Death penalty - "their silence speaks volumes"

Canada's leader of the official opposition, Stéphane Dion, is doing what the prime minister should be doing - standing up for a Canadian on death row in a Montana prison.

Prime Minister Harper and his justice minister, Rob Nicholson, are failing in their responsibilities to Canadian citizens by failing to request clemency for Canadian citizens sentenced to death abroad.

Dion has written to the governor of Montana to ask him to commute the death sentence of Ronald Allen Smith. Dion emphasized in his letter that he respects the right of the state of Montana "to convict and punish Mr. Smith for his crimes." He is simply asking Governor Schweitzer to commute Ronald Allen Smith's death sentence.

Dion said, "I have taken this step because the Conservative government is not representing the views of the majority of Canadians nor is it respecting long-standing Canadian law and policy on the issue, and I believe it is my responsibility to make those views known and to uphold the law."

In his letter, Dion said:

Today, Mr. Smith is the only Canadian facing the death penalty in the United States. Canada abolished the death penalty more than 30 years ago and the majority of Canadians continue to believe that we must oppose its use, both domestically and in cases where Canadian citizens face this punishment abroad. I share this belief and as Leader of the Official Opposition in our Parliament, it is my duty to convey to you the conviction of millions of Canadians who want to see Mr. Smith’s sentence commuted.

Dion showed respect for the governor and the state of Montana, saying:

I know that as the chief executive power in the state of Montana, you have been entrusted with upholding the laws of your state and providing safety and security to your citizens. I do not believe these would be undermined if Mr. Smith’s sentence was changed to life in prison. I know too that you are also entrusted with the reputation and the dignity of your state and its people. I believe both would be enhanced by commuting the death sentence in this case.

In a media scrum, Dion said of the death penalty, "If you think it's morally wrong, you oppose it in every circumstance."

Dion explained his opposition to the death penalty in a media release :

I believe that the use of the death penalty undermines the human dignity of not only the individual who is killed, but of all involved in the process. I believe that the evidence supports the position that the death penalty has little to no value as a deterrent of crime. I can think of no acceptable justification for the taking of a life by the state. While there is obviously a strong argument for opposing the death penalty due to the risk of a state killing an innocent individual, I believe that it represents an injustice even when it falls on someone who is unquestionably guilty of crime.

Even Prime Minister Harper's good friend Jack Layton has jumped on the bandwagon, and followed Dion's lead by writing to the Montana governor requesting clemency for Smith.

The disrespect that the Conservative caucus shows for human rights was evident in the behaviour of Conservative MPs in the House of Commons during debate on the issue.