As auto theft summit begins, tougher penalties are on the table: Trudeau

Justin Trudeau raised the possibility of harsher punishments during his opening remarks at the national summit on combatting on auto theft, which began Thursday in Ottawa.

With the number of stolen cars in Canada skyrocketing, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is considering stiffer penalties for auto theft.

It’s an idea Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also proposed this week to crack down on what’s become a national epidemic.

Trudeau raised the possibility of harsher punishments during his opening remarks at the national summit on combatting on auto theft, which began Thursday in Ottawa.

“First things first, we need to stop these criminals who are part of the gangs and organized crime,” Trudeau said.

“We’re also looking at further strengthening penalties for anyone who participates in auto theft.”

On Monday, Poilievre outlined his plan to tackle Canada’s vehicle theft crisis, which includes a mandatory three years in jail for repeat car thieves. In response to that, Justice Minister Arif Virani said that those provisions to punish car thieves already exist in the Criminal Code, and his focus is on organized crime rings driving this issue.

“(What) Pierre Poilievre is desperately missing is that he wants to take extremely punitive measures to 16-year-olds,” Virani said on his way into cabinet on Monday.

“It’s important to keep people safe in places like Toronto and right around this country. But it’s also important to understand who’s masterminding things behind that 16-year-old. This is organized criminality. Organized crime is behind this. That’s what we’ve heard from police. That’s what we’re trying to address.”