Pubdate: Wed, 20 May 2009
Source: Campbell River Mirror (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Campbell River Mirror
Contact:  http://www.campbellrivermirror.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1380
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

HARPER FOLLOWING U.S. ROAD TO FAILURE

After 35 years of experience with mandatory minimum sentences for 
drug crimes, Americans are beginning to abandon this discredited 
approach. Yet Stephen Harper's Conservative government now wants to 
saddle Canadians with these expensive and ineffective laws.

Now before a Commons committee, Bill C-15 would impose a two-year 
mandatory minimum for dealing drugs like cocaine and methamphetamines 
in places where young people congregate. It would also impose a 
six-month jail sentence for growing even a single marijuana plant for 
the purposes of trafficking.

These minimum sentences may sound reasonable to most Canadians. 
Indeed, federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson told the Commons 
committee last month that the bill targets "serious drug traffickers, 
the people who are basically out to destroy our society."

But the committee also heard ample evidence that the mandatory 
minimums would have the effect of filling our prisons with petty drug 
felons, creating an even greater backlog in our overwhelmed court 
system and wasting taxpayer dollars that could be used far more 
effectively in the battle against drug addiction.

When questioned by New Democrat MP Libby Davies at the committee, 
Nicholson refused to provide two vital pieces of information: What 
evidence is there that this law will reduce crime? How much will it cost?

Canadians ought to be given these answers.

Of course, in a minority Parliament, the opposition parties could 
kill this initiative. But while the New Democrats and the Bloc 
Quebecois have voiced strong opposition to Bill C-15, the Liberals 
have indicated they will support it when it comes back to the Commons 
for third reading.

Why? Not because they think it is sound policy; they acknowledge in 
private that it is not. Rather, the Liberals do not want to give the 
Conservatives an opening to accuse them of being "soft" on crime.

This is craven politics at its worst.

- - Oak Bay News
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom