P.M. promises tough sentences for predators

(Update)

Tougher penalties for child predators. That’s the name of the act the Conservative government plans to introduce when Parliament resumes in the fall.

The Prime Minister made the announcement in Toronto Thursday.  Lisa Hepfner has the details.

Harper said he was sad to have to make the announcement but that the measures are necessary because child porn offenses have risen dramatically, almost half involve four or more charges and children represent more than half of all reported sex assaults in Canada.

He says his new law will protect children.

“Sadly, there are truly evil people out there. We don’t understand them and we don’t care to. We understand only that they must be dealt with.”

His new measures include requiring child sex crime sentences to be served consecutively. One after another, not at the same time. Especially when there are multiple victims.

Also, increased maximum and minimum penalties and spouses of a person charged with child pornography may have to testify in court.

Lianna McDonald from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection says longer sentences keep offenders from re-offending, as is often the case in child sex cases.

“We also know one individual might have multiple victims. The sentence has not adequately reflected the number of those victims so … for some victims, it may not seem like what happened to them really mattered.”

The Prime Minister says for too long, Canada’s criminal justice system has catered to criminals.

“We all remember Gordon Stuckless, the man at the centre of the Maple Leaf Gardens abuse scandal. He pled guilty to molesting 24 boys over 20 years.”

“He was paroled in 2001 after serving 3 years of his sentence. Three years, for 20 very serious offenses.”

“Of course the victims have to cope for the rest of their lives with what such people have done to them.”