New “Tougher” Criminal Laws Now In Effect

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Posted By: Lawrence Gridin July 2, 2008

It appears that law students are going to have to buy an updated Criminal Code for next year.

The Harper Conservatives’ new “get tough on crime” legislation comes into full force today.

The Tackling Violent Crime Act creates a number of amendments to the Criminal Code and associated statutes.

Among the highlights of the changes are:

  • stiff mandatory minimum sentences for serious gun crimes.
  • stronger Peace Bond (similar to a restraining order) provisions.
  • tougher penalties and more police enforcement mechanisms for drunk/high driving
  • an increase in the age of consent from 14 to 16 years.

I personally have a lot of problems with this new legislation. Over the next few days, as time permits, I’ll be posting some criticisms of the Tories’ so-called “tough on crime” policies and I’ll be discussing how they create greater injustice in the criminal system.

About the Author

Lawrence Gridin
Lawrence Gridin is currently a law student at the University of Western Ontario, graduating in the class of 2010. He completed his Bachelor of Science at the University of Toronto, majoring in Psychology and History. Lawrence volunteers at Western's Community Legal Services and has participated in the clinic's outreach program. His diverse interests include social justice, 20th century history, photography, boxing, and politics.