COLUMN: On Parliament Hill – Common sense on violent crime

This week, it was revealed the Trudeau government has spent $67.2 million dollars on their “gun ban/buyback” program—this despite not having bought back a single firearm.

The program (with an estimated overall cost of $756 million for which only $117 million has been allocated) was announced in 2020 when the Trudeau government used a mass shooting in Nova Scotia to push their ideological agenda against farmers, hunters, and sports shooters by arbitrarily banning certain firearms.

To be clear, the guns used in the shooting were not legal firearms but guns obtained illegally—as is the case with some 93 percent of gun crimes. But this did not stop Trudeau from disingenuously using the incident to target and criminalize law-abiding firearms owners rather than go after criminals.

The results of this backwards approach to public safety speak for themselves.

Four years, $67.2 million, 75 full-time employees, zero results, and gun crime up 101 percent since Trudeau and his soft-on-crime crowd took office.

Justin Trudeau’s catch-and-release bail policies passed in Bill C-75, have unleashed a wave of violent crime across the country. Likewise, Bill C-5, which removed mandatory minimum sentences for certain major crimes, has ensured violent criminals are out of jail and into Canadian communities sooner.

Data from Statistics Canada shows that after nine years of Justin Trudeau, violent crime has increased 39 percent, and homicides by 43 percent. Gang murders have more than doubled, and violent gun crime has increased for the ninth consecutive year. These numbers are even worse for Canadians living in large urban centres, with cities like Toronto seeing a 66 percent increase in homicides in the past year.

The data also shows the overall severity of crime has risen significantly. Under our former Conservative government, the Violent Crime Severity Index—which tracks changes in the severity of violent crime—decreased by 24.66 percent. Under the policies of Justin Trudeau and the Liberals, it has increased by 29.73 percent.

A government’s first duty is the safety of its citizens. Period. Canadians have a right to be safe and feel safe in their communities.

Only common sense Conservatives have a plan to address violent crime.

Conservatives will repeal Justin Trudeau’s hunting rifle ban and bring in common sense gun laws.

We will target criminals rather than criminalize law-abiding citizens.

Conservatives believe in jail, not bail, for repeat violent offenders.

As might be expected, this common sense policy has been criticized and misdirected by the soft-on-crime crowd.

Rather than reducing factors that lead to criminal behaviour, Justin Trudeau’s economic policies have forced more people into poverty and his failed drug policies have perpetuated addiction rather than provide the treatment and supports those living with addiction need to recover and become contributing members of society.

Likewise, the common assertion that jail, not bail, will lead to prison overcrowding is equally disingenuous.

The number of people actually committing serious violent crimes is a relatively small group.

In 2022, 42 out of the 44 individuals who committed gun-related homicides in Toronto were out on bail at the time of the crime. Nationally, out of 874 homicides in Canada that year, 256—or roughly one-third—were committed by people on bail. In Vancouver, the same 40 individuals were arrested 6,000 times over the course of a single year. Cities like Vancouver and Toronto would be much safer if these repeat offenders were incarcerated. This reduction in crime would also allow police officers to focus on other important issues such as petty crime, addiction, and fostering community relationships. Additionally, it could help alleviate the backlog in the courts, speeding up the judicial process.

Further, this policy does not infringe on the Charter rights of those charged—another common and misleading claim.

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees an accused the right not to be denied “reasonable bail” without cause. Just cause to deny bail is limited to these three grounds for detention under the Criminal Code:

– To ensure attendance in court

– For the protection or safety of the public

– To maintain confidence in the administration of justice

Does keeping repeat violent offenders in prison as they await trial violate any of these conditions? I don’t think so.

Only Conservatives will make Canada safe again.

With jail, not bail, Conservatives will bring home safe streets.