After nine years of Justin Trudeau, Canadians have never felt less safe. Violent crime has increased by 39 percent since the Liberals formed government in 2015. Despite this, Trudeau’s Justice Minister, Arif Virani, still refuses to take accountability for his role in creating this crime wave by introducing catch-and-release laws Bill C-5 and Bill C-75, even though he admitted that crime has skyrocketed under his watch.
Minister Virani also refused to acknowledge the severity of the Liberal’s crime wave, dodging questions from Conservatives on urgent topics like gun crimes and auto theft. The truth is that violent gun crimes are up 101% over the last nine years, going up every year since the Liberals took office. The Justice Minister’s hometown of Toronto has seen a 300% increase in the number of vehicles stolen since he was elected in 2015.
On top of this, the Justice Minister refused to answer questions from Conservatives about repealing the Liberals’ catch-and-release policies for repeat, violent criminals that have contributed to a wave of violent crime in Canada. Through Bill C-5, the Liberal Government has made life easier for criminals by repealing mandatory jail time for violent crimes like robbery with a firearm and extortion with a firearm.
The Liberal’s Bill C-75 has also made it easier for repeat offenders to be released on bail within hours of their arrest. Police in Victoria, B.C. recently arrested the same man for stealing cars three days in a row. Victoria Police pointed to Bill C-75 to explain to their community why this repeat offender was let out day after day.
The Justice Minister was faced with these facts at Committee of the Whole on Thursday night, but instead of taking responsibility for the consequences of his catch-and-release legislation, he tried to shift blame to police and even to the judges who are bound to prioritize releasing even violent and repeat offenders on bail because that’s what the Liberals' Bill C-75 has instructed them to do.
Minister Virani made it clear in the House of Commons on Thursday that he has no intention of reversing his soft-on-crime laws to make Canadians safer in their own communities. Instead, he is doubling down on the Liberals' failed justice policies.
Only Common Sense Conservatives will bring home safe streets by repealing Trudeau’s catch-and-release laws, putting repeat violent offenders behind bars, and investing in securing our ports and borders, rather than spending millions of taxpayer dollars to confiscate hunting rifles from law-abiding Canadians.