Battle over Harper’s prisons agenda, registry data far from over: Turmel

OTTAWA–NDP leader Nycole Turmel met with Premier Jean Charest today to discuss how they will continue to work together to keep families safe and to fight Stephen Harper’s out-of-touch prisons agenda and the destruction of gun registry data — both of which have growing opposition all across the country.

“If the registry database is destroyed, there will no longer be any way to know who possesses a semi-automatic like the Ruger Mini-14 used by Marc Lépine at the Polytechnique,” Turmel said after the meeting. “How is this supposed to protect Quebec families? How does this help protect women who are all too often the victims of gun crime?”

Harper’s misguided prisons agenda was a key theme in the talks between Turmel and Charest. Turmel said that with increasing opposition across Canada, her party would continue to work with Quebec and the other provinces to prevent the Conservatives from sabotaging ten years of work on public safety.

Quebec opposes the downloading of costs of Harper’s prisons agenda, and wants to preserve the data contained in the gun registry—which has already been paid for by taxpayers and deemed vital by police chiefs.

“The Conservatives are ignoring the demands of Quebec families. This is unacceptable,” said Turmel. “New Democrats believe that provinces and police chiefs should have access to vital data, like where high-powered assault rifles are being kept. The battle has just begun in Parliament and across Canada over Harper’s prisons agenda and registry bonfire.”

Turmel said that only New Democrats are mobilizing opposition to Harper’s reckless and expensive approach to crime across the country. The meeting with Charest comes days after a rousing speech to thousands of CUPE delegates in British Columbia, where Turmel committed to continue giving provinces, police chiefs and victims of crime a voice in Parliament.

“We have to address the very legitimate concerns of rural and aboriginal Canadians,” insisted Turmel. “But not at the expense of the victims of crime across Canada. The Harper Conservatives are ignoring their voices.”