The Premier
Le Premier ministre
of Ontario
de l'Ontario
Legislative Building
Hotel du gouvernement
Queen's Park
Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto (Ontario)
M7A 1A1
M7A 1A1
August 24, 1998
Ms. Tracy Lamourie
Mr. Dave Parkinson
Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty
*****************
Toronto Ontario
*************
Dear Ms. Lamourie and Mr. Parkinson:
Thank you for your email via the Internet about personal comments the Honourable Robert Runciman, Solicitor General and Minister of Correctional Services, made concerning the death penalty.
I understand how strongly you feel regarding this issue and appreciate hearing your views. I have taken the liberty of forwarding a copy of your email to the Minister for his response.
Thanks again for writing.
Sincerely,
Michael D. Harris, MPP
c: The Honourable Robert Runciman
A few weeks later we received the following response from
Robert Runciman. We reply to this that a person who holds this office,
cannot hold a press conference expressing views of this nature, and then
hide behind calling it a personal statement.
Ministry of the
Ministere du
Solicitor General and
Soliciteur general et des
Correctional Services
Services correctionnels
Office of the
Bureau du
Minister
ministre
25 Grosvenor St
25 rue Grosvenor
11th floor
11 etage
Toronto ON M7A 1Y6
Toronto ON M7A 1Y6
Telephone: 416 326 5075
Telephone 416 326 5075
Facsimile 416 326 5085
Facsimile 416 326 5085
September 02, 1998
Ms. Tracy Lamourie
Mr. Dave Parkinson
Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty
************************
Toronto ON
*********
Dear Ms Lamourie and Mr. Parkinson:
Your email of August 13, 1998 to the Honourable Michael D. Harris, Premier of Ontario, has been referred to me for response. Thank you for sharing your personal views about capital punishment. We appreciate the time you have taken to express your opinion.
I, too, expressed my own personal opinion on the matter of capital punishment when recently asked about it by the media. At that time, I explicitly stated that my views were my own and should not be interpreted as the views of the Ontario Government.
Capital punishment is a federal issue which necessarily falls to the jurisdiction of the federal government. Therefore, any changes to the law dealing with this matter would have to be debated in the house of commons in Ottawa.
Thank you for taking the time to share your views on this matter.
Sincerely,
Robert W. Runciman, MPP
Leeds-Grenville
Solicitor General and
Minister of Correctional Services
cc: The Honourable Michael D. Harris
Premier of Ontario