Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

AARON GUNN -- The truth is, the justice system in this country all too often favours repeat violent offenders, while ignoring victims and their families


Earlier this year, I had the honour of being asked by the family of Tori Stafford to speak at a rally being held in her name, Life Means Life: A Protest for Change.

Tori was an innocent young girl who, at the age of just eight, was abducted, sexually assaulted, and brutally murdered by Michael Rafferty and Terri-Lynne McClintic in Southern Ontario.

Incredibly, after less than a decade behind bars, McClintic was transferred to a minimum-security ‘healing lodge’ despite the heinous nature of her crimes (a decision that, with public pressure, was thankfully overturned). 

I wish I could say this was an isolated incident ... but it wasn’t.

The truth is, the justice system in this country all too often favours repeat violent offenders, while ignoring victims and their families.


Notorious murderers and prolific sex offenders are commonly given reduced sentences, and released early from custody. Decisions that not only leave our society at greater risk, but also serve to erode our very foundation of justice.


The Canadian justice system has freed serial killers, child murderers, mass shooters, cop killers, cannibals and even terrorists — all against the pleas of victim's families
~~ National Post ... October 2018 ~~


If you can, please join me this Wednesday, October 16th on Parliament Hill to stand alongside victims and their families in demanding accountability from our politicians.

Our justice system is broken. The time to reform it is now.


FOOTNOTE .... I asked Aaron how the courts, if implementing "Life means life sentences" would get around the likelihood of the Supreme Court declaring it to be cruel and unusual punishment if implemented? 

He answered me stating, “I'm not sure the Supreme Court would intervene, but there is obviously only one tool that could bypass it”.

That, I am assuming, would be to invoke Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is commonly known as the notwithstanding clause, or as the override power, and it allows Parliament or provincial legislatures to temporarily override certain portions of the Charter.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC cannot regulate, redesign, and reinterpret its way to a stable forestry sector. Communities need clear rules, predictable timelines, and accountability for results.

Photo credit:  Atli Resources LP   BC’s Forestry Crisis Continues with Closure of Beaver Cove Chip Facility   As industry leaders, Indigenous partners, and contractors gather this week at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the gap between government rhetoric and reality could not be clearer. Just hours after the Eby government once again touted reconciliation, certainty, and economic opportunity under DRIPA, Atli Chip Ltd, a company wholly owned by the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, announced it is managing the orderly closure of its Beaver Cove chip facility. The closure comes despite public tax dollars, repeated government announcements, and assurances that new policy frameworks would stabilize forestry employment and create long-term opportunity in rural and coastal British Columbia. “British Columbians are being told one story, while communities are living another,” said Ward Stamer, Critic for Forests. “This closure makes it clear that announcement...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stamer: Hope for Forestry Completely Shattered After Another Provincial Review Driven by DRIPA

IMAGE CREDIT:  Provincial Forestry Advisory Council Conservative Critic for Forests Ward Stamer says the final report from the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council confirms the worst fears of forestry workers and communities; instead of addressing the real issues driving mill closures and job losses, the NDP has produced a report that ignores industry realities and doubles down on governance restructuring. Despite years of warnings from forestry workers, contractors, and industry organizations about permitting delays, regulatory costs, fibre access, and the failure of BC Timber Sales, the PFAC report offers no urgency, no timelines, and no concrete action to stop the ongoing decline of the sector. “ This report completely shatters any remaining hope that the government is serious about saving forestry ,” said Stamer.  “ We didn’t need another study to tell us what industry has been saying for years. While mills close and workers lose their livelihoods, the NDP is focused on re...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH – My question is, ‘How do we decide who is blue enough to be called a Conservative?’

How do we decide who’s blue enough to be a Conservative? AS OF TODAY (Friday January 30 th ), there are now eight individuals who have put their names forward to lead the Conservative Party of British Columbia. Having been involved with BC’s Conservatives since 2010, and having seen MANY ups and downs, having 8 people say “I want to lead the party” is to me, an incredible turn-around from the past. Sadly, however, it seems that our party cannot seem to shake what I, and others, call a purity test of ‘what is a Conservative’. And that seems to have already come to the forefront of the campaign by a couple of candidates. Let me just say as a Conservative Party of BC member, and as someone active in the party, that frustrates me to no end. Conservatives, more than any other political philosophy or belief, at least to me, seems to have the widest and broadest spectrum of ideals.   For the most part, they are anchored by these central thoughts --- smaller and less intru...
1 comment
Read more

Labels

Show more