07.18.2011 09:32 AM

In this morning’s Star: Hudak’s plan to put prisoners in your neighbourhood (updated)

A Liberal government analysis showing Ontario jails incarcerate hundreds of dangerous criminals is poking holes in Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak’s pledge to release provincial inmates into chain gangs.

Documents obtained by the Star reveal that as of May 31, there were 2,885 sentenced inmates in Ontario institutions.

Of these, 16 prisoners were convicted of homicide-related offices – such as accessory to murder – 101 of serious violent offences, 79 of sex crimes, and 411 of assault.

While most such offenders do their time in federal penitentiaries, Ontario jails house their share of hardcore convicts.

“Tim Hudak is duping Ontarians by telling them his plan to put prisoners into the community poses no public safety risk,” Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Jim Bradley said in an email Sunday.

“He hasn’t done his research and, as a result, is proposing a plan that risks endangering Ontario families in their own communities.”

UPDATE: This story is already having an impact.  A contact has told me that the scheduled PC event for today – at the Toronto East Detention Centre – has been scrapped, and hurriedly relocated to the safer confines Ontario PC caucus room.  Something tells me that the Hudak Cons are starting to realize that the centrepiece of their platform – namely, to put hardened criminals in Ontario neighbourhoods – maybe wasn’t such a good idea after all.

3 Comments

  1. Cath says:

    You’re definitely doing your fair share for the environment. Well two out of three at least. You’re reusing and recycling but you’re not reducing an attempt to get this to take hold on these fine Ontario summer days:-)

    At the very least I hope your on a dock somewhere with your laptop and not sweltering in the Big Smoke.

    How many, but the die-hard political ham-bones are hanging on politics this summer? I’m thinking people are so tired and fed-up with not just politics but having two elections in the same year, that no politician is safe in October.

    Ok, seriously I’m into a good book and after the 4am thunderstorm we had the breeze coming off of Lake Huron is too good to waste.

  2. ASME says:

    This only proves this present government’s thinking is out of the1930’s. It isn’t difficult to wonder why Canada is not progressing into the 21st Century.

  3. Leroy says:

    It scares me that Tim Hudak would announce this chain-gang policy without checking his facts. This makes me wonder about everything else he says.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *