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 A Liberal government wouldn't revisit any of the tough-on-crime legislation passed under the Tories, says Liberal Mark Holland. (Chris Roussakis/QMI Agency Files) |
OTTAWA - A Liberal government wouldn't revisit any of the tough-on-crime legislation passed under the Tories, incumbent Liberal Mark Holland said Monday.
"I don't see anything right now that we need to go back and undo," the public safety critic said in phone interview with QMI Agency.
But Holland underscored that a Liberal government would focus on crime prevention, not incarceration.
"The first thing we're going to restore is all cuts to prevention programs," he said.
The Liberals would also consider offering cash to municipalities for local crime prevention, and they want to boost funding to drug rehab and mental health programs.
Among the Conservative crime bills that received royal assent are C-23a, which cracks down on pardons; C-48, which toughens parole for multiple murderers; C-14, which targets organized crime; and C-25, which tosses out credit for time served in pre-sentencing.
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C-25, or the Truth in Sentencing Act, comes with the heaviest price tag. Parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page estimates the federal cost at up to $5 billion over five years for the additional time spent behind bars. (The Conservatives estimate it would cost $2 billion over five years.)
Holland mused publicly last year that the Liberals might revisit C-25 after the PBO report was unveiled.
But on Monday he said the Liberals would instead review ways to slash the time inmates spend in remand centres.
Holland didn't say whether the Grits would roll back the $601 million in prison infrastructure spending that has already been announced.
"We're going to make sure our prisons are safe," he said.
The Liberals have been attacking the Tories for months on their crime legislation. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has been railing at Conservative spending on "jets, jails and corporate tax cuts" at each campaign stop.
The Liberal platform, unveiled Sunday, pledged $550 million towards affordable housing and $5 billion worth of poverty-fighting measures to help make Canadian communities safer.
Twitter: @j_murphy1