Should Canada Reinstate Capital Punishment

    Just 2 minutes after midnight on December 11th 1962 at the Don Jail in Toronto, Arthur Lucas and Ronald Turpin took their place in Canada's history books. They were the last 2 persons to be executed in Canada. In 1967 a moratorium was placed on the death penalty but it wasn't until 1976 that Canada would officially strike capital punishment from the books. That was almost 35 years ago.

     In the last 15 to 20 years, this country has seen an increase in violent deaths. Murders committed by the likes of Robert Pickton, Paul Bernardo, and Clifford Olsen. This past month everyone learned of the depravity committed by Col. Russell Williams. Two murders, multiple break and enters and so on. What do we, as law abiding tax payers do? We give them free room and board, meals, and clothes. It costs Canadians millions to house someone who has been found guilty of murder.

    One of the main reasons capital punishment was removed from the books was "because of fears about wrongful convictions, concerns about the state taking the lives of individuals, and uncertainty about the death penalty's role as a deterrent for crime". With todays extensive methods of crime scene investigations and the tools at the hands of the criminologists, it is virtually impossible to convict the wrong person. DNA sampling alone accounts for almost a 95% conviction rate. In the case of Russell Williams, his confession and all the photographic evidence that surfaced waould be enough to have him hanged almost immediately.

     If capital punishment were to be reinstated, it should be set up in this manner -> 1)Trial - If found guilty, you get two (2) appeals. 2)Date of execution set - This is set only after the two appeals are over with 3)Execution. Granted there are exceptions to the rule. Williams for one. He pled guilty and there was more than ample proof to convict without his confession. In a case like that, he should get thirty (30) days to make his peace, make sure his affairs are in order and say good-bye to any family. The only other change would be that instead of the body being buried in an unmarked grave, turn it over to the family, unless there is no other option.

     I don't know about anyone else but I'm getting tired of my tax dollars being used to keep someone like Bernardo, Pickton or Olson or their kind alive. I'm sure the French's and Mahaffeys aren't too keen to the idea either. If you had a loved one murdered by some low life, would you want to pay for them to stay alive? Their housing, clothes and meals paid by you after they had killed your son or daughter or grandchild. I think it's time the Canadian Government actually did something and bring back the death penalty. Enough of this namby-pamby kid glove treatment of sick depraved monsters.