With exactly one month until election day, the Conservative Party of Canada is bringing their campaign to Vancouver Island.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre held a press conference in Nanaimo where he discussed his party’s plan to come down harder on criminals in Canada.
Poilievre says he plans to introduce life sentences for those convicted of five or more counts of human trafficking, importing or exporting ten or more illegal firearms and fentanyl trafficking.
On this topic, he was critical of the Liberal government’s policies.
“For too long, radical Liberals have let crime spiral out of control. They have weakened our criminal laws with ‘catch and release’ policies and made our streets and communities more dangerous,” said Poilievre.
“The choice for Canadians is clear: A fourth Liberal term while dangerous predators and vile monsters continue to walk free, or a strong, new Conservative government that will put Canada First – for a change – by locking up those who commit the very worst crimes for life.”
Poilievre was also critical of Bill C-75, which received royal assent in 2019.
This bill amended the Criminal Code and the Youth Justice Act in order to modernize bail, better respond to inmate partner justice, set new standards for human trafficking offences and remove unconstitutional provisions from the criminal code.
Part of the unconstitutional provisions that were removed dealt with criminalizing abortion, anal sex and vagrancy, meaning criminalizing unhoused persons simply for being unhoused.
Poilievre is against Bill C-75, saying it weakened bail, putting repeat offenders back on the streets faster.
Following his stop in Nanaimo, Poilievre moved on to Campbell River and Parksville for photo ops, then he will be leaving the island for his next campaign stop in Winnipeg.
