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[np_storybar title=”Five murderers who would still be in jail under ‘life means life’ sentencing, and five who wouldn’t” link=”http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/03/05/five-murderers-who-would-still-be-in-jail-under-life-means-life-sentencing-and-five-who-wouldnt/”]

The Conservatives’ “life means life” sentencing law proposes to put Canada’s “most heinous” murderers permanently behind bars with virtually no chance of parole.

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Although the new law would spare victims’ families the repeated agony of having to attend longshot parole hearings, the new law would actually miss quite a few of Canada’s most hated offenders.

Since it only applies to murderers, the “life means life” provision would not apply to violent serial rapists who, by sheer chance, have not had any of their victims die. And, since multiple murderers are already handed longer sentences under a 2010 act that annulled “sentencing discounts,” the new law would be irrelevant in sentencing the likes of child murderer Clifford Olson or serial killer Robert Pickton.