Partisan politics. The Honourable Michael Cooper has accused the Liberal government of putting partisan politics ahead of public safety for failing to pass “Wynn's Law,” an amendment to the criminal code to mandate prosecutors to introduce all past convictions at bail hearings.
He has expressed his shock that the government would not pass this law; that they would endanger public safety; that they would not react to an emotional appeal from Constable Wynn's widow.
Reality Check. It is MP Cooper who is playing partisan politics. He is exploiting a widow's grief to score political points and to embarrass the Liberal government.
There are serious legal flaws with the bill, as clearly pointed out by Senator Murray Sinclair during the Senate debate. Senator Sinclair is a former judge, lawyer and the head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Had MP Cooper truly been interested in public safety and preventing future tragedies like the death of Constable Wynn, he would have engaged the Liberals and NDP to craft legislation that addresses the concerns raised with the current bill. But no, that would require bipartisanship, cooperation and compromise. It is so much easier to react with outrage, press conferences and petitions.
For MP Cooper, this is just a game. We deserve better representation.
Nick Diederichs, St. Albert
