Ottawa

Stephen Harper laments Stephen Harper’s soft-on-crime attitude

The Prime Minister marks national crime victims week with reference to Graham James.

The government is planning to introduce new legislation this year to toughen the pardon system, in reaction to revelations earlier this month that sex offender Graham James, the disgraced former hockey coach, received a pardon three years ago.

“Even though he ruined the lives of boys that just wanted to play hockey, he can travel without having to admit his criminal record,” Mr. Harper said. “That, my friends, is how the laws have been written over the past few decades, written when soft-on-crime attitudes were fashionable and concern for criminals took priority over compassion for victims.”

Mr. Harper did not mention that his government reviewed the system for sex-offender pardons in 2006 and opted for minor administrative tinkering rather than changing legislation to make it harder or even impossible for people like James to be pardoned.

More, previously, here.

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