(Ottawa) Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre believes that repeat car thieves should not be able to serve their sentences “in their living room watching Netflix” until they go out to steal again.
Mr. Poilievre posted a message Monday insisting that the current Liberal government is too soft on car thieves.
He says a Conservative government would ensure that car thieves convicted a third time spend at least three years behind bars.
It would also prohibit house arrest for people convicted of an offense punishable by indictment. These offenses are those that prosecutors consider more serious crimes.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says vehicle theft has become a scourge in the country, with more than 200 vehicles stolen on average every day.
The Liberal government will hold a summit on vehicle theft in Ottawa on Thursday, which will bring together representatives of police forces, border services and the automobile industry.
“After eight years of Justin Trudeau, the number of car thefts in Montreal has doubled and in Toronto, it has increased by 300%,” said Mr. Poilievre, Monday morning, during a press conference in Brampton, in the suburbs of Toronto.
The Conservative leader also insists on the fact that this scourge is essentially a federal problem: the Criminal Code “which frees criminals”, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police which is responsible for the fight against organized crime, and the ports, which are of federal jurisdiction.
“This is a federal problem for which Justin Trudeau is solely responsible,” Mr. Poilievre insisted on Monday.