No more clemency appeals for Canadians on death row in US: Tories

Canadians long ago rejected the death penalty here and abroad as a unjustifiable punishment.

The federal Conservatives will not intervene in the case of a Canadian on death row in the U.S., a move being blasted by some Opposition MPs as a government endorsement of capital punishment…

“It would send a wrong message. We want to preserve public safety here in Canada.” [said Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day]…

For years, it’s been standard practice for Canada to lobby foreign governments to show mercy to its citizens when they face the death penalty. Ottawa would ask that their sentence be reduced to life in prison or request that the prisoner serve their term in a Canadian penitentiary.

But that policy has now officially changed.

While I don’t believe the allegations from the Liberals and the NDP, that the Conservatives are planning are planning to re-implement capital punishment here in Canada, I find it absolutely distasteful that the Conservatives were implying that the parties denouncing the change in this longstanding policy are supporting murderers. That is simply not the case, and the Conservatives should be ashamed of even implying such things.

The Liberals and the NDP have a simple message. They do not support the death penalty, and they will actively try to prevent any Canadian from being executed. They were not supporting murders or even implying that Canadians on death row in other countries did not receive a fair trial; they were simply stating the the death penalty is an unacceptable punishment for Canadian convicted of crimes here and abroad.

“You know, Canada is a country that doesn’t accept the death penalty. And we’ve had a long tradition of defending that position.” said [NDP Leader Jack Layton]

Liberal MP Irwin Cotler — a former justice minister and human-rights lawyer — says he was shocked by the Conservative announcement.

“We’re not asking that [Smith] be returned to Canada,” Cotler said.

“We’re not saying he didn’t get a fair trial. We are saying that on the issue of capital punishment, this country has a law, this country has a policy, this country has a principle domestically and internationally. We will not support capital punishment. Fini.

“What I heard from the Conservative benches was: ‘You support murderers.’ Frankly, that is scandalous and shocking.”

Liberals also noted that Canadian law prevents the extradition of an American to a state that uses capital punishment.

“Are we going to in fact change our extradition law as well as changing our policy on capital punishment?” Cotler asked.

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