Vancouver — NDP Leader Jack Layton is proposing to spend $1-billion over several years fighting crime in a bid to boost the party's credibility on law and order, an issue that has rocketed to the top of the election agenda after shootings in Toronto.
The NDP was the fourth largest party in Parliament before the House dissolved for the election, and has little hope of forming the next government, but it will try to convince whichever party is leading the country to adopt its proposals.
Mr. Layton's law and order policies, to be announced Friday at a news conference in Surrey, B.C., rely heavily on community reinvestment and prevention.
He will propose tougher criminal penalties for suspects apprehended with guns, sources say, and that young offenders aged 16 and over who employ firearms should be treated as adults under the law.
The NDP will propose funding their policies by using the sales of the proceeds of crime seized by police and investing the preventative cash in the neighbourhoods where the assets were discovered.
Sources confirmed Mr. Layton will propose the cash be used to fund youth initiatives that keep kids off the street, such as recreation centres, scholarships and mentoring programs.
Party sources confirmed other elements of the plan, which was still being drafted early Friday morning, include:
– $400-million to assist youth at risk.
– $200-million over four years to help victims of violence.
– $200-million to protect witnesses and encourage Canadians to talk to authorities without worry they could be tracked down and punished by criminals.
– $200-million to help cut down on the use of crystal meth, a popular street drug.
Other elements of the NDP plan include tough sentences for illegally possessing and selling restricted guns, beefing up police efforts to crack down on gangs, and moves to halt the flow of black-market weapons into Canada from the United States.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...06.wndpcrime0106/BNStory/specialDecision2006/
The NDP was the fourth largest party in Parliament before the House dissolved for the election, and has little hope of forming the next government, but it will try to convince whichever party is leading the country to adopt its proposals.
Mr. Layton's law and order policies, to be announced Friday at a news conference in Surrey, B.C., rely heavily on community reinvestment and prevention.
He will propose tougher criminal penalties for suspects apprehended with guns, sources say, and that young offenders aged 16 and over who employ firearms should be treated as adults under the law.
The NDP will propose funding their policies by using the sales of the proceeds of crime seized by police and investing the preventative cash in the neighbourhoods where the assets were discovered.
Sources confirmed Mr. Layton will propose the cash be used to fund youth initiatives that keep kids off the street, such as recreation centres, scholarships and mentoring programs.
Party sources confirmed other elements of the plan, which was still being drafted early Friday morning, include:
– $400-million to assist youth at risk.
– $200-million over four years to help victims of violence.
– $200-million to protect witnesses and encourage Canadians to talk to authorities without worry they could be tracked down and punished by criminals.
– $200-million to help cut down on the use of crystal meth, a popular street drug.
Other elements of the NDP plan include tough sentences for illegally possessing and selling restricted guns, beefing up police efforts to crack down on gangs, and moves to halt the flow of black-market weapons into Canada from the United States.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...06.wndpcrime0106/BNStory/specialDecision2006/
