New Democrats push to stop Homolka pardon

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Sun, 2010-06-20 19:19

Fidel

No Yards wrote:

So, how would this bill prevent Homolka from receiving a pardon ... assuming she were applying for one in the first place?

How did anyone know Grahame James would apply for a pardon... and then receive one in 2007? Bill C-23 does include legislation to block a pardon for KH. The only problem is, it's Tories and Liberals in coalition government. They are notorious for foot-dragging and not getting anything done. Bill C-23 would never be passed and enacted before KH possibly applies for a pardon.

No Yards wrote:
Remember now, if she were to ask for a pardon at all it would be asking for a pardon for manslaughter, and not the heinous crime of sadistic murder.

This is true, it might even be more likely for her to receive a pardon for the lesser charge of manslaughter, even though videotaped evidence produced after the trial showed KH to have been more an active participant in the sadistic murders than she revealed previously.

Sun, 2010-06-20 19:34

#103

No Yards

So, then forget KH, how would this bill prevent people convicted of sexual assault from receiving a pardon after serving their sentence?

Sun, 2010-06-20 19:46

#104

No Yards

Fine, then let's get back to KH if you wish ... how does this bill address her, or people like her?

And I don't need to known about foot-dragging and how minority governments work, I just want to know how this specific bill addresses the KH situation.

Sun, 2010-06-20 19:46

#105

Fidel

How can we forget KH when this NDP bill proposal is meant specifically for her?

Eventually, C-23 will be passed in some form or another, but not before the two old line parties drag things out as much as possible before achieving anything substantial. And the reason they drag their feet as much as possible is because they don't want Canadians thinking minority governments can work, and especially, and especially not by being seen to cooperate with the NDP proposing this most reasonable bill. Both Liberals and Tories would prefer dictatorial rule that comes with the much coveted phony majority. Our deux do-nothing old line parties don't want Canadians expecting very much from them regardless. Remember, the idea is to project an air of powerlessness in Ottawa. They are trying their darndest to appear politically impotent, and the NDP doesn't worship with the old line party cult of impotence.

Sun, 2010-06-20 19:48

#106

Fidel

Pardon who?

Sun, 2010-06-20 19:58

#107

No Yards

Should I take that as an "I don't know", or an "I don't want to say because it's not in my interest to do so"?

Sun, 2010-06-20 20:01

#108

Stargazer

This bill has absolutely nothing to do with Karla Homolka, since she has never, you know, actually appiled for a pardon.

Read unionists summary above. It was spot on. This is about the "tough on crime" freaks needing a big old pacifier. Thus the bogus facebook group and now the NDP trying desperately to latch on to whatever they can. This one was easy, since there was no real reason behind it except getting the votes of a few whack jobs who don't care enough to do their own research. The same people who will never vote NDP anyways.

Hell, we should just ask for Liberal/NDP merger since apparently this is a goof thing for some NDP supporters. Wouldn't want to appear rational or anything. Best to play on people's fears, concoct silly stories about "sadistic murderers" and be done with it.

Sun, 2010-06-20 20:08

#109

Fidel

Don't worry. Because professional do-nothings in the ReformaTory-Liberal alliance will resist any and all attempts by the NDP to push and prod them into doing their jobs. They will continue projecting impotence from the halls of powerlessness in Ottawa. Apparently it's the way some of us prefer things to be.

Sun, 2010-06-20 20:21

#110

No Yards

But the bill might have something to do with "people like KH" ... just like the three strikes laws in the US had something to do with hardened violent felons, or like how capital punishment had something to do with remorseless murderers.

Surely nothing could go wrong with that kind of law making?

Sun, 2010-06-20 20:25

#111

Fidel

FREE Karla Homolka!!

She's served her time.

What's the big deal?

Anyway?

Don't worry. Your elected do-nothings in the two old line parties will do nothing as usual. It's what they do well.

Sun, 2010-06-20 20:28

#112

Cueball

She is free. Unfortunately it seems that the powers that be felt the need to plead her down to a lesser charge in order to get a star witness for the Bernardo trial. That issue has nothing to do with the proccess of "pardons" and everything to do with the adminstration of the criminal prosecution system, as it stands today. I should think you would be better served by looking at that issue, as opposed to harping on about done deals.

Sun, 2010-06-20 20:43

#113

Fidel

Okay then, let's absolve KH of any wrong doing in the sadistic rapes and murders. They happened long ago, and no one should be made to suffer the indignation of having been convicted of so much as manslaughter. She's paid her dues as much as any check forger or thief who's done their time.

Impotence. It's of the self-imposed variety when it comes to our Neoliberal stooges in Ottawa.

Sun, 2010-06-20 20:53

#114

Cueball

Mind you, I do kind of sympathize with the crown, since getting this murderous couple off the street was the most important issue at the time in order to prevent them doing further harm. Allowing Bernardo to flee would have been seriously irresponsible. Likewise undermining the plea bargain system by failing to abide by the deal would have seriously hampered the entire system, since the other criminals would know that the crown could not be trusted to follow through on a deal, and would follow ad hoc procedures, on a case by case basis.

Overall, and so far, the chief aim, protecting the public seems to have be achieved. Whether or not Homolka gets a pardon or not seems irrelevant to that. And the principle of putting ad hoc legal remedies into law justified by "special cases" further undermines the legal system on exactly the same grounds as that of reneging on the original plea.

Indeed, this bill is an attack on the integrity of the legal system as a whole, because it means that parliament feels free to change the rules at will, retroactively in order to further punish persons just because it wants to. First and foremost any legal system must be seen to abide by its own rules. Not change them up at will to suit its own interests.

The main aim is protecting the public from further harm, not punishing the guilty. Please explain to me how making it impossible for Homolka to apply for a pardon she would never receive further protects the public from harm?

Sun, 2010-06-20 20:53

#115

Catchfire

Closing for length.

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