header


 

Justice

 

 
As the father of four young boys, I understand the importance that parents place on the safety of their families. Alberta is a wonderful place to raise children but, even here, growing numbers are making their way in life preying on the innocent and taking advantage of others.

 


In my former position as Parliamentary Assistant to the Solicitor General, I saw firsthand our province’s challenges with organized crime, child exploitation, as well as our weak-kneed justice system. It is my view that the provincial government needs to focus its attention on 3 key areas if we are to make our communities safer:

  • We need to better integrate the efforts of the RCMP and municipal police forces across the province. Gangs, child predators and organized criminals do not have neat and tidy operational borders. They conduct their activities via sophisticated and integrated operations across multiple jurisdictions. It is therefore imperative that every police force across the province uses a common database system for sharing intelligence as well as a common communications system to coordinate operations when necessary.
  • We must target child exploitation in all its insidious forms. Our province’s Integrated Child Exploitation (ICE) teams are a good start, but more must be done. I would propose that a ‘Child Protection Taskforce’ be formed to look at best practices from around the world in tackling child abuse, child pornography, child trafficking and other related issues.  
  • Our criminal justice system needs serious reform. For far too long, the system has been failing victims of crime in the name of protecting the "rights" of criminals. The practice of double and triple credit for time served for convicted individuals must be stopped. Bail requirements for repeat and dangerous offenders must be tightened. And the lack of mandatory minimum sentences for violent criminals leading to sometimes shamefully short sentences must be addressed. Our provincial government must do all it can to lobby our federal counterparts to implement these critical reforms.
Video
 
Bill 202 - Mandatory Reporting of Child Pornography Act


Bill 202 - April 19, 2010
 
footer