2009-09 (September)
Blaine Calkins - MP Report
September, 2009
Fall Election Would Kill Justice Reforms
Summer is over, the kids are back in school, farmers are harvesting their crops and Members of Parliament returned to the House of Commons to threats of yet another Fall election.
The highlight of the first week was the confidence vote to implement key tax measures from the Budget. The Liberals who originally voted for the Budget flip flopped and voted against the Bill that contained the popular and successful recession-fighting Home Renovation Tax Credit that is helping homeowners, lumber producers, construction workers, hardware and home building supply stores.
In the end, these measures that are so crucial to helping Canadians cope with the effects of the global recession passed with the support of the other opposition parties. Here is some of what the Liberals said no to:
- The First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit to assist first-time homebuyers with the costs associated with buying a home, such as legal fees;
- The Enhanced Working Income Tax Benefit to help ensure low-income workers are better off financially by remaining or becoming employed;
- The Extended tax deferral available to farmers in drought and flood regions to help farmers cope with extreme weather conditions;
In spite of this confidence measure being passed by the House of Commons, the Liberals are still determined to bring down the Government as soon as possible. If their upcoming non-confidence motion passes, it will kill key justice and crime prevention legislation. One example is Bill (C-43) that would eliminate statutory release from our corrections and conditional release systems. Statutory release is the practice whereby those convicted of serious crimes are guaranteed release after serving only 2/3 of their sentence - even if no rehabilitation has occurred.
Take for instance the case of notorious Edmonton criminal Albert Foulston who was described in parole board documents as "a high-risk, high-needs offender" with "anti-social values" and "resentment towards persons in authority." Further, the "overall benefit of your [Mr. Foulston’s] lengthy incarceration has been minimal. A number of prior release attempts have resulted in failure, both in the form of relapse, and with serious re-offending.”
Under the current law, he will be released and there isn’t anything we can do to stop it. While we've made progress on our efforts to get tough on crime, there is still a lot of work to do. It hasn't helped that the Liberal Party has tried to gut, delay and kill our legislation every step of the way.
If Liberal Leader, Michael Ignatieff forces an early election, it will also kill proposed laws that would:
- repeal the faint hope clause that gives murderers early parole board hearings
- impose mandatory prison sentences for drug crimes
- give police powers to combat high tech criminals
Our Conservative Government is working hard to fight the recession, to create and maintain jobs and implement anti-crime legislation that is urgently needed. The last thing Canadians want or need is an unnecessary, opportunistic election that will slow Canada’s economic recovery or stop the much needed changes to our criminal justice system.
Please contact my Constituency office for assistance or for information on these or any federally related matters, postage free at: #6, 4612 - 50th Street, Ponoka, T4J 1S7, tel: (403) 783-5530; toll free: 1-800-665-0865 or visit my web site: www.blainecalkinsmp.ca.
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