Mr. Speaker, I am joining my colleague from Fundy Royal in extending my congratulations and appreciation to my colleague from the Bloc and to the justice critic from my party and from the NDP for bringing this issue to the forefront.
Before I start, I would like to pay tribute to the four RCMP officers who lost their lives fighting crime in our country and whose memorial service is being held today. Our sympathies go to the families of the officers.
The motion is before us in Parliament today because there is a strong concern among Canadians that criminal elements feel that crime pays. They feel they can get away with crime because of the lenient sentences and existing laws. Because they feel crime pays, we have seen an escalation of gang wars and drug related incidents, especially among young Canadians.
Only 10 days ago in the city of Calgary a young individual was gunned down in a bar, and the incident was drug and gang related. Prior to that, a young gentleman lost his life as he walked out of a gym. He was shot dead because he was involved in gang related crime.
It became so bad that the chief of police in Calgary said last week that it was time to fight. During the incident with the young fellow who lost his life 10 days ago, it was miraculous that innocent bystanders were not killed. Bullets were fired on the streets and cars were hit. It has become so bad now that the lives of innocent Canadians, who are walking on the streets of Calgary, are at risk. The city council and everyone are now saying it is time to fight. However, police officers need the tools to fight this growing crime.
Gang wars in Vancouver are reaching high proportions. Young Canadians are dying from gang related vengeance. In Edmonton the same thing is happening.
About two months ago a young fellow lost his life in a gang related incident. What happened? The young fellow was shot dead when he walked out of the gym. He was a known drug dealer. Everybody new he lived a high life. He had a penthouse, flashy cars, et cetera, and he is only a young kid. The message gets out that crime pays. There is an attitude that if they get caught, so what. They will go to jail, be back out on the street soon and their proceeds from crime and drugs will still be there. It is a small price for them to pay.
We have a problem with pot growing in my riding of Calgary East. In residential areas, marijuana is being grown and it is becoming a major concern for the community. Residents have approached us and have asked what we can do to help them. They has asked us about what kinds of laws we can put in place to fight this.
Drug crimes and other crimes are moving into communities, threatening law-abiding Canadians across the country. These incidents are coming forward, and they are causing concerns.
That is why I am happy to see that the three opposition parties are asking the government to bring forward something. This motion talks about taking away the illegitimate gains. It is a good motion. This will send a strong message to the people involved that crime does not pay. Canada will not tolerate crime being a profitable business.
I must say in passing that I have a private member's bill to fight break and enter in home invasions. Criminals feel that crime pays for them. Will they or will they not go to jail? If they get a suspended sentence, then they are out and they just made an easy buck. This is the essence of this whole motion here.
I am happy to hear that the Minister of Justice has just indicated that he will bring a bill forward. However, there is always the issue of charter rights. Yes, there are charter rights. I am a visible minority myself and I look at the charter as one of those strong pillars of protection in society. We must maintain charter rights. At the same time, however, we need to have a balance to ensure that the rights of Canadians are not threatened. This is fundamentally important.
We see time after time when we open the newspapers anywhere in the country, that it is becoming evident that Canadians generally are now not safe on the streets and are becoming concerned. This is a very timely motion.
Let me go back for one minute to these four RCMP officers who lost their lives a few days ago fighting crime. Yesterday, on a CBC documentary on the RCMP, which was very sad to see, we learned that many RCMP officers have lost their lives fighting crime. It is only then that we put in procedures and laws to ensure that it does not happen again.
My question is, why do we have to wait until someone loses their life before we put in something that everyone knows is required and is a common sense law? This motion that has been brought forward by the Bloc is asking the government to look at it. It is our duty. Our constituents are telling us to take this issue in hand and fight.
When the bill comes forward, the motion says it should be without delay. We need it. The issue of gang warfare in Quebec has prompted the Bloc to bring forward this motion. It is because of the huge concern of Quebeckers concerning the Hell's Angels and other groups. The profits are so huge that criminal groups ignore the safety of other Canadians.
I say to my colleagues in the House that we should put pressure on the government to bring forward a bill, so that we can support it and ensure that we send a strong message from this Parliament that crime does not pay in Canada.