An open letter to Nathan Cullen, Member of Parliament, Skeena – Bulkley Valley
Dear Sir:
Our Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, has recently stated “protecting Canadians is the highest purpose of any government”.
Mr. Harper went further by announcing that he will introduce legislation to keep criminals “too cruel and dangerous to be put back into freedom locked up permanently, with no possibility of parole”.
Our government believes in standing up for victims of crime and their families, putting their rights and interests ahead of those of criminals, and that a prison sentence should mean what it says.
The fact is there are certain criminals who should never, ever be allowed to walk the streets.
There are certain crimes such as the callous and heinous crime committed by Christopher Alexander who murdered my sister, Linda LeFranc in 1998, that are so repulsive that only a life-long sentence adequately reflects their truly horrific nature.
After breaking into her home at 4 a.m. on Dec. 9, 1998, Christopher Alexander, a neighbour, stabbed my sister 83 times, killing her, in what he later described for “the thrill.”
On April 23, 2015, the National Parole Board will again review Mr. Alexander.
This is the sixth parole hearing in just seven years that our family has had to attend.
Mr. Alexander, having breached several release conditions while in custody, has also been caught concealing a knife in the institution in which he is incarcerated.
Having no insight into his act, diagnosed as psychopathic and at moderate risk to re-offend violently, we continue to be in strong opposition of Christopher Alexander’s release.
A current petition opposing Mr. Alexander’s release has signatures outnumbering all previous petition campaigns. This is indicative of your constituents’ – and society’s – outrage, and their loss of confidence in our criminal justice system.
It is a travesty of justice that the families of victims of crime are forced to be the last line of defense between a killer and freedom, to possibly recommit. A result of the offender’s rights a painful victim-driven battle emerges year after year. This is regardless of their sentence length, and the costs to both their victims and society.
We ask for your sincere support and active commitment to keep our communities safe from dangerous offenders.
This can only begin with your support in being opposed to the release of Christopher Alexander. We look forward to your response.
Anita Johnstone-LeFranc
and the LeFranc Family,
North Saanich, B.C.