As crime rates have spiked all over the country, a harsh reality is now apparent which questions the effectiveness of the Liberal government on matters concerning public safety. To Conservative Shadow Minister Rob Moore, these numbers paint a bleak picture; Canadians feel more and more unsafe in their own cities. The figures speak volumes; they are castigations of current administration policies.
In 2022, Justin Trudeau has been at the helm since 2015 and during his watch violent crime has surged by an alarming 40%, homicides have climbed by 43% and gang related murders have skyrocketed by a staggering 108%, as reported by Statistics Canada. Irony in that gun control laws or bans introduced by Trudeau have clearly had no effect on violent crimes involving firearms, which increased remarkably by 101% during Trudeau’s term in office. These unsettling numbers have continued for four consecutive years indicating an ever increasing year over year trend of criminality.
Moore’s criticism comes down heavily on legislative measures effected by the Liberal government; notably Bills C-75 and Bill C-5 which he argues led to “skyrocketing” crimes rates. Such bills that repealed mandatory minimum sentences as well as facilitated bail for offenders among other provisions drew intense opposition from the conservatives party who accused them of being “soft on crime” while allowing a “catch and release” system that endangers lives of people.
In this way, Moore cites alarming examples where repeat offenders who committed firearm offenses were released on bail but then re-arrested and bailed out again creating what he calls a revolving door system endangering Canadians. “So we’re seeing individuals who should not be on the street out on bail. And the Toronto police have identified over the last several years individuals who were on bail for a firearms crime, being arrested and charged again for another firearms crime and getting bail again,” Moore stated, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
This incident of a repeat offender who was granted bail and stabbed a Toronto police officer in 2023 indicates dangerous weaknesses in Canadian bail policy. Moore pointed this out as an example that showed how urgent reforms were needed.
On top of that, Moore has reservations about Bill C-5 which allows for judges to impose house arrest as part of the sentence for serious offenses such as sexual assault, kidnapping, human trafficking and car theft. In his view, this approach not only undermines justice but also raises chances of repeat crimes by making it difficult to monitor offenders effectively. “It allows individuals who commit those serious crimes to serve their sentence from the comfort of their home in their communities, which is leading to those individuals committing crimes while on house arrest,” Moore warned.
In addition, a Leger poll released in April 2023 shows that 32% of Canadians believe crime and violence have gotten much worse since before the pandemic; another 32% thought they had got a little worse. Most disturbingly, nearly two-thirds reported that they feel much less safe than they did before 2020; this is quite contrary to government claims about prioritizing public safety.
Our recent survey on the Scoop Canada YouTube Channel delved into the effectiveness of Trudeau’s efforts in combating auto thefts in Canada. Surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of respondents disagreed with his success in this area. Join the ongoing conversation and share your perspective by casting your vote on this important issue!
Moore, on the other hand, emphasizes on the successes of the past Conservative administration in curbing crime rates and therefore reveals more about the perceived failures of this government’s approach. “It is not that one party is unilaterally responsible for the increase in crime rates,” he said but this has created a sharp difference between the two periods.
This argument continues, with Moore’s critique of bail and sentencing reforms by Liberal government resounding ominously. He also gives an example of letting people to get bails where they were not supposed to have any type of bail as a way to make country safer. A careful review of his assertions shows that these are policies that have failed Canadians according to him. “Not only it was not true then; it is not true now,” he warned pointing out that change is long overdue.
With more empirical evidence being presented and public confidence waning, there has been increasing chorus for a sweeping reassessment of Canada’s crime prevention and criminal justice strategies as an urgent priority that requires decisive actions aimed at restoring security and trust in its commitment towards public safety. What remains clear through Moore’s unwavering position here is the increasing demand for a turnaround course reflecting deep concern for every Canadian’s wellbeing and security.
Consequently, even when confronted with such challenges as these, many will still advocate for a tougher line against crime as well as re-evaluation of current policies. Therefore, legislators must respond accordingly by answering these calls through objective data analysis while channeling into measures whose primary focus should be on ensuring citizens’ safety lest they risk compromising further justice or security values held dear in our nation.
Last Updated on by Alshaar Ansari
