20110405/惜平民拘捕法未及通过 康尼责自由党拖延累事

明报/联邦选战开打之后,在各个党派纷纷推出的多项议题中,因金牛城超市东主陈旺捉小偷而最终演变成的刑事法修正案提案,昨日成为保守党和新民主党不约而同选取的主题。不过,议题虽然是同一个,但藉以打击的目标却不同。

保守党指责自由党拖延提案讨论,令修正案不能在现任政府倒台之前通过;而新民主党则将矛头对准保守党,称修正案不能通过的罪魁祸首是保守党。

联邦新民主党的华人国会议员邹至蕙表示,“虽然我们一再努力,但这个草案最后获准提交国会讨论的时间还是太晚了。且保守党政府不同意将草案一分为二,让相对比较简单的允许商店业主在合理时间内逮捕疑犯的部分通过,最终令提案功败垂成,只能留待新的国会成立后再争取了。”

保守党大选政纲没提修正案

但最令邹至蕙及新民主党人感到失望的是,联邦自由党为此次大选而提出的政纲中,没有提及这项修正案。

“我们会继续支持对刑事法的修改,在新的国会成立之后继续提出草案,以保护市民的权益。而且我们还是采取一分为二的做法,将相对简单的可于案发后‘合理时间内’,同时警察未能及时到场的情况之下,可自行逮捕贼人”部分通过,令市民尽早得益。”

NDP续支持草案一分为二

邹至蕙还表示,新民主党希望帮助小生意业主,因为他们的繁荣会带来更多的就业机会。“许多新移民来到加国创业时,也是以经营小生意而迈出在加国的第一步。因此我们要对小生意业主提供减税,将现有的11%的税率减到9%。”

借助《平民拘捕及自卫法案》的还有联邦保守党。昨日中午,身为卡加利东选区候选人康尼前往位于密市南选区,为在当地参选的保守党候选人安珀拉(Stella Ambler)站台持,同时指责自由党采取拖延战术,令市民期盼已久的草案最终还是不能通过。

“像陈旺这样的小业主,一年之中会因为偷盗者的反覆侵扰,损失7万多元。这些小业主的经营利润都很低,每一分钱都要靠业主和员工的勤奋劳动才获得,而那些惯犯却无耻地偷走市民的血汗钱。”

康尼指出,当遵纪守法的业主向警方求助时,警察往往是姗姗来迟,这令业主们感到很不满。当他们想自行捉小偷时,却又面临触犯法律的风险。如果刑事法能够获得修改,小业主们就可以运用“合理的强力”去保护自己的财物。

“这也是向那些惯犯们发出一个信息,这些罪犯绝不可以再肆无忌惮地偷窃他人的财物。”

但康尼话锋一转,称国会辩论时保守党只派出2名议员讨论草案,但自由党却派出20多人,令讨论拖延直至本届国会解散,令法案无法及时通过。

康尼抨击自由党政纲 未提“金牛城法案”

星岛日报/联邦移民部长康尼抨击自由党刚刚出炉的政纲是一个“高支出、高税收、消灭就业机会”的错误政策。且自由党政纲中对华裔选民及工商界关心的“金牛城法案”则只字未提。

对于近期民调各党支持率有所变化,康尼指在未来一个月内,民调数字会上下变化实属正常。他们期望一个关注于经济的稳定多数政府,而不期望充满危机与风险的不稳定的联合政府。

康尼将自由党的政纲定性为“高税收、高支出、消灭就业机会”的错误政策。他指自由党提出花费80亿元的所谓照顾家庭计划,但保守党在两周前提交的预算案中包含了诸如为长者或病人家庭护理提供免税额度、减轻低收入老人及老年金福利者的税务负担等政策,这些政策遭自由党连同预算案一概否定,不知如何解释。至于增加企业的税收,康尼指这无疑将打击工商企业扩大规模的积极性,窒息企业难以增加就业机会,甚至进一步解雇员工。

康尼更指保守党在选前尽力推动的旨在保护工商业者财产权利的“金牛城法案”,在上届国会中获新民主党支持,不过就遭自由党反对。该法案原已进入国会专门委员会的辩论,只差在国会通过、经参议院批准即成为法律,惜现时因自由党发动大选而被迫中断。保守党在其竞选政纲中仍向选民保证在下届国会中优先处理这一法案。而自由党在其刚刚公布的竞选政纲中,就对该法案只字未提。

Statement from Conservative Campaign Spokesman Alykhan Velshi:

Ottawa – “By provoking an unnecessary and opportunistic election, Michael Ignatieff and his coalition with the Bloc Québécois and NDP prevented the Lucky Moose Bill (Citizens’ Arrest and Self-Defence Act) from becoming law. The Citizens’ Arrest and Self-Defence Act would have strengthened the ability of small businesses and shop owners to protect their property by arresting shoplifters.

“During debate, the Conservatives only put up two speakers to try and get the bill to committee, the Opposition Coalition put up 23 speakers which forced another 3 and a half days of debate and stalled it going to committee. They deliberately set out to delay the bill.

“When it became clear that the Ignatieff Liberals were determined to provoke an unnecessary election, Conservatives tried to fast-track the bill and make it law. Michael Ignatieff opposed these efforts. In fact, Michael Ignatieff and his coalition allies delayed the debate until after they forced an election.

The only way to get a Lucky Moose Bill passed is to elect Conservatives who will protect law abiding citizens. Unless Canadians elect a stable, national majority government, Michael Ignatieff will form a coalition with the NDP and Bloc Québécois and prevent a Lucky Moose Bill from becoming law.

Alykhan Velshi

Conservative Campaign Communications”

Tories attack Liberals on citizen’s arrest law

By TOM GODFREY TORONTO SUN

Last Updated: April 4, 2011 6:43pm

Jason Kenney says Chinese Canadians are being ignored by the Liberals who refuse to support a so-called Lucky Moose law.

A fiery Kenney, who serves as immigration minister, said passage of Bill C-60 will be a top priority for the Conservatives if they are returned to power.

“We will ensure this bill is fast-tracked,” Kenney said on Tuesday in Mississauga. “This is a priority for us.”

Kenney said the proposal will give store keepers more flexibility to perform citizen arrests since it can take time for police to show up.

The bill stems from Chinatown’s Lucky Moose Food Mart owner David Chen, who was charged after making a citizen’s arrest when a serial shoplifter tried to steal from his store in May 2009.

The matter was first introduced as a private member’s bill by NDP MP Olivia Chow last fall.

“Store owners in the GTA lose millons of dollars to serial thieves,” Kenney said. “Many of these small businessmen are new to Canada and they work very long hours.”

He was at the Hurontario St., headquarters of Conservative candidate Stella Ambler, who’s running in Mississauga South.

Kenney also accused Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff of stalling the passage of laws to stop alien smuggling, bogus immigration consultants and marriages.

The tough-on-crime Conservatives have attacked Ignatieff “and his coalition” for opposing Bill C-49 that aims to crack down on human trafficking.