Art Hanger

[Petitions, May 31st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions, one being 406 signatures, dealing with sexual orientation.

The people from my riding pray that Parliament oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or any other federal legislation that would provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.

[Criminal Code, May 31st, 1996]

for leave to introduce Bill C-291, an act to amend the Criminal Code (prohibited sexual acts).

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce my private member's bill in the House today. The bill would amend the section of the Criminal Code dealing with prohibited sexual acts with children under the age of 14 or in the presence of children under the age 14.

If implemented the bill would raise the age of a child as defined for this purpose from the current age of 14 to 16. In effect, the bill would allow for criminal charges to be brought against any adult who engages in sexual relations with any person younger than age 16.

I urge all members of the House to seriously consider the bill's intent and purpose.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

[Crime, May 31st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government would have Canadians believe crime is falling. I have two words in response: hog wash.

Violent crime and offences committed against Canadians have increased by an appalling rate over the past 30 years. In 1962 there were 221 violent crimes per 100,000 population in Canada. Current statistics show the violent crime rate is now well over 1,000 incidents per 100,000 population and the property crime rate is three times higher than in 1962.

In overall terms the average Canadian stands a 99.9 per cent chance of being victimized by crime at least once in their life. So much for falling crime.

The only issue in decline is the credibility of a government which has praised itself for making our streets safe when clearly the opposite is true. The Canadian voters will not be fooled. The do nothing Liberal government is soft on crime and Canadians know it. Watch out Liberals-

[Supply, May 30th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands for the question which gives me an opportunity to clarify a lot.

It is important for the House and those watching to recognize there is a concern about punishment in this country. People are concerned that offenders who have committed all kinds of offences, some violent, are not being punished. I have been to many town hall meetings across the country. The member for Kingston and the Islands has spent much of his time in his own community and has not wandered much beyond its borders. There is a concern that criminals are not being punished for the acts they commit. The matter of corporal punishment has come forward several times.

At no time have I ever advocated corporal punishment. At no time have I ever advocated caning, but I have suggested we study the issue of corporal punishment. That matter has only lately been removed from the Criminal Code.

The member has given me a book on Singapore and the corporal punishment issue there. He is obviously supportive of it because the book is supportive of it. I suggest the member pursue the matter a little further.

[Supply, May 30th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, I will be pleased to relate any information which reflects on certain communities in the country. One of course is the Cornwall area.

If the member will recall, approximately six months ago a police report, a joint forces report, was presented to Parliament. It reflected the very point that alcohol, cigarettes and other contraband are being smuggled through those areas. Guns were also included in the list. I am not speaking out of school and I am not speaking off the top of my hat. It was in the police report. There have also been references to such in the news media from time to time. If the member so desires, I can pick up those press releases for him.

Am I referring to a particular group? In this case the member mentioned aboriginal people. Let me put it this way. I am referring to organized criminals. It is a well-known fact that Cornwall is a gravitation point for organized criminals of all stripes because it happens to be a point of entry for contraband.

My concern is with the effects of organized crime and the influence of organized criminals in those regions. That is one and I could reflect on others if the member so desires.

[Supply, May 30th, 1996]

A member across the way just asked how long I have spent in the prison system. I have spent the last two and one-half years visiting the majority of this country's prisons. I invite members on the other side of the House to do the same.

A recent study done by the Fraser Institute identified some economic factors revolving around crime, public safety and security. It put together a list on the costs of crime which included victimization, policing and private security, court and legal proceedings, corrections and shattered lives. The total costs incorporated in the list I have just stated are estimated to be $37 billion

annually. That is almost one-third of the annual budget. The costs of the social impact of crime are almost one-third of the annual budget. The Liberal government has not done anything to make our streets and homes safer. It is another broken promise.

[Supply, May 30th, 1996]

It is certainly a learning experience.

[Supply, May 30th, 1996]

I am appalled at their actions sometimes.

Those are just a couple of points which really make it clear, and it should be clear to Canadians, that the government is not serious about doing anything with regard to making our homes and streets safer. The government is not serious about punishing offenders. It is not serious about making those offenders more productive when they are released. It is absolutely astounding.

Probably for the most part the majority of members on that side of the House have never been inside a prison.

[Supply, May 30th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, I will do so. I tell that member to go there if he questions whether there is a smuggling problem in this country. Either that or the Liberal members as always are burying their heads in the sand if they cannot realize there is a problem relating to smuggling. It is not just firearms but drugs and alcohol. Ninety per cent of the illegal alcohol being smuggled into the country comes through that area over by Cornwall. There are cigarettes and other contraband.

The Liberal government is ignoring the plight of many people in the country who are really being burdened by this type of crime in their communities. I refer to another area, Ipperwash, where the law is not enforced adequately or equally. There is an entire community in Pasangquet whose property values have decreased to such a degree that it does not know how it will survive after investing considerable sums in those properties. The government sits on its duff. The solicitor general sits on his duff and does nothing to intervene. This is a crime in itself. It is falling on the shoulders of this government and the solicitor general for not doing something about it.

People not only in those two regions I just mentioned but also in urban Canada are very concerned about their safety. They are very concerned that the law is not adequately applied. I will turn to Toronto, Vancouver and the lower mainland. I suggest to the member for Halifax that she go to those two regions to see for herself just how the people in those cities are being victimized. They feel so much tension because of the crime in their cities. It all comes down to the enforcement of the law. People desire that. They seek government intervention in the whole area of safety. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure it happens.

I know many government members cannot grasp this, but it is unfortunate there are areas in our major cities where crime is

unchecked. The safety of many people is being jeopardized. The government talks about safe streets and safe homes. Nonsense. It has done nothing to make our homes and our streets any safer.

I will briefly touch on the Young Offenders Act. My colleague, the member for Crowfoot, is doing a more than adequate job in researching the Young Offenders Act. The government has had two and one-half years to straighten it around and it still has done nothing to address the major concerns people have. People want the age for young offenders lowered. They want those 11-year olds who commit rape charged. They want to see those who commit violent crime charged and tried as adults. They want to see punishment in the system. It does not exist. It is a joke.

Government members are reluctant to face reality. The member from Don Valley forgot to add reality to the reasons for being a Liberal. He did not refer to the reality that people's lives are being jeopardized, many by a very small element, the young offenders who are not being punished.

Government members should look at the detention centres and prisons across the country. The justice minister and the solicitor general can talk all they want about making things tough but it is only rhetoric. They are doing absolutely nothing to tighten up the problems which exist within our prison system or our detention centres.

As an example of some recent problems we could look to the women's detention centre, or jail, in Edmonton. I call it a retirement home, a comfort cottage. The prisoners in that home murdered another prisoner. The warden was told there would be a major problem if one particular woman was integrated into the regular population. The warden ignored the advice. Corrections ignored any advice it was given.

It was a philosophy which was supported by the solicitor general. It was decided to create that type of incarceration, that type of facility. The programs which followed were suggested by CSC. The minister supported it. As a result, a few weeks after the prison opened, one person was murdered and one-quarter of the prison population walked away. I say walked because all they had to do was step over a four-foot fence and walk away.

The government claimed it was going to make our streets and our homes safer. Where is the safety? The philosophy adopted by the cabinet, the solicitor general and the justice minister is to contrary. They say one thing and do another. Our streets are no safer. In fact it is the opposite.

Given the fact that facilities such as the women's prison in Edmonton can have those serious problems within a few short weeks of opening just shows the mentality of what is really happening within that system. This should be of concern to all of us. The reality is that crime is not being punished. Our streets are not safe and our homes are being jeopardized even more every day. Individuals have to lock themselves up in their own homes while the criminals run around free.

The Liberal government talks about the rehabilitation of sex offenders. It has expressed concern about releasing sex offenders into society. If we look at some of the recent releases it is clear that individuals who are being released are not being punished. They are not being rehabilitated. They are refusing to participate in any form of treatment and are refusing to co-operate with prison officials. They are refusing to follow the minimum requirements. This is despite the warnings that if released these individuals will reoffend.

They are serious sexual offenders and that is what is happening. They are being released back into society and are jeopardizing the communities in which they are placed. As a result, many of them are reoffending. Efforts have been made to stop this process or at least to identify those who are being released. What has happened instead? The government has ordered the RCMP not to release any information about these individuals to the communities or to any groups that want to protect their communities. This is insanity.

Right now Liberal members are laughing. This is not a laughing matter. This is serious business.

[Supply, May 30th, 1996]

I have been there. I tell you to go there.