Tories are getting tough on crime, but Canadians say they’ve been feeling safe for years. A Statistics Canada Survey shows that 93 percent are not worried about crime, and that figure hasn’t changed much since the last survey seven years ago. The survey was released yesterday, just a day before two measures from the conservative crime bill went into effect.
Critics from the NDP say that experts have shown that these new measures will not work and that the survey shows a disconnect between Conservatives and reality. But one professor warns that a national survey can hide local pockets of crime. There may be some neighborhoods in Canada struggling with crime whose concerns will get averaged out in the final numbers.
The Statistics Canada data also shows that crimes rates are slightly lower in Eastern Canada. From a global perspective, an international survey from 2005 showed that Canada was on top when it came to perceived safety.
Some of the Conservative crime measures deal with more than just safety. One measure deals with prevention of human trafficking and exploitation.