OTTAWA - The NDP today announced that while it supports the amended crime bills presented before the House of Commons, it is disappointed such a move will delay the implementation of many important justice measures.

“We are disappointed that the Conservatives today have delayed many important justice measures,” said NDP Leader Jack Layton. “There is no good reason why new, tougher laws on such issues like impaired driving need to wait months to come into effect.”

“These crime bills aren’t new,” said NDP Justice Critic Joe Comartin (Windsor-Tecumseh). “They represent the net effect of the work that got done in the previous minority parliament. We have heard from experts and witnesses, we have studied these issues and ensured charter compliance; now is the time to move forward.”

Comartin proposed that the bills be re-instated to the stage they were at the time of prorogation, thereby ensuring speedier passage in parliament.

Comartin pointed out that three of the bills from the last session had already been passed by the House and were in the Senate.

“These bills have been worked on by all parties in the House and shows the good things that can happen when the government respects parliament and changes its direction,” said Layton. “It is unfortunate that this government is so committed to taking us in the wrong direction on so many other issues, like Afghanistan, climate change and the growing prosperity gap in this country.”