'We're going after the offenders': Sask. to suspend welfare benefits for 'serious' offenders with warrants
The Government of Saskatchewan has introduced legislation to suspend social assistance benefits to prolific violent offenders with active warrants, and to use information from the Ministry of Social Services to find those evading the law.
“The people of this province do not want to see prolific, serious, violent offenders that are currently on warrant status being supplied financially by the taxpayers of this province,” said Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Christine Tell.
After tabling the Warrant Compliance Act in the legislature Thursday, Tell told reporters there are currently about 1,300 outstanding criminal code warrants in the province.
“I am certain that there are going to be, of those very serious code warrants outstanding, that there are going to be individuals that are on government assistance of some sort,” Tell said.
Tell says the proposed intelligence gathering team will consist of government, law enforcement and social services employees.
The program would focus on those with indictable offences. Entities like Social Services will be able to “use discretion” when providing information to the Warrant Intelligent Team.
“We’re not wanting to impact the families of these offenders. We are going after the offenders, the serious offenders, that are gathering or living off financial assistance to be out in the community at large on a criminal code warrant,” said Tell.
Myles Sanderson was receiving financial assistance from the province at the time of the massacre, according to Tell.
RCMP confirmed he had stopped meeting with his parole officer prior to the attack and was in violation of his release measures.
“Following events in James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon, it is imperative that we enhance our ability to collect information on violent offenders with outstanding warrants," said Tell in a news release on Thursday.
The Warrant Compliance Act will not impact people who have completed their sentence, says Tell.
A criminal defence lawyer says people wanted by police on charges are innocent until proven guilty in court.
“Most people with warrants out in this province and across Canada have not been convicted of that offense so the presumption of innocence is still alive at that point,” said Julia Quigley.
“People could be cut off without having any idea that they had a warrant out when they might have gone and dealt with that warrant and turned themselves into police. So that really raises concerns there.”
She says without including a definition of prolific violent offenders in the act, it could negatively impact women and children and potentially affect a “huge swath of people.”
“What most people need is some support from government. This is not going to have the effect of actually addressing the root cause of crime. If anything it’s going to further disenfranchise people, which might actually result in higher crime rates,” said Quigley.
She says suspending benefits and social housing, is an “extremely punitive measure” and it will disproportionately impact Indigenous people.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi found dead at helicopter crash site, state media says
Iranian president, the country’s foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after a search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest.
The push to Parliament's summer hiatus is about to begin, here's what you need to know
When MPs file back in to the House of Commons on Tuesday, it will be for the final five-week parliamentary push before hitting the barbecue circuit. Looking ahead to what could be a raucous rush to the summer hiatus, CTVNews.ca spoke with top House representatives to get a sense of what's atop their priority list.
What do we know so far about the mysterious crash of the helicopter carrying Iran's president?
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Netanyahu
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Monday he is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in connection with their actions during the seven-month war.
Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with US$100 million in financing commitments
U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.
Stittsville residents seeking answers as bylaw cracks down on street basketball nets
Stittsville residents on Kearnsley Way are seeking answers after an unusual bylaw crackdown on Friday. Every home with a basketball net received a ticket instructing homeowners to remove their nets from the road.
'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
Court eases internet restrictions for Sask. man who matched with a 15-year-old girl on Tinder
A Saskatchewan man who had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl he met on Tinder successfully appealed to shorten release conditions barring him from online dating.
Michael Cohen to face more grilling as Trump's hush money trial enters its final stretch
Donald Trump's hush money trial is heading into the final stretch, with prosecutors' last and star witness back on the stand Monday for more grilling before the former president's lawyers get their chance to put on a case.