Government Pension for Serial Killers
Upon hearing that Canada’s notorious serial killer Clifford Olson’s has the ability to collect Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement, I was incensed! Like many Canadians flooding the radio shows, newspapers and their MP’s email box, I too do not want my tax dollars going to support a multiple life term murderer.
If anyone is unfamiliar with this monster he was convicted of killing 11 boys and girls but has admitted to killing far more. He already received his blood money of a reported $100,000 to provide police with the bodies of victims. Growing up in the stomping grounds of this killer and knowing someone personally who escaped his grasp and later testified in court, this is of particular importance to me that he receives nothing. The public and the families of his victims deserve more than having to constantly deal with this man taking advantage of our systems.
He changed the way we lived; our parents were affected, schools implemented strategies to protect students going to and from the grounds and as children the way we saw our surroundings and strangers was never the same. All the while this guy roamed the streets, cleverly devised ways to lure children and did this without his own families knowledge. They were safe, we were not and all this money he has received goes to his estate.
Our Prime Minister Stephen Harper is looking at options through Human Resources to exclude prisoners from this money and they have the full backing of me and many others to do just that. Any money he received should have been given to the victims families or victim assistance programs. No dime should flow his way!
I have taken the two minutes to email my local MP’s office and I implore readers to do the same if you agree that tax payers dollars should not be given to prisoners, especially men like this who committed such heinous murders. We are currently forced to house, feed and provide necessary medical care for this creature but I refuse to believe tax payers should be forced to provide pensions.
Stand up and be counted! If you lend your voice this may change, he should not be given anymore control over us!
If you are not from Canada but are reading this, find out if your country is providing pensions to these types of prisoners. Decide for yourself if you can live with your money going to that prisoner or would you rather it go to someone who is deserving.
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I can understand why you’re incensed and I’m just sitting here shaking my head thinking, “the Canadian government is truly whacked!” What the ?!&# What really kills me is the fact that there are good people who try to make a living in an honest way in this country who have a really hard time doing just that because of the economy and when someone who commits a crime lands in prison he/she ends up with the ability to get a university education, a gym membership, and three square meals a day…which are things that honest people living in society can’t afford. That’s just wrong!! The Canadian judicial system is screwed up in so many ways that it’s not even funny. I worked for a criminal & corrections lawyer for a while so I know it’s true.
Everyone should email their local MP’s office and let them know how wrong it is that our tax payer’s hard earned cash is going to support serial killers in their old age. Bullocks to that, I say!
Thanks for the passionate comment. It always amazes me that we have a system that has evolved to make things so comfortable for prisoners. All of the things you mentioned at their disposal and more that I don’t even want to even get into. Where is the logic? Since you have worked in that system no doubt you have seen it from multiple angles.
No, it is high time we all realize something has gone horribly wrong and had this story not broke we would have stayed in the dark.
One current hotly discussed debate, especially on Police Forums, is the fact that the 84,000 prisoners, currently residing in U.K. jails, are not allowed to vote on the upcoming General Election.
A prisoner who is currently servng a life term has launched an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights and won his appeal case.
Apparently denying prisoners the right to vote, by a member country of the European Union, contravenes Article 3, First Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights.
I do not know how many prisoners are in Canadian jails and whether they can vote, or how they might spend their pensions.
But if they spend the money inside the jails…won’t the money be recycled back into the system anyway?
Just like the issue of prisoners voting in the U.K….How much difference will 84,000 extra votes make in a population the size of the U.K.?
If it stops them rioting, escaping, or creating other havoc…Both might just be worth it…Especially considering how much it costs a country, annually, to keep someone locked up anyway!
Thanks for your comment and giving readers the UK’s experience with these issues.
As you mentioned it being a hotly discussed debate it is a hot button issue here and emotions are running high. The majority of Canadians do not think Olson should receive this money and feel little to no empathy for prisoners rights. He is a thorn in our side and this story is lighting up the media.
We will probably be handcuffed by human rights legislation but I don’t hear a lot of worry about prisoners potential feelings or reaction. This has caused the Prime Minister, multiple Members of Parliament, Solicitor General Kash Heed, Canadian Taxpayers Federation and more to become involved. A petition is being circulated to have the public’s voices heard.
So, I guess we will see if anything can be done but I suspect the UK’s experience with all of this will not be far off of Canada’s. A battle between public, government and prisoners.
Hope you can check out some of the links below, but if you want more there is plenty of discussion.
http://www.taxpayer.com/
http://www.roygreenshow.com/2010/03/index.html
http://www.corusradio.com/Shared/AudioVault/CKNWAMaudioVault.asp?VaultDate=20100328&VaultTime=12&mysubmit=Listen
Although the media, particularly newspapers, do play a very important role in democracy in transmitting information to the General Public, their primary purpose is to increase circulation and make money.
Serial killers, Murder, Mayhem, Taxes and general BAD news stories, create headlines, motivate people to buy their newspapers and boost broadcasting viewing/listening numbers.
Politicians? …They like to be perceived as caring for the electorate and the “little people” aka the Electorate.
Petitions and responding to them is an easy way to demonstrate that caring.
I am exposed enough (and have been for far too long),to the inner workings of both Politics, Politicians and Media, not to realise just how petitions are perceived and their actual role in changing Government Policies.
Generally Politicians are mainly tuned, responsive and attentive to Public opinion, in the few weeks around elections, or if people really fill the Public Squares and block commerce & traffic,for more than one day.
Overturning Maggie Thatcher’s Poll Tax, was one case in point, where Public Opinion won and the Government of the day lost. (Government was at a weak point in their term.)
In the marches against us joining the U.S. in invading Iraq…the public demonstrations of opposition lost and the current Government won. (Government was rising high in the Polls and it was in their perceived interest to overide public opinion.)
Politicians and their advisers tend to use a screen for judging action or not. Tests such as how persistent & consistent, the protesters or petition organisers are, may be applied. Or are their feet and bodies going to follow ther written words.
This reality oriented and wordy cynic is now signing off.
I have to get my body out the door and have a contract to sign.
Yes, you are right there is certainly some money making and spin doctoring to be done by all the players. More often not the opinions of the public at large are thrown out for the minority or politically correct view. Luckily I haven’t become as cynical yet and keep the hope alive that if there is a will there is a way. I prefer to try to have my voice heard than to sit back and not try.
You are correct that not trying, is a not a viable or responsible choice, for many with passionate beliefs, strong sense of duty, convictions of right and wrong.
However, we live in a world where people do a great deal of taking the “safe” not very visible, low profile options. Maybe that is one of the reasons why petitions are so popular and frequently posted online, or on tables in shopping centres.
Following convictions, with your feet and out of personal comfort zones, is not as common as it used to be.
More of us need to confront Politicans, personally, during Constituency meetings or Public Meetings such as “Question time”…Far too often lobbyists and specail interest groups predominate..when it should be majority representation..
On looking at the decline in voting numbers, in both our countries …far too many people are tuning in, shouting at the radio but opting out of further action.