Harper Hiring More Mounties - BAD

Dion hiring more Mounties - GOOD.

Is Stephane Dion's plan to hire more Mounties a public relations sham?

Hiring more Mounties will not do anything to reduce violent crime. In fact, it is a sneaky way of hiring more Mounties to go after people in possession of marijuana for personal use.

You think I'm wrong? Hey, don't look at me. I didn't say it.

Stephane Dion is making a move to fight the perception that the Liberal Party can't compete with the Conservatives when it comes to law and order issues:

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion outlined his party's law-and-order strategy today in an attempt to rebuff Tory claims that he's soft on crime.

[D]etails of the Liberal plan include:

funding for a 400-officer RCMP team to fight organized crime, gangs, drugs and gun activity

Organized crime? Violent!

Gangs? Violent!

Drugs? Violent!

Gun activity? Very violent!

So who thinks hiring more Mounties to fight violent crime is a bad idea? You'd be surprised:

The Conservatives made a big deal about hiring 1000 new RCMP officers. This seems like a major investment in crime control. It seems to do something about the problems that we were all concerned about during the election. However, like most of the budget, it is all a public relations sham. The RCMP does absolutely nothing to stop crime on the streets. In most major cities, the RCMP is not on the streets.

However, hiring 1000 new RCMP officers will not reduce violent crime. While the investment itself is important, the reasons for it are a sham. My personal suspicion is that Harper's real goal is to put more resources into marijuana related police activities. That is one thing that RCMP does everywhere in the country.

Is Stephane Dion engaging in a public relations sham?

Say it ain't so, Jason Cherniak, Liberal blogger, riding president, and Stephane Dion supporter.

Yes, when the Conservatives hire more Mounties, it is a sham designed to hide an effort to go after marijuana.

But when Stephane Dion says he'll hire more Mounties to fight violent criminals...well...I guess we'll find out it was a good idea after all. It's all in the packaging, I guess.