(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Canadian adults are in favour of enacting two measures proposed by their federal government to curb crime, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. More than 90 per cent of respondents support ensuring mandatory minimum prison sentences for serious drug-crimes, such as drive-by shootings, and making any gang-related homicide a first-degree murder charge.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Canadian adults are in favour of enacting two measures proposed by their federal government to curb crime, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. More than 90 per cent of respondents support ensuring mandatory minimum prison sentences for serious drug-crimes, such as drive-by shootings, and making any gang-related homicide a first-degree murder charge.
In addition, at least two-thirds of respondents support three other ideas recently outlined by British Columbia attorney general Wally Oppal: loosening the evidence disclosure law to allow for a speedy prosecution of gang members, eliminating the sentencing provision that grants offenders two days credit for every one day spent in custody awaiting trial, and allowing law enforcement officials to have wiretap access to intercept cell phone conversations and other wireless communications.
Last month, Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper visited British Columbia’s Lower Mainland—the site of more than 20 gang-related shootings over the past two months—and called for new regulations, adding, "The truth of the matter is, those who say that tougher penalties on perpetrators will not work, don’t want them to work because they don’t believe in this kind of approach. Part of the difficulty we have in Ottawa is we are dealing with, you know, 30 to 40 years of criminal-justice policy that has been going in the wrong direction."
Polling Data
Do you support or oppose each of these measures to deal with crime? ("Strongly support" and "Moderately support" listed)
|
Ensuring mandatory minimum prison sentences for serious drug-crimes, such as drive-by shootings |
94% |
|
Making any gang-related homicide a first-degree murder charge |
93% |
|
Loosening the evidence disclosure law to allow for a speedy prosecution of gang members |
81% |
|
Eliminating the sentencing provision that grants offenders two days credit for every one day spent in custody awaiting trial |
76% |
|
Allowing law enforcement officials to have wiretap access to intercept cell phone conversations and other wireless communications |
68% |
Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,020 Canadian adults, conducted on Feb. 26 and Feb. 27, 2009. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
Complete Poll (PDF)
