Canada’s justice minister says the federal government is considering options to increase penalties for car theft after holding a national summit on the issue.
In an interview aired on Sunday rosemary burton liveVirani said solving the problem of increasing car theft is a priority for the government.
“One of the main aspects of criminal law is to act as a deterrent to criminal behavior. We understand that and how we can improve the tools of criminal law to emphasize its deterrent effect. We need to understand,” he told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton. .
“I’m digging deep into that bill,” he said.
“People have also told me they are looking at the possibility of increasing the maximum fines and cases where weapons are involved. These are all factors that I am looking at very closely. is.”
The federal government says an estimated 90,000 cars are stolen in Canada each year, resulting in approximately $1 billion in losses for Canadian policyholders and taxpayers.
The issue is now a major political issue, with the government holding a national summit this week and the Conservative Party proposing its own solution to the issue.
Just before the summit, Conservative leader Pierre Poièvre proposed a series of legal changes to toughen penalties for car theft, including tighter controls and tougher penalties for repeat offenders.
Justice Minister Arif Virani said he is considering a series of tougher penalties to crack down on the growing problem of car theft.
“Canadians don’t need another summit. We need a common sense plan to stop theft and end crime,” he said Monday.
Virani, who spoke to Burton, pointed out that there is a mandatory minimum penalty for auto theft, and a conviction for a third offense carries a minimum sentence of six months in prison. There is also a maximum penalty for summary conviction motor vehicle theft, which the government increased from 18 months to two years in 2019.
Virani says changes could help tackle organized crime
Law enforcement and other authorities have identified organized crime as a major driver of auto theft, establishing an organized system of theft and export through key hubs such as the Port of Montreal.
Over the past week, law enforcement officials have described a system in which some people, many of them minors, are recruited to identify and steal vehicles before they are transported outside Canada.
“This is a cat-and-mouse game. These are sophisticated international organized crime groups that are constantly trying to stay one step ahead of manufacturers by investing in technology that effectively penetrates security systems.” Director Brian Kingston said. The Automobile Manufacturers Association told CBC Radio. the house.
“Everyone is at risk now,” Conservative Party leader Pierre Poièvre, who has promised tougher penalties for car theft, said after being asked about repeated thefts of vehicles assigned to Canada’s justice minister. “I’m exposed,” he said.
Virani said he would prioritize measures that address the prevalence of organized crime, the core problem in auto theft, not just the most obvious culprits.
“What struck me at the Auto Theft Summit was the level of organized crime and its involvement. [in auto theft]the level of violence that we’re seeing, weapons, breaking into people’s doors, even carjackings,” Virani said Sunday.
“In some cases, the quick response is to track down individuals as young as 16 who are involved in these thefts, but they are organized and masterminded by criminal activity. ” he said.
Virani’s own experience added fuel to the political firestorm over car theft when it was revealed last November that his official car was stolen but eventually recovered. This is the third time that the Minister of Justice’s car has been stolen, with the previous two thefts occurring before he took office.
He said the experience made him realize the seriousness of the situation.
“This is an issue that concerns all of us,” he said.
