Leadership hopeful Nash against current tough-on-crime bills

By: Mary Agnes Welch, Winnipeg Free Press

Manitoba’s NDP might support them, but federal leadership candidate Peggy Nash says she’d reconsider a batch of get-tough-on-crime bills now working its way through Parliament.

Nash, seen by many as a possible consensus candidate in the crowded race to lead the federal NDP, was in Winnipeg Tuesday drumming up votes.

Asked about her approach to Winnipeg’s crime problem, Nash said she favours prevention programs and reducing poverty and inequality as a root cause of crime.

"I would take a look at our crime legislation to make sure it’s effective," she said during an interview at the Free Press News Café. "I know that people want to make sure that their streets are safe and their homes are safe... I want to be smart about it. I don’t want to unnecessarily criminalize people."

She said similar anti-crime measures in the United States, including mandatory minimums, have been criticized as ineffective.

"You see even Republicans in the States saying it costs too much and it’s led to an increase in crime," she said.

Nash, formerly a senior labour negotiator with the Canadian Auto Workers’ Union, said she was impressed by Manitoba’s public auto insurance and its strong economy.

Manitoba has two of the party’s three prairie MPs — a weakness in the party that’s outgunned in the west by the Conservatives.

Instead of merging with the Liberals — a hot topic in the leadership race — Nash said she wants to reach out especially to people who don’t vote to build NDP support.