Pubdate: Fri, 09 Oct 2009
Source: Sun Times, The (Owen Sound, CN ON)
Copyright: 2009 Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/NtnHgLCY
Website: http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1544
Author: Kathleen Harris

SENATORS PLAY 'GAMES' WITH BILL

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 yesterday,  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."

MPs scatter for their ridings today for a one-week  break. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D