Pubdate: Wed, 07 Dec 2011
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2011 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Ron Charach, MD.

PUT FOOT DOWN ON PRISONS

Re: "City stance on prisons is illogical," Opinion, Dec. 3.

Good for Mayor Stephen Mandel for standing up to the Harper 
government's parliamentary dictatorship and refusing to build more 
prison cells in Edmonton.

This may be seen as a NIMBY approach, but it is, more importantly, a 
statement against Harper's relentless drive to incarcerate a higher 
number of Canadians, even at a time when the crime rate has been 
steadily declining.

It's not enough for men such as Justice Minister Rob Nicholson to 
proclaim "we don't govern based on statistics," nor for Public Safety 
Minister Vic Toews to return gun lobby favours by treating Sturm, 
Ruger rifles like they were duck-hunting guns.

Tough on crime, soft on guns makes no more sense than a new war on soft drugs.

Ron Charach, MD,

Toronto, Ont.
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