The MPP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke still hopes legislation will be passed to protect victims of violence in the future.
This comes after Basil Borutski’s life-sentence was handed down earlier this week for the murders of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk, and Nathalie Warmerdam. MPP John Yakabuski says the trial was a painful time for people in the Madawaska Valley because it was a daily reminder of the terrible crimes that had taken place. He says, with the trial now in the rearview mirror, the healing can begin. But, he says we can never forget the victims or the crimes done to them.
Meanwhile, Yakabuski still hopes to see more done at a provincial level to protect victims of violence. On September 22nd, last year, Yakabuski introduced a private member’s bill, on the anniversary of the three murders. He says this was done as a reminder that Borutski was a classic example of a failed system that allowed a repeat-violent offender to freely harass and eventually take the lives of the victims.
Yakabuski says his private member’s bill would have made it so offenders like Borutski would have had to sign and accept the terms of their probation and parole.
Yakabuski says the bill would have also equipped those convicted of sexual violence with an electronic monitoring system to give authorities a better idea on their whereabouts.
Yakabuski says the goal of the bill is to make communities safer, and protect the victims of violent crimes.
However, Yakabuski will not have the opportunity to re-introduce the bill before the provincial election in June. If Yakabuski is not re-elected as MPP it is unlikely the bill will go anywhere. He says he would support a similar bill if it was put forward by the Attorney General or the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Given the chance, he will ask another MPP to give up their spot for a private member’s bill and use their time to reintroduce his.
(Written by: Andreas Pandikiu)