Holland: Harper Cons need ideological upgrade from Newt Gingrich on prisons

Mark Holland as Liberal Public Safety Critic questions the government on their dangerous mega-prison policies.

Transcript:

Mark Holland (Ajax—Pickering, Lib.): Monsieur le Président, la stratégie des mégaprisons a presque ruiné la Californie. C'est une stratégie qui vole l'argent de la santé, de l'éducation, de l'infrastructure. C'est une stratégie qui fait des prisons des usines de criminels.

Si le père de cette stratégie, l'ultra-républicain Newt Gringrich, comprend aujourd'hui que ces politiques sont désastreuses, pourquoi le premier ministre ne peut-il pas le comprendre aussi?

Pourquoi le premier ministre a-t-il une position plus extrême que Newt Gringrich?

[TRANSLATION: Mr. Speaker, the megaprison strategy almost ruined California. Such a strategy steals money from health care, education and infrastructure. It makes prisons into criminal factories.

If the father of this strategy, ultra-Republican Newt Gingrich, now understands the disastrous consequences of such policies, why can the Prime Minister not understand them as well? Why is the Prime Minister taking a more extreme position than Newt Gingrich?]

Vic Toews (Minister of Public Safety, CPC): Mr. Speaker, yesterday the member for Ajax—Pickering toured a correctional institution, and what was he concerned about? It was not offender accountability nor the health and safety of our correctional guards. No, the Liberal public safety critic was concerned about low morale among prisoners. They were concerned about our tough on crime policy. Why will that member not express the same concern for victims that he does for prisoners?

Mark Holland (Ajax—Pickering, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, unlike that minister, I go to the prison. I take a look at the programs. I see what works and I know that the focus has to be rehabilitation.

The fact of the matter is that this party is now to the right of Newt Gingrich. Newt Gingrich has to moderate the Prime Minister. It is time the Conservative Party of Canada upgrades its ideology.

While the churches across Canada, the Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran, United and every other church says that these policies are wrong and will not work, the Conservatives forge forward. Why? Why are they bent on trying to repeat the disaster of California?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• PrisonPolicy
• 01Feb2011