Department of Justice

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES NATIONAL ANTI-GANG MEASURES

OTTAWA , April 17, 1997 -- Allan Rock, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and Herb Gray, Solicitor General of Canada, today announced a package of tough new measures to target criminal gang activity.

The proposals, developed through extensive consultations with police across Canada, will give them and other law enforcement agencies better tools to investigate and prosecute those who have participated in criminal gang activity.

The proposals provide a new approach to fighting gang activity by creating a new offence of "participation in a criminal organization". This offence does not criminalize mere membership in a criminal organization. Rather, the new offence, along with new definitions in the Criminal Code, will lay the groundwork for the targeted use of proposed new investigative tools and Criminal Code provisions.

These include:

a new peace bond designed to target gang leadership and make it difficult for criminal organizations to carry out their criminal activities;

new powers that will allow police to seize the proceeds of organized crime activity and, with a judge's order, to access income tax information related to gang activity;

new Criminal Code offences and penalties that target the use of explosives in criminal gang activity;

new sentencing provisions in the Criminal Code aimed at criminal gangs, including the delay of parole eligibility for certain criminal organization offences; and

measures to support police surveillance of gang activity.

Following through on the September 1996 National Forum on Organized Crime, the Solicitor General is setting up national and five regional coordinating committees to address police concerns about the need for coordination and leadership on multi-agency enforcement operations.

The Solicitor General will also make an annual statement on organized crime to the House of Commons, beginning in late 1997.

"Working with the police, we have achieved two objectives: we have given law enforcement agencies better tools to help in their efforts against organized crime; and we have developed a package that will be less open to challenge in the courts. These proposals are a targeted, well-designed first step," said Mr. Rock. "The federal government promised to act and we have, but we can only effectively fight gang activity by working together: the federal government, the provinces and law enforcement agencies."

"Organized crime gangs have increasingly become a threat to the safety of many communities. Police officers have made it clear they need improved tools and a mechanism to better coordinate and integrate their efforts to get the job done. I'm confident that this package can help," Mr. Gray said.

These proposals are the result of consultations with provincial and municipal officials across Canada, including the province of Quebec, as well as law enforcement organizations across the country.

Mr. Rock expressed his thanks to the Honourable Martin Cauchon for his assistance in coordinating the consultations leading to the development of these proposals.

Ref.:   Jennifer Lang
        Minister's Office
        Department of Justice
        (613) 992-4621

        Dan Brien
        Minister's Office
        Solicitor General Canada
        (613) 991-2924

        Yvan Roy
        Department of Justice
        (613) 957-4729

        Jamie Deacon
        Solicitor General Canada
        (613) 991-2954