IN TOUCH WITH MP EARL DREESHEN

October 01, 2012

With harvest wrapping up and the children getting settled back in school, I would like to provide a quick update on some of the work I have been involved in Ottawa. On Thursday, September 27^th, I introduced my Private Members Bill to the House of Commons for first reading. Bill C-444 is an Act to Amend the Criminal Code (personating a peace officer or other officer).

The purpose of this Act is to establish that personating a peace officer to commit another offence shall be considered by a court to be an aggravating circumstance for sentencing purposes. Personating a peace officer is currently punishable up to a maximum of five years imprisonment under Section 130 of the Criminal Code. Aggravating circumstances cause judges to impose longer sentences up to respective maximums.

When citizens see a police uniform, they naturally trust and respect the authority that it comes with. We must preserve this trust and respect for officers by delivering harsher penalties to offenders that breach this trust to cause harm.

You may recall that I introduced this Bill during the previous Parliament and while it had received support from all parties, it died on the Order Paper when the General Election was called. I would like to thank the constituents of Red Deer for your input on this important issue and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues in Parliament to pass the Bill.

Again thank you for your continued support. We are expecting that the bill will return for its first hour of debate in early November. I will continue to keep you updated on this Bill and other important matters from the House of Commons.

Until next time

Earl Dreeshen,

MP Red Deer