News release

Fix Youth Crime Campaign Returns to Ottawa

Justice

Nova Scotia continues to get a positive response from the federal government on the province's campaign to fix the country's youth crime law.

For the second time this month, Justice Minister Cecil Clarke was in Ottawa to press Nova Scotia's case for Parliament to adopt all seven of the Nunn Commission recommendations relating to the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

He met with federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, Nova Scotia's federal minister Peter MacKay and members of Parliament Gerald Keddy, Mike Savage, Rodger Cuzner and Mark Eyking. In the coming weeks, Mr. Clarke hopes to meet with all Nova Scotia MPs and senators, regardless of their political affiliation, to achieve further progress.

"Nova Scotia is speaking with one voice that the Youth Criminal Justice Act in this country needs to be fixed," said Mr. Clarke. "Our elected representatives in Ottawa are very receptive to Nova Scotia's campaign for change."

Mr. Clarke added that he was pleased to hear support for passing Bill C-25 during the current session of Parliament. Bill C-25 is a proposed law which would amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act to include denunciation and deterrence as a principle for sentencing convicted young criminals. It would also give judges greater powers to keep suspected young criminals behind bars or in other forms of custody, a key recommendation of the Nunn Commission.

"The more support Nova Scotians can offer for taking action, the stronger our case as a province will be," said Mr. Clarke. "Passing Bill C-25 is an important first step to fixing youth crime."

Nova Scotians can sign on to support the campaign at www.fixyouthcrime.com .