Untitled

Issue - Crime
	During the 2006 election campaign, Paul Martin proposed a sweeping ban on handguns Martin also proposed a new 250-officer unit from the RCMP dedicated solely to fighting gun-related crimes; 75 new officers at Canada Border Services to combat illegal handgun imports; tougher sentences for gun-related crimes; a gun amnesty and buy-back program; waiving the re-registration fees for owners of long guns A Liberal government will also provide investments into Border Services Agency to hire 75 new officers to stem the illegal smuggling of firearms The Liberals will implement a rural community safety plan to provide resources for crime prevention initiatives in communities with less than 100,000 residents They also vow to provide an additional $10 million a year for 10 years to increase the number of graduating RCMP officers Over the next five years, new program funding will go to organizations and governments working to reduce gun violence and gang activity in Canada’s urban centres A Liberal government will reintroduce legislation to crack down on violent crimes and gang violence, and to double the mandatory minimum sentences for serious gun-related crimes These reforms will also prevent courts from using conditional sentences in cases where there was serious personal injury, including all forms of sexual assault; terrorist activities; and organized crime-related offences

	Adopt, in collaboration with the provinces, a national strategy to fight organized crime, including the creation of a joint national task force on security Ensure federal corrections officers have the tools and training they require to do their job as peace officers Repeal the long-gun registry legislation (Bill C-68) Reinvest savings from cancellation of the gun registry program into hiring more front-line enforcement personnel, including filling 1,000 RCMP positions Negotiate with the provinces to create a new cost-shared program to put at least 2,500 more police on the beat in our cities and communities Invest $100 million per year of new federal money on criminal justice priorities, including working with the provinces and municipalities to hire more police, as well as victim assistance and youth crime prevention programs Maintain the existing handgun registry and bans on all currently prohibited weapons Introduce mandatory minimum prison sentences with restricted parole eligibility for the criminal use of firearms, trafficking or possession of stolen firearms, or illegal possession contrary to a bail, parole, or firearms prohibition order Strict monitoring, including tracking place of residence, of high-risk individuals prohibited from owning firearms, multiple violent or sexual offences Replace statutory release with earned parole Toughen parole provisions for those convicted of committing a crime while on parole, and eliminate parole for life after the third such conviction Prevent courts from giving extra “credit” for pre-trial custody for persons denied bail because of their past criminal record or for violating bail Create a reverse onus for bail hearings for anybody charged with an indictable firearms offence Work for a constitutional amendment to forbid prisoners in federal institutions from voting in elections Ensure anyone 14 years or older who is charged with serious violent or repeat offences is automatically subject to adult sentencing provisions Amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act to include deterrence and denunciation as mandatory sentencing principles to be considered Establish national Victims’ Ombudsman Office Provide $10 million per year for victim assistance Adopt a zero tolerance policy for child pornography End house arrests and ensure mandatory minimum prison sentences and large monetary fines for serious drug offenders, including marijuana grow operators and producers and dealers of crystal meth and crack Prevent the decriminalization of marijuana Make precursor chemicals of crystal meth, such as pseudoephedrine, harder to get Introduce a national drug strategy to dissuade young people from using drugs Expedite deportation of non-citizens convicted of drug trafficking, drug importation, or running grow operations Restore the Canada Ports Police Support results-oriented, community-based initiatives for addictions treatment, training, and rehabilitation of those in trouble with the law Direct $50 million in funding into community-based, educational, sporting, cultural, and vocational opportunities for youth at risk Work with provinces, municipalities, police, and community leaders in areas threatened by gun and gang violence to support programs which reach out to young people Require the registration of all convicted sex offenders and dangerous offenders, which will include mandatory DNA sampling of all those convicted or currently in custody on such offences Rename the Age of Consent to the Age of Protection and raise the age from 14 to 16 years of age Prohibit conditional sentences for sex offences committed against children Amend s. 810.2 of the Criminal Code to permit the participation of the prosecutors involved in the original trial, as well as the victims of the crime and their families, at the hearing Allow judges to impose residency restrictions on offenders, and extend the term of the order Reduce the backlog of unexecuted deportation orders and swiftly carry out new ones Place top priority on executing existing and new deportation orders against individuals with criminal records, connections to terrorist organizations, or organized crime Amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Criminal Code, and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act to permit sentencing courts to order deportation following conviction on select offences and also to prohibit persons already ordered deported from parole eligibility before deportation

	Impose a four-year minimum sentence for illegal possession and sale of restricted weapons such as handguns and automatics. Stop the illegal importation of guns from the U.S. with a four-year minimum sentence for importing illegal guns. Toughen border controls including arming customs officers. Support for reverse-onus legislation for bail on all gun-related crimes and making sure bail conditions are strictly adhered to. Improve witness protection programs so that witnesses can assist police without fear of retribution. Make changes to legislation so that young offenders 16 and over who are charged with gun offences are tried as adults. Focus on eliminating poverty and investing in children at risk as root causes of crime Stop the illegitimate importation, sale of and access to the precursors of crystal meth. Increase support for drug addiction programs. Introduce a non-punitive rule-based approach to deal with adult marijuana use Develop a Victims' Bill of Rights Support a national sex offender registry Ensure transparency and accountability in corporate accounting by bringing Canadian regulations in line with those in post-Enron America Introduce legislation that would ban racial profiling from federal departments and jurisdictions

	Supports rehabilitation over imprisonment for young offenders and rejects the "Loi sur les Jeunes Contrevenants" imposed by Ottawa

	Use restorative justice, rather than prison for first time non-violent offenders Strengthen measures to combat gun smuggling and the possession of banned weapons Upgrade penalties for those convicted of crime involving a firearm Regulate marijuana under federal legislation as a product similar to alcohol and tobacco Support Bill C-50 to "consolidate animal cruelty offences and increase the maximum penalties” Establish a federal program to end "roadside zoos," reduce the number of animals held in captivity, and create enforceable standards for zoos across the country

Issue - Crime