Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak in support of Bill C-219, an act to amend the Criminal Code with respect to using or operating a stolen motor vehicle in the commission of an offence.
It is important that we understand that Bill C-219 deals exactly with that. I will repeat that for members opposite because they seem to have missed the point. It is an act to amend the Criminal Code with respect to using or operating a stolen motor vehicle in the commission of an offence.
I commend the hon. member for Wild Rose. Although we have not always agreed on remedies for the justice system, there are many problems in our justice system and I agree that the Liberal government is not always there for Canadians to strengthen the Criminal Code. Tougher provisions are needed in many places.
As mentioned by previous speakers, the bill would amend section 334 of the Criminal Code. The purpose of the amendment is to classify those found guilty of operating or using a motor vehicle that a person has stolen or knows has been stolen while committing an indictable offence, during flight or attempting to commit an offence. It is fairly simple legislation that is being proposed. All we have to do is stick to the facts.
The sentence for such an offence would be a term of imprisonment for one year. It would also require that the sentence be served consecutively of any other punishment if it arises out of the same set or series of events that contributed to the conviction for the first offence.
All of that is to say in common parlance that there would be greater emphasis placed on an offence that was committed while using a stolen vehicle. In short, Bill C-219 would act as a greater deterrent for such offences. Certainly it would be commendable for this type of legislation to come from the Parliament of Canada.
I commend the hon. member's efforts in this regard and I am supportive of the bill. This is a positive measure that the member for Wild Rose brings forward because it addresses two key areas in which there is need for improvement in our Criminal Code. It would toughen the criminal sanctions for those individuals who use a stolen vehicle to assist in the commission of a criminal act. This would be a welcome change because it would additionally punish criminals for the additional steps they have taken, namely to have stolen a vehicle to commit another offence.
The second area of the intended amendment proposed in section 334.1(2), which is very much a truth in sentencing provision, ensures that the sentence imposed on the criminal, mainly the driver, would be served consecutively. That is, it would not be simply dealt away, which is often done in criminal proceedings by a plea bargain. The sentence would be cumulative. It would be served consecutively as opposed to concurrently. This would send a strong message to the thousands of Canadians who lose their vehicles through theft or someone who would commit a robbery and forcibly take their vehicles. It would result in greater accountability and would certainly send a message to the criminal element.
It is important for everyone to understand that when a vehicle is stolen it is often damaged and often never recovered. The person the crime is committed against is greatly inconvenienced. People experience a psychological feeling of invasion when their property is taken or damaged. It is similar to when a person's home is invaded. The purpose of the hon. member's motion is to amend the code to put greater emphasis on this type of offence. I believe it to be a positive one. I would therefore hope there is support at third reading for Bill C-284 brought forward by the member for Calgary Centre.
Those of us on this side of the House, at least those who are interested enough in this bill to speak on it here today, certainly see that voting in favour of this type of legislation is a deterrent to the very thing the hon. member had brought forth.
No matter how well meaning, legislation will go nowhere without the ability to implement and enforce it. I would therefore like to outline some of my concerns with respect to the government's persistence in underfunding a host of law enforcement issues. The solicitor general has often stated publicly that public safety is a strategy and a priority for the government. Instead of talking perhaps the solicitor general could also do a lot to demonstrate that commitment to public safety by supporting legislation such as the initiative brought forward by the member for Wild Rose and by paying greater attention to what our police community is telling him. Quite bluntly, police officers are getting the shaft from the Liberal government.
According to the information revealed by the government's own organized crime committee last April, the national police service needs an additional $200 million over the next four years or it will functionally expire. That will have a great impact on every part of the country. We have already seen a situation evolve where large detachments of the RCMP are underfunded. The solicitor general and the Liberal government decided to cut $74.1 million from the RCMP's organized crime budget.
This is not about leadership or providing resources for the law enforcement community. It is quite the contrary. When you cut 13% from the budget in one fiscal year what do you expect the people who are supposed to uphold the government and the law in this country to do? The RCMP is not the only police force that feels the effect. Municipal and provincial police forces are inevitably forced to pick up the slack. Many of these forces are already burdened by the abandonment of the ports police and are struggling to fill the void left by this government's axe.
We need a real commitment to law enforcement, not just talk, not just debate in the Chamber but real legislation. The government has to bring in legislative initiatives if we are to see real concrete improvements. I applaud the member for Wild Rose for taking such an initiative. it is quite disturbing to think the government would not embrace such a positive initiative on the member's part. I would expect the government to support this legislation since it is votable and as we in the Conservative Party will be supporting it.