Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party has released a brochure called "Do You Feel Safe". This brochure is the Reform Party's attempt to mislead Canadians with false facts and use their fear of crime to add to the party's coffers.
Reformers choose to fuel the fear of crime and ignore the fact that crime in Canada has been steadily decreasing as the 1995 crime statistics clearly show.
Fact: violent crime fell by 4 per cent, the largest drop since 1962. Fact: the homicide rate dropped 3 per cent, reaching the lowest level since 1969. Fact: homicides involving firearms dropped 10 per cent.
Reform MPs stand up in the House and repeat the details of horrific crimes and grandstand in public as tough crime fighters. At the same time they consistently vote against the government's get tough measures such as sentencing reform and gun control. The Reform Party ask: "Do you want to feel safe in your own home and community?"
Actions speak louder than words. The government wants results, not rhetoric. It will continue to focus on substance, not cheap slogans.