Press Release
For Immediate Release
MONTREAL / March 2nd 2012 / As debates on Bill C-10 (the “Omnibus Crime Bill”), draw to a close in Canada’s Senate, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) calls upon members of the student body to oppose the Bill. If passed, the proposed legislation would see Canada’s prison population expand dramatically, requiring the expansion of prisons and costing taxpayers millions. The governments of Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland have voiced their opposition to paying the provincial costs of the Bill ($600 million in Quebec alone).
“Bill C-10 introduces harsher sentences for adults convicted of crimes and mandatory minimums for young offenders. Students, lawyers, civil society, and concerned citizens across Canada, and even Texan judges, oppose this bill,” states Joël Pedneault, SSMU Vice-President External.
“Evidence suggests harsher sentences are not effective deterrents to crime, and can actually increase crime by further removing offenders from society. Over 95% of offenders return to our communities, so we must use better ways to work towards more justice and less crime,” says Maggie Knight, SSMU President. “The evidence says that this legislation will not make Canada safer or protect victims. Bill C-10 is an incredibly expensive leap in the wrong direction.”
The SSMU Legislative Council passed a motion last night denouncing Bill C-10, and calls on its members and all concerned citizens to contact their Canadian Senators in order to voice opposition to the proposed legislation. Contact information for Senators is available here: http://bit.ly/xr6mHy.
For media inquiries:
Joël Pedneault, SSMU Vice President External, 514-398-6798
