Toronto Sun Column: We need to fight crime with resolve
Date: Dec 29, 2006 12:11 PM
PUBLICATION: The Toronto Sun
DATE: 2006.12.29
EDITION: Final
SECTION: Editorial/Opinion
PAGE: 24
ILLUSTRATION: photo by Craig Robertson, Sun Media Ontarians are
concerned about continuing gun and gang violence, says John Tory.
BYLINE: JOHN TORY
COLUMN: Guest Column
WORD COUNT: 482

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We need to fight crime with resolve
Ontarians have a right to know if our bail system is working

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Most of us, at one time or another, have made a New Years Resolution.

During the final days of December, you look back on the year now ending,
and resolve to make smarter decisions and do things better than you did
before.

Much like Ontarians, governments could also stand to benefit from a few
New Years Resolutions.

To effectively lead a government, I would argue that a Premier must
treat every day like a New Years Eve. You have to be serious about doing
what you said you would do and knowing there is always room to improve.

This year our Progressive Conservative caucus proposed a constructive
New Years Resolution for the Dalton McGuinty government.

It was this:

Considering the number of Ontarians who are worried about the new wave
of gang and gun violence;

And considering that one of the most shocking aspects of this wave of
violence has been the appalling number of criminal incidents where the
accused was already out on bail;

Couldn’t the McGuinty government resolve to, at the very least, track
and publicly release information on how many bail and sentencing deals
are taking place in our province?

Couldn’t the government also share comprehensive statistics on how many
people charged with violent offences are already out on bail?

Unfortunately the McGuinty Liberal majority was ordered to vote this
resolution down.

It mystifies me why. I don’t believe any of these requests are
impractical or out of line. Government already has the resources to
track these incidents; I would argue they have a responsibility to give
the public some peace of mind that the system is working as well as it
should.

As things stand, we have reason to be concerned. Over the past year we
have read stories about “catch and release” justice, where individuals
were released on bail or court orders, only to be charged with further
serious crimes.

Of the 46 individuals accused of homicides in Toronto as of late
November, a full 70% were already out on bail, probation or court order
– and 14 of those were under multiple court orders.

Worse, the problem does not seem to be getting better.

Sad anniversary

Boxing Day marked the first anniversary of the tragic shooting of Jane
Creba, who was killed in downtown Toronto while shopping with her
family.

This senseless crime shocked the entire nation.

Now we have the further shock of knowing three of the individuals
charged in connection with her shooting are themselves out on bail.

The media have rightly committed considerable resources to ensuring
these outrageous stories come to the public’s attention. Our caucus also
continues to raise this issue every chance we get.

But the fact is there remains far too much we still don’t know about our
own justice system. And the McGuinty government appears unwilling to
even try to find out.

I concede that more transparency, on its own, will not solve the
problems.

That’s why our call for more accountability is part of a much larger
action plan proposed by our caucus last year.

It includes hiring more police officers, cracking down on bail and
sentencing deals, and providing more programs for at-risk families and
youth.

I will concede that in recent weeks, Premier McGuinty has undertaken
some positive first steps on this file.

Most importantly, he backing the federal government in demanding
“reverse onus” bail for crimes involving guns, as well as finally
allocating some funds for community programs, albeit 10 months after he
said he would.

But we must not content ourselves with doing “too little too late,” nor
with the appearance of action when we still have no transparency or
accountability to help us understand whether current measures are
working.

The New Years Resolution that I am calling for Dalton McGuinty to make
does not involve interfering with the judicial process or singling out
judges.

It is about giving people faith that their justice system is working in
the interest of public safety.

It is about resolving, in this New Year, to put the principles of
accountability and public safety above all else.

That, to me, is a New Years Resolution worth keeping.

The Second Amendment IS Homeland Security !