I was impressed, and also puzzled, by our Prime Minister香蕉视频直播檚 eloquent address to the Paris Peace Forum recently. He said, 香蕉视频直播淲hen people believe the institutions can香蕉视频直播檛 protect them, they turn to easy answers like nationalism and populism, closing borders and xenophobia.香蕉视频直播� He may quite legitimately have had in mind our neighbours south of the 49th Parallel, but some of his government香蕉视频直播檚 policies could soon have a similar effect here.
In March of this year the Canadian government introduced Bill C-75 with the intention of 香蕉视频直播渉ybridizing香蕉视频直播� 131 indictable criminal offences. According to former Minister of Justice, Rob Nicholson (Cons.), 香蕉视频直播淭he government is essentially watering down very serious criminal charges by adding a possible summary conviction as a prosecutorial option. This could result in a penalty as low as a fine for what was an indictable offense with a penalty up to 10 years.香蕉视频直播� Inexplicably, big city media have given scant attention to this 302 page omnibus bill, but if passed, it could undermine the protections of the value system that undergirds our way of life.
In a submission to the House of Commons, Professor Christian Leuprecht of Royal Military College and Queen香蕉视频直播檚 University, emphasized the far reaching nature of the Bill. 香蕉视频直播淭he classification of an offence,香蕉视频直播� he said, 香蕉视频直播渉as long been understood to signal how serious the offence is; implicitly, then, hybridization sends a message that these offences are now less serious than they used to be.香蕉视频直播�
Most of the changes may not create problems, except for further clogging the provincial courts. Others though will dilute what was guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter, as most Canadians know, was bequeathed to us by an earlier Trudeau, the father of our current Prime Minister.
Before we offhandedly decide this isn香蕉视频直播檛 important to our cozy lives in a nation that experiences relatively little serious turmoil, we really should look at several offences targeted for hybridization. One of the most troubling is sexual exploitation. According to the U.S. State Department香蕉视频直播檚 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report, 香蕉视频直播淐anada is a source, transit and destination country for men, women and children subjected to sexual trafficking.香蕉视频直播� The possibility of lenient sentences would almost certainly exacerbate an already unacceptable situation.
Equally disturbing is the plan to hybridize abduction of children under age 16. Having spoken in recent months with several mothers who have lost children to international abductions, I have a sense of the deep heartache they and their families continue to experience. One told of the pleading of her children in court, expressing their fear they would be taken to another country and never be permitted to return. The Charter guarantees everyone 香蕉视频直播渢he right to life, liberty and security of the person.香蕉视频直播� To reclassify abduction of children and try it as a summary offence seems contrary to this guarantee.
Another proposed change is also incomprehensible. At a time when houses of worship in both Canada and the U.S. have come under serious physical attacks, the government intends to hybridize 香蕉视频直播渙bstructing, or violence to, or arrest of officiating clergy.香蕉视频直播� A similar attempt was made a year ago with Bill C-51. More than 65 leaders from faith organizations including Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jews and Christians signed a letter opposing it. Thousands of ordinary citizens sent letters protesting the bill. Now the government is trying again. This seems to suggest a lack of regard for religious leaders and their followers.
I spoke by phone last week with David Guretzki, Vice President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), located in Ottawa. EFC has longterm relationships with public policy officials, and is at times invited to speak to Parliamentary standing committees regarding significant social issues. I have found their perspective to be fair minded. 香蕉视频直播淚t is EFC香蕉视频直播檚 opinion,香蕉视频直播� he said, 香蕉视频直播渢hat some of the proposed changes devalue human life and dignity, care for the vulnerable, and freedom of religion.香蕉视频直播�
If Bill C-75 passes in its present form, criminals of various kinds will almost certainly be heartened and emboldened by the prospect of lighter penalties. We could then all become more vulnerable, and have less faith in our institutions to protect us. Only a massive protest by Canadians will persuade the government to rethink this Bill and assure us that Charter rights still are for all citizens.
