Canada needs the death penalty

Many of you saw this scene on your television screen last night – the funeral of another murdered Mountie.

Funeral of murdered RCMP officer Constable Scott

We are far past the time when Canadians have to stand up and say in a concrete way that this cannot happen again. Bringing back the death penalty is that way. If a young cop can get the death penalty for trying to make this a better country, why is it not appropriate for those who pull that trigger?

Ocassionally we get lucky and true justice is served quickly. That happened in 1998 when a warning shot to the forehead of Harley Timmers in Whitehorse ended the discussion about whether killing a cop was reasonable. That is seldom the case, though, and the laws have to change.

I’m sickened by the murder of Constable Scott, who was only 20 years old. I’m sickened that this is the second murder of an RCMP officer in the Territories in a month. And I’m sickened by what this will probably lead to – which is poorer policing in the communities that need it the most. The days when a cop in small communities could trust his neighbours, even the socially dysfunctional ones, are clearly over.