40 years without parole

Photo: Contributed

The Member of Parliament for Okanagan Shuswap is wrapping up his last year in office and plans to leave political life having made an impact on crime.

MP Colin Mayes is adamant that his 'tough on crime' bill will go through before his time is done.

The private members bill, Bill C-587, is before the House of Commons this week and is written to ensure that those who commit serious crimes are imprisoned for life, without eligibility of parole, until the person has served a sentence of between 25 and 40 years.

The bill is aimed at those who commit heinous acts of sexual assault, assault and abduction resulting in murder.

“The purpose of the bill is to give a presiding judge the opportunity to increase a life sentence up to 40-years. The judge would determine from the facts of the case, whether the abduction, or the heinous brutal act, or the violence of the crime or sexual assault that ended with a individual being murdered, that the person should not be eligible for parole for up to 40-years and make that a recommendation,” explains Mayes.

He says the issue stems around the fact that the parole hearings, even 25-years later, are incredibly difficult on the victim's family and often has them re-living the tragic crime.

“It is a challenge for the victims of the crime, the survivors that have lost a loved one. They have to go through a parole hearing at 25-years and then every two years after that they have to go through it again. They have to hear the facts and ugly circumstances surrounding the murder of their loved one over and over.”

Mayes says he was partly spurred into action by a mom in his own riding, Marie Van Diest, who lost her daughter Taylor in a brutal murder on Halloween night 2011.

“She said to me, 'life should mean life',” explains Mayes. “Marie Van Diest is a very young mother and she is going to have to go through many years of attending parole hearings later in her life and it is just going to be bringing up a tragic time in her life that tore her heart out over and over.”

He says they are not making a 40-year sentence mandatory, but hoping to give judges the tougher option.

This week, the bill is will have it's second hour of debate in the house and then it will go to the justice committee for review. It will then come back to the house for a vote, if approved.

Mayes says he has received strong support from Justice Minister Peter MacKay which leads him to believe he will receive good support from the rest of his colleagues in the house.

Mayes says he is optimistic he can see the bill through before he ends his career in politics.

“Many people go through a career as a MP and never get a chance to put through a private members bill, so it would be nice to see this bill through.”

Photo: Contributed