Enough is Enough
Ottawa, ON – Larry Brock, Conservative Shadow Minister for Justice and Attorney General of Canada, released the following statement calling on the Carney government to urgently adopt the Opposition’s proposals to keep Canadians safe:
“Last week, Conservatives proposed an amendment to the Criminal Code that gives Canadians the benefit of the doubt when using force against a home invader. The ‘Stand on Guard’ principle would provide clarity for our citizens, police and prosecutors so that legitimate self-defence doesn’t mean jail time.
“Along with repealing catch-and-release laws C-5 and C-75 and supporting the Conservative Protection Against Extortion plan, this timely update to the Criminal Code would go a long way to make Canada safer after a decade of rising crime.
“Sadly, the Liberals have shown little desire to work with the Opposition to protect Canadian property and lives. Not only has the government refused to consider the ‘Stand on Guard’ principle, but Sean Fraser – Carney’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General – dismissed this much-needed change by stating that Canada ‘isn’t the Wild West’.
“On August 27, a Metro Vancouver Transit Police officer was assaulted after approaching a man who was openly using drugs. As in countless other cases, the accused was already on probation for two earlier assaults – a story that is sadly predictable when Liberal laws keep violent criminals on our streets.
“Not even twelve hours after the Minister’s flippant tweet, three victims had to be rushed to hospital after a shooting in downtown Hamilton, with police claiming that over eighty shots were fired.
“In Halifax, around midnight Saturday, a woman allegedly attempted to rob a convenience store, threatening a worker with a drug injection. Arrested at the scene, she has now been charged with two counts of bail violations.
“Early Sunday morning, a 46-year-old father named Abdul Aleem Farooqi was shot and killed when armed intruders broke into his Vaughan home – an act of barbarity which has shaken that community and people of conscience across Canada.
“And just yesterday, Niagara Regional Police charged a 25-year-old with sexually assaulting a toddler during a home invasion that same weekend. While monsters like this need to serve hard time away from would-be victims, the accused had been released from jail in March after a previous child sex offence – six months earlier than sentenced.
“All this, and much more, in just five days. Fraser and Carney must face reality and immediately act to protect Canadians from these gut-wrenching crimes. Conservatives call on the government to amend the Criminal Code to include a much-needed ‘Stand on Guard’ principle, crack down on extortionists and repeal soft-on-crime legislation so that dangerous criminals get jail, not bail.
“As we look ahead to the House sitting later this month, Conservatives are willing to work with the Liberals in the best interests of Canadians. But we are always ready to act on our own to protect our people.”