Daily BrewStephen Harper cracking down on child sex offenders makes sense
Amid a prorogued Parliament, an impending military strike on Syria and questions about who smoked what and when, the current tenor of Canadian politics can't help but remind bystanders of a Robin Thicke song.
Blurred lines are everywhere. Confusion reigns supreme and there is very little straightforward answers, stances or statements.
Yes, we extended our summer vacation and delayed returning to the House of Commons for months, but our goal is to attain maximum efficiency.
Military intervention may be necessary in Syria, but we want others to do it and we don't want to be blamed if things go pear-shaped.
Yes, smoking pot shows bad judgment. Unless you’re the Mayor of Toronto, in which case it is better than the alternative. When Rob Ford and Justin Trudeau agree on something, you know things have gone topsy turvy.
[ Related: Harper says tougher laws coming for child sex offences ]
This is why we should take a moment and thank Prime Minister Stephen Harper for striking out on some solid grounding on Thursday, declaring an assault on Canada’s child sex offenders.
No blurred lines there, we all despise sex offenders. We all want to protect children. And we know where the Conservatives stand when it comes to taking on crime.
There were 3,900 sexual violations against children reported in Canada last year – a three per cent increase from 2011. That the prevalence of such attacks continues to climb is an affront to our society.
Harper announced his government would pursue mandatory minimum sentences, tougher penalties and stricter rules in relation to sex offenses and child pornography.
"Sadly there are truly evil people out there. The fact is we don't understand them and we don't particularly care to. We understand only that they must be dealt with," Harper told reporters.
Here are the key tenets of the proposed legislation:
Those convicted of child pornography offences will serve their sentenced consecutively, or one after the other, instead of all at once.
Maximum and minimum penalties will be increased
Penalties for breaching supervision orders will be increased
Those who commit crimes while out on parole will be sentenced more harshly
The spouse of someone charged with child pornography will be obliged to testify in court at the trial.
[ More Brew: No plan for 'Canadian military mission' in Syria: Harper ]
Harper's crime and punishment strategy has long featured introducing mandatory minimum sentences. Mandatory minimums are now in effect for violent crimes as well as drug- and gun-related offences. And there has been some push back.
Canadian Lawyer Magazine suggested they undermine a judge's ability to show discretion based on extenuating circumstances.
Earlier this year, a judge struck down a conviction on the ground that mandatory minimum sentences were unconstitutional. Leroy Smickle posted for a Facebook photo while holding his cousin's gun. He was sentenced to a minimum of three years without parole.
The Globe and Mail said the case was evidence that "mandatory minimums can put such strict constraints on judicial discretion that they create injustices."
So while mandatory minimum sentences may be controversial, watching Harper announce plans to introduce more is not the least bit surprising.
The prime minister's announcement may smell like a campaign stop, but at least it doesn't smell like weed, or another round of asking politicians about their history with it.
This is firm ground. Canadians who sexually abuse children should be punished, as harshly as constitutionally possible. Nothing confusing about that.
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