Canada.com reports that Federal Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day finds himself in hot water with Hugh Stansfield, Chief Judge of the B.C. Provincial Court, over Day's recent online criticism of the British Columbia criminal courts:
In an online commentary to his constituents last week, Day (Okanagan-Coquihalla) blasted B.C. judges for handing out short jail sentences, particularly for repeat offenders.
"Especially in some courts in the Lower Mainland, there seems to be a trend, if not a rule, that the more crimes you get busted for, the less jail time you get hit with," Day wrote.He said unnamed police chiefs have complained to him that many offenders have been convicted "up to 70, 80 or even 90 times!"
"Judges seem to give these prolific law-breakers shorter sentences as they continue to get busted for their car thefts, home invasions, b-and-e's etc."
Stansfield wouldn't let Day's criticisms go without a stinging response, calling Day's comments "melodramatic," "simplistic" and "misleading."
"If Mr. Day wants to come out and spend some time with me and learn how the systems works, I'd be delighted to do that," Stansfield said yesterday. "But I find his comments unhelpful and misleading."
- Garry J. Wise, Toronto
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