Pubdate: Thu, 15 Mar 2007
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2007, The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.globeandmail.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Campbell Clark

WITH THE CRIME RATE FALLING, LIBERALS DECIDE TO BREAK OUT
THE CUFFS

The Grits Are Trying To Crack A Stereotype To Appeal To New Voters For
A Possible Spring Campaign

TORONTO - Liberal Leader Stephane Dion pledged his own crackdown on
crime yesterday, promising hundreds of millions of dollars to pay for
more police, and supporting tougher laws in areas like bail for
gun-crime suspects.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has been pounding the Liberals as
soft on crime, challenged him to use his "conversion" to back Tory
crime bills.

Crime rates have been falling in Canada for decades, so why are
federal political leaders competing to be crime fighters?

With Mr. Harper's Conservatives hoping to achieve a majority
government in a possible spring election, crime offers an opportunity
to reach beyond their political base. And Mr. Dion wants to thwart
them.

For women, crime defies the left-right party allegiances - and it
could move their vote from one party to another. For the
Conservatives, who have always trailed the Liberals among female
voters, bridging that gap, especially in the suburban ridings around
major cities, is a key to gaining seats.

"One of the things that makes it really attractive for the
Conservatives politically is that it works very well for two audiences
that they normally do very poorly in," said pollster David Herle of
The Gandalf Group, the former Paul Martin strategist who was once
Justice Canada's pollster.

"The thing about crime is it's not a right-wing issue . . . the truth
of the matter is that crime is most important to women and older people."

Crime statistics are not the immediate issue for them, Mr. Herle said.
Women and older people tend to feel more physically vulnerable, and
can be moved by leaders they feel will act to make them safer.

Debate in Ottawa has tended to swing between Conservatives who favour
longer sentences, and Liberals and New Democrats who stress prevention
through community programs and youth rehabilitation. But most voters
believe in prevention, and also support crackdowns, Mr. Herle said.

Yesterday, Mr. Dion was issuing his own tough-on-crime policy, and
while he pointed to the falling crime rate, he was quick to say that
statistics don't matter to the families of victims.

He charged that the Conservatives have not delivered on their promise
to add 2,500 municipal police officers to Canadian cities - and he
promised that a Liberal government would fund an increase in police
immediately, as well as $200-million for 400 RCMP officers. He
promised new laws to combat the luring of children over the Internet
by sex offenders and a guns-and-gangs task force for each province.
And Mr. Dion also promised Liberal support for a Conservative bill to
institute a "reverse-onus" provision that would force gun-crime
suspects to prove they are not a danger before they get bail. He said
his party has offered to make a deal on other crime bills, but the
Tories chose politicking.

"We have offered to help the Conservatives pass legislation such as
raising the age of consent, improving the DNA databank regime and
modernizing criminal justice procedures. The Conservatives have
largely refused our offer," he said.

Mr. Harper suggesting the Liberal Leader's announcement is a
flip-flop.

"I'm always interested in the latest incarnations of Mr. Dion," he
said.

"Look, I hope it lasts, because the government has a lot of important
tough-on-crime legislation and if this is a sincere conversion we can
get on with actual moving that through the House of Commons."

Legislation like Bill C-10, to increase mandatory minimum sentences
for gun crimes, has led to finger-pointing in the Commons. .

Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said he would make "reasonable"
compromises to pass crime bills, but offered his own explanation for
Mr. Dion's new tone: "I think they're feeling the heat."
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MAP posted-by: Derek