News   Mar 28, 2024
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Did Hudak just shoot himself in the foot?

I joked on Twitter that, between this and his plan to kill green energy programs, he's drifting into cartoon super-villain territory. Maybe his campaign slogan can be "Muahahahaha."

Not sure how this proposal gels with the federal CPC's recent move to close down prison farms.
 
As the article pointed out, the difference between this proposition and others in Canada is that he would make this mandatory. In what situation would forced, unpaid labour not be considered slavery?
Probably in the minds of most of the population. The general public loves to crap on those in prison.

Personally I think he'd fail miserably if he tried to get this done in some meaningful fashion, but quite honestly, if he did make this work and NOT cost us even more money then I think general public would actually give him kudos for it.
 
My roommate (a progressive!) and I were talking a few weeks ago about how we should be putting the prison population into community work, such as picking up trash and cleaning up streets. Then this. Hudak has definitely got my vote. Instead of sitting around in prison enjoying gyms, HDTV, they can start repaying society for their deeds.
 
If you don't want prisoners watching TV or using a gym then take them away. This isn't an either/or situation.

I'm fine with voluntary work detail as long as it doesn't cost us more, but forced labour is just plain wrong no matter who is on the receiving end, not to mention impractical. What do you do if they refuse? Throw them in prison?

If your roommate is an advocate for any form of forced or indentured servitude then he is not a progressive.
 
Work programs for prisoners is definitely a progressive issue, but yeah -- this isn't that. This seems to be framed as a way to further punish prisoners, instead of rehabilitate them.

It doesn't make a ton of sense, either. It's not like you're going to have violet criminals out in the community cleaning up graffiti. Paul Bernardo's not going to be sweeping your street.
 
No need to worry about Paul Bernardos cleaning your street; this will be only for provincially-adminstered correctional facilities. That's where criminal serve 2 years or less, so mostly drug dealers, and petty crimes.

I think this is a good way to deal with prisoners. Isn't the whole point of them being in prison to repay their debt to society? What better way to repay your debt than to clean and maintain society! From the persons I've talked to today, they all seem very supportive of this. I think Hudak might have scored himself quite a few voters with this move.
 
Unfortunately I don't think that the political motivation behind this has anything to do with helping people pay their debt to society or producing a reformed, rehabilitated criminal. I think it's pandering more to the justice = revenge philosophy. The idea would have merit if it was voluntary and targeted towards providing skills that would be useful after release.

Forcing a prisoner to do menial hard labour is certainly punishment, but it does nothing to show that they're ready to be released back into society. If they volunteer for the menial hard labour it shows that they are at least making an effort.
 
That makes even less sense. What are you going to do, lock them in their cells 24/7?

I didn't say that's what I was advocating, but when most people say their tv and gym privileges should be revoked they generally believe they should be in their cells 24/7. You said yourself that the general public likes to crap on those in prison.

All I was saying is that forced labour and removal of privileges are two separate issues.
 
All I was saying is that forced labour and removal of privileges are two separate issues.
And I say removal of all or most of such privileges is much, much harsher than forced labour for the majority of people. So, yes they are different issues, and your suggestion is the harsher of the two.

BTW, I heard on the radio that they had done an online poll (not scientific I know), and 88% or something were in favour of this idea.
 

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