says, “While not perfect, the bill introduces numerous reforms that will improve our nation’s criminal justice system.” Article below:

 

The government’s omnibus crime bill is not draconian

By Benjamin Perrin, National Post, September 28, 2011

There is a widely held sentiment that the criminal justice process has left victims and their families behind, and that our laws have failed to keep pace with the reality of serious crimes, including terrorism, organized drug crime, human trafficking, and predatory pedophiles. It is not merely a sentiment but, in many cases, a reality.

Last week, the federal government acted on a campaign promise to introduce an omnibus package of criminal justice reforms that had been introduced and debated in the previous minority Parliament for years, only to be stalled. Predictably, the usual suspects have appeared to raise a hue and cry railing against the Safe Streets and Communities Act. They call it retrograde, costly, and American.

Unfortunately, very few people have taken the time to read through the 102-pages of targeted reforms or even the copious summaries on government websites. If you did, you might be surprised by what you would find. While not perfect, the bill introduces numerous reforms that will improve our nation’s criminal justice system.

What are some of the supposedly unacceptable reforms? Consider the following sampling of changes that have been proposed:

– Making and distributing child pornography would no longer carry a meager mandatory 90 days in jail, but a minimum of 6 months imprisonment.

– Sexually assaulting a child (person under 16 years of age) using a weapon, kidnapping, forcible confinement, and abduction (by a stranger of a person under 14 years of age) would all be offences that could no longer result in house arrest.

– Two new offences would be introduced to cover the widely recognized practices used by predatory pedophiles who “groom” their young victims by exposing them to sexually explicit material, and try to arrange meetings with kids online to sexually abuse them.

– “Date rape” drugs would be classified as more serious controlled substances, resulting in higher sentences for manufacturing them.

– Importing illegal narcotics will now carry a mandatory one-year term of imprisonment.

– Provincial and territorial governments will decide at what age Crown prosecutors should consider seeking adult sentences for young offenders convicted of murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, and aggravated assault.

– Victims of crime would have a statutory right to participate in parole board hearings.

– Victims of terrorism would be able to sue terrorists and supporters of terrorism, including foreign states that support designated terrorist entities.

– Human trafficking can be prevented by allowing immigration officers to evaluate work placements to ensure they are not fronts for sex trafficking or forced labour.

These, and the vast majority of proposed changes are eminently reasonable and promote a sense of accountability in situations where we as a society are asked to put our collective faith in our police and judicial institutions to safeguard our children, our safety, our lives, and our property.

The Safe Streets and Communities Act is also not lacking in measures to enhance the possibility of rehabilitating offenders. However, rather than assuming this sentencing principle supersedes all else, in all circumstances, and for all offenders, it takes a view of rehabilitation that is both realistic and effective.

For example, under the reforms, an offender who is addicted to drugs can be given a suspended or reduced sentence if they complete an approved drug treatment program under court supervision or as part of one of the specialized Drug Treatment Court approved programs.

Additionally, inmates serving their time will each be required to have an individual “correctional plan” that include behavioural expectations, goals for program participation, and ensuring that court-ordered restitution to victims is made and any child support obligations are met.

This package of reforms is not in response to a crime wave, although it is recognized that certain serious offences like drug crime and child sexual exploitation offences are indeed increasing, but rather it is about rebalancing the criminal law in a way that increases accountability of offenders for the most serious and violent crimes that any person could suffer from.

These reforms are overdue, important, and consistent with the expectations that many Canadians have that individuals who commit serious crimes should be assisted in rehabilitation, but also punished for their crimes and specifically deterred from reoffending.

Benjamin Perrin is a law professor at the University of British Columbia and a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

Previous Post

MLI Commentary – Trade dispute settlement: Evidence suggests system stacked against Canadian investors

Next Post

First History Wars debate on the legacy of Pierre Trudeau: Success!

Related Posts

A third way for drug addiction policy in Canada
Video

Video: A third way for drug addiction policy in Canada

March 24, 2023
Putin and Xi driven to make authoritarianism the standard worldwide: Balkan Devlen in the National Post
Columns

Putin and Xi driven to make authoritarianism the standard worldwide: Balkan Devlen in the National Post

March 24, 2023
Outside intervention does a disservice to Indigenous communities that need to take control of their economic destinies: Chris Sankey in the National Post
Columns

Changing a lyric in O Canada is not a path to reconciliation: Chris Sankey in the Hub

March 23, 2023
Next Post

First History Wars debate on the legacy of Pierre Trudeau: Success!

Macdonald-Laurier Institute

323 Chapel Street, Suite #300
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 7Z2 Canada

613.482.8327

info@macdonaldlaurier.ca
MLI directory

Follow us on

Newsletter Signup

Support Us

Support the Macdonald-Laurier Institute to help ensure that Canada is one of the best governed countries in the world. Click below to learn more or become a sponsor.

Support Us

Inside Policy Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Back Issues
  • Advertising
  • Inside Policy Blog
  • Privacy Policy

© 2021 Macdonald-Laurier Institute. All Rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Who Makes MLI Work
    • Tenth Anniversary
    • Jobs
    • Women’s History Month Fundraiser
  • Experts
    • Experts Directory
    • In Memoriam
  • Issues
    • Domestic Policy Program
      • Agriculture and Agri-Food
      • Canada’s Political Tradition
      • Economic policy
      • Health Care
      • Innovation
      • Justice
      • Social issues
      • Telecoms
    • Energy Policy Program
      • Energy
      • Environment
    • Foreign Policy Program
      • Foreign Affairs
      • National Defence
      • National Security
    • Indigenous Affairs Program
  • Projects
    • COVID and after: A mandate for recovery
    • COVID Misery Index
      • Beyond Lockdown
    • Provincial COVID Misery Index
    • Centre for Advancing Canada’s Interests Abroad
      • Dragon at the Door
      • The Eavesdropping Dragon: Huawei
    • An Intellectual Property Strategy for Canada
    • Competition Policy in Canada
    • Speak for Ourselves
    • Canada and the Indo-Pacific Initiative
    • DisInfoWatch.org
    • The Transatlantic Program
    • Indigenous Prosperity at a Crossroads
      • Aboriginal Canada and Natural Resources
    • Talkin’ in the Free World with Mariam Memarsadeghi
    • Past Projects
      • Justice Report Card
      • Munk Senior Fellows
      • A Mandate for Canada
      • Confederation Series
      • Fiscal Reform
      • The Canadian Century project
      • Fixing Canadian health care
      • Internal trade
      • From a mandate for change
      • Size of government in Canada
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
      • MLI Dinners
      • Great Canadian Debates
  • Latest News
  • Libraries
    • Annual Reports
    • Inside Policy Magazine
      • Inside Policy Back Issues
      • Inside Policy Blog
    • Papers
    • Columns
    • Books
    • Commentary
    • Straight Talk
    • Video
    • Multimedia
    • Podcasts
    • Leading Economic Indicator
    • Labour Market Report
    • MLI in the Media

© 2021 Macdonald-Laurier Institute. All Rights reserved.

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Privacy Preference Center

Consent Management

Necessary

Advertising

Analytics

Other