Pubdate: Thu, 15 Mar 2012
Source: Review, The (Keremeos, CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Black Press
Contact: http://www.keremeosreview.com/contact_us/
Website: http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/keremeosreview/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4048
Author: Donna Stocker

LAWS THAT WILL FILL OUR PRISONS IS NOT THE ANSWER

To the Editor:

Recently, on "The Current" on CBC I heard an interview with Eric
Sterling, the man who drafted the U.S. legislation for mandatory
minimum sentences. He now feels that it leads to a great deal of
injustice. He and two dozen criminal justice professionals are
imploring the Harper government not to make the same mistakes.

Robert Sampson was also interviewed. He was the Corrections Minister
of Ontario under Mike Harris. He drafted a review for Stockwell Day
and many of his recommendations are included in Bill C-10. His defense
of the bill was disturbing to say the least. He made the incredible
statement that prisoners weren't getting a long enough sentence to
become rehabilitated.

The Harper government squawks about not getting legislation through as
fast as they'd like it to and then they put nine or more bills
together making one huge bill, and expect it to pass with hardly
enough time to read it let alone discuss it and its
ramifications.

I looked it up and scanned over it. It covers everything: incest,
bestiality, criminal records, national defense, youth criminal
justice, prisons and reformations, international transfers of
offenders, human rights, immigration and refugee protection, terrorism
- - (to quote the bill - "hundreds of Canadians have been murdered or
injured in terrorist attacks" and "the purpose of the Act is to deter
terrorism by allowing the victims to sue the perpetrators" (yep,
that'll do it)., and drugs. Again to quote, "The amount of the
substance means the entire amount=C2=85..or the whole of any plant that
contains a detectable amount of the substance." The sentence?
Imprisonment for a term of six months if the number of plants produced
is more than five.

This bill will be law in a short time. This and Bill C-30, the
internet spy bill as it's being called, and we've got Big Brother
right here in our midst.

Donna Stocker,

Cawston
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