Residents of the Portage-Lisgar riding had the chance to chat with their M-P recently when Candice Bergen made a stop in Winkler for a funding announcement.

While here, they had a chance to talk to her about two pieces of legislation being introduced, Bill C-51 - The Federal Government's Anti-Terrorism Legislation, as well as the "Life Means Life" bill. That piece of legislation centres around criminals sentenced to life, being given the possibility of parole after 25 years.

"We don't think that that's right," shares Bergen. "We think in the worst cases and most violent murders when someone is sentenced to life, it should mean their entire life. That's what this legislation does, it means if you're sentenced to life because you've committed murder which would include extremely violent actions, sexual assault, kidnapping, treason, and you're sentenced to life, you'd actually be in prison for the rest of your life."

She adds the first responsibility of any government is to keep citizens safe, which is why she supports the legislation. Bergen notes, criminals guilty of the worst crimes pose a risk to Canadians, their families and their communities and should remain behind bars. A life sentence in Canada should mean exactly that: a sentence for life.

Keeping Canadians safe is also the main priority around the other topic discussed by Bergen, C-51 - The Federal Government's Anti-Terrorism Legislation. This piece of legislation will ensure law enforcement in Canada has the tools they need to keep the country safe. Providing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service with better tools, and providing the opportunity to take down Canadian terrorist websites are two of the items listed in this legislation aimed at keeping the country safe from the threat of terrorism.

Bergen says her government knows the terrorism threat is something they need to take seriously, and safety will remain their number one priority.