The Conservative Dumb-on-Crime Agenda

CBC : Crime rates in Canada lowest level since 1973

"Canada's national crime rate has been on the decline for the past two decades and has reached its lowest level since 1973, according to Statistics Canada. The total volume of crime, representing nearly 2.1 million Criminal Code incidents, fell five per cent in 2010 from the previous year, said the federal agency. The Crime Severity Index also dropped six per cent to its lowest point since 1998."

And if you go to the original you can hover over the arrows for specifics.

But holy crap - look at that big red arrow showing the increase in drug offences! That's terrible!
... hover ... hover ... OK, never mind - it's just that stupid marijuana bullshit again - due to get appreciably worse with the Cons new dumb-on-crime bill :

CBC : New pot laws could overwhelm BC jails, as anyone convicted of growing six plants will get a six-month minimum sentence .

Meanwhile over at StatsCan  : The crime severity index from 1999 to 2009:

Tabatha Southey wonders why a government that "defends its new sentencing laws as necessary, despite the fact that crime is down, with the statement that they're “not governing on the basis of the latest statistics” " ie facts, is nonetheless happy to pay $90,000 a day to outside consultants brought in to look for them.
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North American Security Perimeter Law and Order

A week ago US Attorney General Eric Holder told the Northern Border Summit :

"[T]here are areas in which the U.S. and Canada can enhance cooperation in criminal investigations and prosecutions. And I believe we must consider how extradition, and mutual legal assistance processes could be streamlined to avoid delays; and whether certain sentencing laws – and information sharing policies and practices – should be updated."

He also announced a joint DOJ, DHS, Public Safety Canada and Justice Canada pilot project they hope to launch next year.

Yesterday, despite a continuing 20 year decline in crime in Canada, Dumb-on-Crime Minister Rob Nicholson - flanked by Jason Kenney, cops, and crime victims’ advocates - introduced the 9-bill lawnorder omnibus C-10, which is ... wait for it ... primarily focused on tougher sentencing laws. Noting that "This is only the beginning. We’ll introduce other legislation as well," he explained:

"We're not governing on the basis of the latest statistics."

That's ok, Rob, we never thought you were. We already get the part about spending $3-billion on filling new prisons with pot smokers and First Nations and people with mental health problems while simultaneously diverting money from social programs, education, and health care - a Made in America strategy that ultimately resulted in California emptying its prisons in order to afford its pensions, social programs, and education. 

Also yesterday ... a commenter left a link to a "special ceremony" in Toronto in August at which the Canadian and American Bar Associations signed an agreement "committing them to closer cooperation, information exchanges and other joint efforts."
"Our people are really one people," said ABA President Stephen N. Zack at the ceremony.

The American Bar Association Canada Committee focuses on "programs and policy dealing with international and cross-border aspects of issues affecting Canada" including :

"national security, cross-border litigation, privacy, government procurement, product safety regulation, antitrust, trade remedies, insolvency, customs, immigration, economic sanctions and export controls, financing, M&A, public law, and bilateral and multilateral trade and investment agreements, including NAFTA and the agreements of the World Trade Organization."

Coincidentally, Steve and Barry's February agreement : Beyond the Border: a shared vision for perimeter security and economic competitiveness is also very big on joint law enforcement operations and information sharing.
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Driving under the influence of Helena Handbasket

Rahim Jaffer, ex-Reform/Alliance/Con MP, anti-drug crusader, hubby to federal Con cabinet minister Helena "hell hole" Guergis :
Busted for driving at nearly twice the legal speed limit, cocaine possession, flunked the breathalyzer

Drunk driving and cocaine charges reduced to "careless driving".
Sentence : $500 fine.

Jaffer after sentencing: "I took full responsibility for my careless driving."

That is just so Con.
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