Poll Shows Canadians want Violent Criminals to go to Jail

April 23, 1999

OTTAWA- Today Official Opposition Deputy Justice Critic, Jay Hill, MP, announced the results of recent national poll, which state found 84% of Canadians believe that those convicted of violent offences should be ineligible for conditional sentences.

"Conditional sentences are being handed out for murder, rape and drug trafficking. I have repeatedly called upon the Justice Minister to amend the law to exclude violent crimes. The Justice Minister says she is waiting for the response from the Supreme Court on whether or not to amend the Criminal code, I place greater stock in what Canadians out in the real world are thinking and these results state clearly they want the law changed," said Hill.

Conditional sentences were never intended to be used in violent crime cases, however the sentencing guidelines are vague and have been interpreted by the courts to include all crimes. In an August 1997 decision, the BC Court of Appeals stated that, …if parliament had intended to exclude certain offences from consideration under section 742.1, it could have done so in clear language...

"Seeing as Anne McLellan is unwilling to listen to the vast majority of Canadians, I will. I have already introduced Private Members Motion M-577, and am preparing to introduce a Private Member’s Bill which will exclude a list of crimes I believe must be ineligible for conditional sentences, and now I know I have the support of the majority of Canadians," added Hill.