Question - Crime - February 6, 2008

Mr. Mervin Tweed (Brandon—Souris, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has never really been serious about getting tough on crime.

While the list of Canadians demanding speedy passage of the tackling violent crime act continues to grow, the Liberal leader is content to sit on his hands. His refusal to urge his Liberal senators to expedite the passage of the bill is a clear indication that fighting crime and protecting Canadians is not a priority for the Liberal leader.

In the absence of Liberal leadership, can the justice minister inform the House what he will do to get the Senate to move quickly on this very important bill?

Hon. Rob Nicholson (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for that timely question.

   As a matter of fact, I will be appearing before the Senate this afternoon and I will do something that the Leader of the Opposition is unable or refuses to do, which is to ask the Senate to expedite the passage of the tackling violent crime act.

  If the Liberals will not listen to me or their friends at Queen's Park, maybe they will listen to some other groups like the Canadian Crime Victims Foundation, MADD Canada, the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness. They are all calling upon the Senate to do the right thing, expedite passage of Bill C-2. Canadians deserve no less.