Many judges were abusing the discretion afforded them.  For offences where Parliament had set a min/max sentencing range, many judges were ignoring the maximum end of the range and, ostensibly relying on stare decisis (precedent), were engaged in a leapfrog race to the minimum.  In other words, they were refusing to implement the will of the people as expressed in Parliament.

You would be very hard pressed to find me agreeing with Stephen Harper about anything but in this case I do agree:  the judiciary needed a slap down and a reminder that it is Parliament that enacts the Criminal Code and sets the penalties.  Don't like it?  Resign from the bench.