- “California Quail #1,” by Anne Hansen (72″ x 18″)
Prime Minister Harper:
Re: “He who opens a school door closes a prison.” — Victor Hugo
I have just attended a public forum on your proposed crime legislation organized by Denise Savoie, my member of parliament, and her staff.
As a voter and taxpayer, I am deeply offended that your government is attacking the integrity of the Elizabeth Fry Society and others in the helping professions who have expressed concerns about Bill C-10.
Your mandate is to destroy the ingredients that prevent crime. These include universal daycare, early childhood education, libraries, employment skills development, employment insurance, pensions, affordable housing, legal aid, public parks, and cultural programs for the arts and music.
Bill C-10 would represent a huge theft of taxpayer resources from the above necessities for Canadians.
Canada is particularly shamed by its over-representation of First Nations people in our prisons (and absence of white-collar criminals).
If high incarceration rates are good for public safety, then the USA ought to be the safest place in the world.
Please explain why you would lock up even more people who would otherwise thrive, if not deprived of the social programs you are destroying.
Yours truly
Anne Hansen, Victoria, BC
