WHOSE MONEY IS IT, ANYWAYS?

This past Saturday's Woolwich Observer has both an Editoral and a story about the new proposed Federal Omnibus Crime Bill. It very much seems as if this Conservative legislation is a solution in desperate need of a problem to resolve. Perhaps the multi billion dollar costs across the country will someday be recognized as worthwhile. Most likely not however. The story in the Observer , written by James Jackson, is titled "Federal crime bill not winning any friends in province, region". The Editorial is titled "Facts keep stacking up against Tory crime bill".

Firstly despite economic hard times crime rates continue to fall. Imagine if the war on marijuana were ever ended how much court time, jail time and resources could be freed up. This certainly begs the question as to what are the Tories actually trying to do here. In the Editorial the following comments are made: "Statistics, need and fiscal constraints don't figure into the picture.". Also: "Planning to spend $10-$13 billion on prisons is excessive. Doing so after running up a record deficit is folly."

Our prison populations will probably follow the U.S. pattern and rise dramatically with new minimum mandatory sentences, increasing maximum sentences and limiting the use of conditional sentences. At the same time money currently spent on sucessful programs to reduce crime will be deprived of funds. It is apparent that by not advising provinces, regions and citizens as to the real reason behind this massive unecessary expenditure of public funds; that our Federal government have a hidden agenda. Are they afraid that as the economy continues to break down that there will be an outpouring of criminal activity? Do they see prisons as an economic cure the same way wars have done so in the past? Is there an ideological component here that makes the Tories think that there will be massive civil unrest in the future? Is the next step an Orwellian increase in criminalization of citizens behaviour? This Omnibus crime bill is an ominous start to the Tory majority in Ottawa.