(Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Crime and punishment

Council considers request to support abolition of mandatory minimum sentences

Apr 23, 2021 | 5:07 PM

A call to support the abolition of mandatory minimum sentences generated some discussion at the most recent Prince Albert city council meeting.

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, a national Indigenous organization, wrote to council to request the city’s politicians pass a motion to formally endorse the end of certain mandatory minimum sentences under Bill C-22.

The proposed legislation, aimed at addressing the over-incarceration of Indigenous and Black people in Canada, was introduced by the federal Liberals in February. It will repeal mandatory minimum sentences for drug offences and some gun-related crimes and require police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures for cases of simple possession of drugs, such as diversion to addiction-treatment programs.

The government noted that the proportion of Indigenous offenders admitted with an offence punishable by a mandatory minimum penalty has almost doubled between 2007-2008 and 2016-2017, from 14% to 26%.

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples also asked the city’s politicians to direct police to pursue alternatives to arrest and incarceration where possible.

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Council stopped short of meeting any of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples requests on Monday night, but voted to forward correspondence to the Police Board of Commissioners, along with the mayor’s next regular meeting with Prince Albert Grand Council.

Councillor Tony Head was among those who backed the decision. He expressed interest in seeing more discussion on the topic.

“As long as we have more dialogue moving forward on it, I’m in favour of that,” he said.

Other members of council were more hesitant.

Coun. Blake Edwards said he didn’t support Bill C-22.

“I believe that minimum sentences, particularly for the drug offences they talk about under the bill are necessary,” he said, adding that in the case of trafficking, sentences should perhaps even be increased.

“Because selling the substances into our community these days is destroying communities across Canada,” he continued.

Meanwhile, Mayor Greg Dionne said he didn’t want to wade into a federal matter.

“As a municipal council I don’t think we should be getting involved in this issue,” he said.

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alison.sandstrom@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @alisandstrom