Pubdate: Fri, 09 Oct 2009
Source: Niagara Falls Review, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2009 Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact: http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/feedback1/LetterToEditor.aspx
Website: http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2907
Author: Kathleen Harris, Staff Writer

SENATORS ACCUSED OF 'PLAYING GAMES' WITH JUSTICE BILLS

One day after drawing the ire of Conservatives for  tinkering with
government justice legislation Liberal  senators are now picking apart
another crime bill that  cracks down on drug traffickers.

Political wrangling over the bills raged Thursday, with  Justice
Minister Rob Nicholson fuming over proposed  amendments and delays. He
called on Liberal Leader  Michael Ignatieff to "show leadership" and
urge his  caucus members from the red chamber to pass the bill.

"I've heard that again, they're playing games with  this. These people
are soft on crime and this is a huge  mistake," Nicholson said.

C-25, a bill that would end two-for-one credit for jail  time served
before trial, passed with the support of  all parties in the House of
Commons.

Liberal MP David McGuinty accused Nicholson of "fanning  the flames"
and said Conservative senators passed up a  chance to get the bill
passed immediately.

"What we are really now seeing is that the government  is using crime
bills as a fear factor, as a scare  tactic, as a wedge issue to try
and distinguish  themselves from all of the parliamentarians," he said.

The Canadian Police Association said members are  "dismayed and
concerned" by the senate committee's  proposed amendments.

"We are astonished that members of this Senate  committee would side
with the interests of convicted  criminals and provide them with a
codified  get-out-of-jail card," said Charles Momy, the CPA 
president. "Releasing offenders into communities  prematurely is a
recipe for failure and puts public  safety at risk."

But Liberal Sen. George Baker made no apologies for the  proposed
changes, insisting the role of the Senate is  to scrutinize and
correct mistakes in government  legislation.

"They make these errors because they are a political  place. We are
supposed to be sober second thought," he  said. "We go through it with
a fine tooth comb."

Baker also said there will likely be amendments to the  drug bill,
which would knock off some prison time for  offenders who go to
special treatment courts.

NDP Leader Jack Layton said unelected senators do not  deserve to make
or change the laws of the land.

"This is an anachronism from two centuries ago," he  said. "Any modern
democracy couldn't accept what's  going on here right now and we don't
accept it. We  think that the will of the House, the elected 
representatives, should be respected here."

MPs scatter for their ridings today for a one-week  break.
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr