Canadian Communities Now Safer As Age Of Protection And Tougher Laws For Serious Gun Crimes Come Into Force

May 01, 2008

OTTAWA - Randy Kamp, MP for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge--Mission, today welcomed the coming into force of three key areas of the Tackling Violent Crime Act (Bill C-2):

• Raising the age of protection from 14 years to 16 years;
• Providing tougher sentences for serious gun crimes; and
• Ensuring that bail provisions better protect the public from gun violence.
  

"Dangerous criminals who use guns to commit their crimes, and sexual predators who prey on our youth, will now get the jail time and penalties they deserve," said Kamp. "This Government will continue to deliver on what is important to Canadians - the safety and security of their communities - because protecting society is a priority for this Government, not an afterthought."

Two additional provisions of the Tackling Violent Crime Act  will come into force on July 2, 2008, completing five important changes to Canada's Criminal Code to better protect Canadians against those who commit serious and violent crimes.

These two provisions will provide for:

• More effective sentencing and monitoring to prevent dangerous,
• high-risk offenders from offending again; and
• New ways to detect and investigate drug-impaired driving and
• stronger penalties for impaired driving.
  

In addition to its comprehensive measures to tackle violent crime and in keeping with its commitment to make Canadian communities safer, the Government of Canada has also:

• Introduced legislation to tackle property theft, including the serious crime of auto theft;
• Passed legislation to increase penalties for those convicted of street racing;
• Passed legislation to end conditional sentences (house arrest) for serious personal injury and violent offences, including sexual assault;
• Introduced a National Anti-Drug Strategy, including legislation that would provide mandatory jail time for serious drug crimes;
• Introduced legislation to strengthen the Youth Criminal Justice Act;
• and announced a comprehensive review of this Act in 2008;
• Introduced legislation to protect Canadians against identity theft; and
• Invested in crime prevention community projects across Canada that target youth.