Jamie Sarkonak: Canada keeps asking non-citizen criminals to stop. They obviously don’t

These policies provide fodder for anti-immigration attitudes and diminish trust in government policies and practices:

…Toothless warnings are only part of why Canada has a reputation for nonchalance towards crime. Non-citizens can also receive sentence discounts to lessen their chances of deportation in some cases, and the deportation process offers many opportunities for criminals to challenge, appeal and delay. The entire system tells outsiders that respect for our rules is optional, and that we’ll do what we can to excuse their bad behaviour. While they enjoy their third, fourth and fifth chances, we have to endure watching our once-high-trust society erode away.

While we don’t have a detailed breakdown of how many stern warning letters have been sent, and how many went ignored by people who went on to commit more crime, we ought to stop the practice entirely. The immigration system isn’t a rehab; it’s a filter that should be working to keep Canadians safe.

Source: Jamie Sarkonak: Canada keeps asking non-citizen criminals to stop. They obviously don’t