Pubdate: Wed, 07 Mar 2012 Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC) Copyright: 2012 Nanaimo Daily News Contact: http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608 CRIME BILL SET TO PASS BEFORE TORIES MARK BEING IN POWER FOR 100 DAYS After months of acrimonious debate, the controversial omnibus crime bill is poised to clear a final hurdle Wednesday before becoming law. The Safe Streets and Communities Act returned to the House of Commons Tuesday for one last debate after several minor amendments were approved by the Senate in relation to the State Immunity Act and the ability of terrorism victims to sue their perpetrators. The government promised to pass the bill within 100 sitting days of the 41st Parliament and Postmedia News has learned the final vote on C-10 is expected to happen late Wednesday, 10 days before the Harper Conservatives will mark that milestone. Should all go as planned, it will also take place hours after Justice Minister Rob Nicholson joins former NHLer and child sex abuse victim Sheldon Kennedy in Woodbridge, Ont., for one final public relations splash. The hockey star testified before a Senate committee last month in support of the bill's provision for mandatory minimum sentences for child sex offenders. Kennedy has become a victims' advocate since coming forward with his own story of sexual assault. He and fellow NHLer Theoren Fleury were both abused by their junior hockey coach, Graham James, who pleaded guilty in December. James will be sentenced later this month and Kennedy has raised concerns that his abuser may only get house arrest. A hodgepodge of nine justice bills, most of which were defeated in previous Parliaments when the Conservatives were in minority, Bill C-10 also sets minimum mandatory sentences for drug trafficking and production, eliminates house arrest for a number of offences and cracks down on young offenders, Canadians imprisoned abroad and those seeking pardons. NDP justice critic Jack Harris launched a one-man filibuster Tuesday in a final bid to reiterate his party's concerns with the bill. "I guess I'll have to end at some point, but I'm not sure when," Harris said after question period, noting he will continue speaking to the bill on Wednesday, but is unlikely to keep it up for 10 days in order to "throw (the Tories) off their agenda." - - Postmedia News - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom