EDITORIAL: Poilievre must restore faith in justice system

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To no one’s surprise, the man accused of shooting Toronto Police officer Tade Davoudi on Wednesday during a robbery investigation — thankfully he’s going to be OK — was out on bail at the time, charged with numerous criminal offences.

It will be up to the courts to determine the guilt or innocence of 21-year-old Tibor Orgona on all of these charges.

That said, the dangers to the public and police caused by Canada’s catch-and-release criminal justice system go far beyond any one case and continue to erode the faith of Canadians in their justice system.

In that context, the lamentations of some Trudeau cabinet ministers that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre violated the Charter rights of the accused, in this case by referring to him as a “dirtbag” in Parliament, is a sideshow to restoring this faith.

It’s also important to understand the expected election of a strong Conservative majority government the next time Canadians go to the polls will only be a necessary first step.

What the Poilievre government will be facing at that time is the result of a five-decade-old philosophy now firmly embedded at every level of Canada’s justice system, which has brought us not only easy bail, but soft sentencing and early parole that makes a mockery of sentences announced by judges in court.

Its origins can be traced back to Oct. 7, 1971, when Canada’s then-solicitor general, Jean-Pierre Goyer, representing the government of Pierre Trudeau, rose in Parliament to announce a new approach for dealing with criminals.

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“For too long a time now, our punishment-oriented society has cultivated the state of mind that demands that offenders, whatever their age and whatever the offence, be placed behind bars,” Goyer said.

“Consequently, we have decided from now on, to stress the rehabilitation of individuals rather than the protection of society … Our reforms will perhaps be criticized for being too liberal or for omitting to protect society against dangerous criminals. Indeed, this new rehabilitation policy will probably demand much striving and involve some risks …”

Righting the scales of justice to restore other valid principles of sentencing, including denouncing unlawful conduct, deterrence and the protection of society, will be no easy task for a new Conservative government, but an absolutely vital one.