Pubdate: Wed, 23 Feb 2011
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2011 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Meagan Fitzpatrick
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

CANADIANS AGREE WITH BUILDING MORE JAILS

But Majority Want to Know Cost: Poll

A majority of Canadians support the Conservatives' costly prison 
expansion plan but think the government should be compelled to 
provide the estimated price tag for its entire law-and-order agenda, 
according to the results of a new poll.

Fifty-seven per cent of those surveyed said the prison expansion 
program, estimated to cost at least $2 billion, is a worthwhile 
initiative, while 43 per cent said it is unaffordable. Those results 
will take some wind out of the sails of the opposition parties who 
argue that Canadians don't want bigger jails and the government is 
wasting money at a time when the country has a massive deficit.

But when it comes to calling on the government to disclose all 
estimated costs for crime-related legislation, Canadians are clearly 
on the side of the Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois. Eighty-two per 
cent said the government should be compelled to release the figures. 
Eighteen per cent said they should be kept secret if the government 
says they should be. The government and opposition parties have been 
locked in a battle over releasing cost estimates for justice bills, 
which combined, could reach into the billions of dollars.

The poll of 1,097 Canadians was conducted Feb. 15 to 17 by Ipsos Reid 
for Postmedia News and Global National. It has a margin of error of 
plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Crime and justice legislation is a high priority for Prime Minister 
Stephen Harper's government and because some of its legislation will 
keep convicted criminals in prison longer and add to the prisoner 
population, the government is investing millions of dollars in 
expanding penitentiaries.

The opposition parties say the Tories are focused on the wrong 
priorities and instead, should be investing in health care, 
education, help for seniors and pension reform.

While the poll results indicate a majority of Canadians support the 
prison plan, some Canadians are more in favour than others and the 
demographic trends are interesting to note, says Darrell Bricker, CEO 
of Ipsos Reid Public Affairs. "In spite of the rhetoric in the House 
of Commons and what people on the opposition side are saying about 
the government's justice agenda, you can see why they're on it," he 
said. "Because the people who are most likely to vote for them 
- -non-university-educated, older, male voters -think this is a dandy 
idea. So it's basically speaking to their core constituency in a very 
effective way."

Residents of Alberta were the most likely to support the expansions, 
with 73 per cent in favour. Fifty-one per cent of Atlantic Canadians 
supported them; 55 per cent in Ontario; 51 per cent in Quebec; 61 per 
cent in Saskatchewan and Manitoba; and 63 per cent in British Columbia.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom