Somedays these people just announce the funniest stuff.
Canadas' new government is always on the lookout for another opportunity to sell itself as the "law and order" government and this week brings another big toothed annoucement that will obviously not accomplish much, but will buy a few of those BC votes for the federal CONS from gullible and desperate BCers who are hoping for some relief from the gangs and gun battles that plague that provinces' communities.
Vancouver Police Chief had this to say about the new announcement..."It is clear we need to do something about this. We need the criminal justice system to strike fear in the hearts of gang members." I kinda like the first line...it is clear we need to do something about this......as in , we've been doing nothing thus far, but we get paid for it.
After studying that announcment, the Union of Armed And Dedicated Drug Dealers announced they will no longer deal any drugs anywhere in Mr Harpers' country out of fear that the horriffic one year sentence that might be imposed is far to severe a sentence to have to serve.
Seriously, do these government people really think that announcing some silly ass program or even life sentences for gang related crimes will actually do anything to reduce gang and gun activity on the streets of Canada? The mass majority of gang leaders probably don't read the news and I bet that none of them would care less about the federal justice ministers' response to the issue either. In fact, I bet that not one life will be saved by introducing this change in the Controlled Substances Act.
If they wish to make a real change start arresting some of those opiate pushing doctors that prescribe Oxcontin to people that don't need them. But then again, that would lead to a more severe doctor shortage than we already have.
I think what this does is stabilize a few Tory votes in the west...nothing more and nothing less.
This is not a Harper initiative. It is a response to entreaties from the BC government to beef up the law. The following is from the BC Government webpage...
ReplyDelete"Solicitor General John van Dongen and Attorney General Wally Oppal will travel to Ottawa today to seek the support of all federal parties for B.C.’s action plan on guns and gangs."
“We have to get gang members charged with offences off our streets while they are awaiting trial so they don’t endanger the public by continuing their criminal activity,” said Oppal. “There hasn’t been a major review of bail provisions for over 30 years. It is time the Criminal Code was changed to reflect the serious threat gang activity presents to the public’s safety.”
There's more at http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2009PSSG0020-000245.htm
Doesn't matter much who institutes it...most gang members and leaders,,,don't read Wallys' pronouncements.
ReplyDeleteYou could double the police, and triple the jails, and there would still be massive issues on the streets of every Canadian city. This thing just buys votes...for all of them, and yes there will still be dead women,children and men.
I didn't disagree with your point that gang members will find this initiative laughable. Of course they will.
ReplyDeleteI merely pointed out that it is not a Harper initiative so it cannot be characterized as a cynical vote buying move by the CPC. I'm not suggesting that Harper is above cynical vote buying. He does it all the time, just not this time.
The BC Liberal Government initiated this and are asking for Federal all party support.