Alberta UCP say that the "NDP action on rural crime lacks basic understanding of reality on the ground"
Last week, Alberta’s NDP Justice Minister announced $10 million to fight rural crime. Our Official Opposition is glad to finally see some action on this file, after repeatedly raising the issue over the past two years.
The numbers are undeniable. Since 2011, crime rates in some rural communities have jumped by more than 250 per cent. Recently, Maclean’s magazine revealed that 12 of the top 50 most dangerous places in Canada are located in Alberta. Red Deer County, one of the most beautiful rural areas that I have the privilege to represent, ranks as number five on the list.
Unfortunately, the funding announced last week, while a good start, will not address all aspects of what has become a complex and emotional issue for Alberta families. The fact that the NDP thinks throwing money at the problem is an adequate response reveals a shocking lack of understanding. For example, the Minister announced funding for 39 new police officer positions. In theory, this is good news but if the Minister had bothered reaching out and talking to people on the ground in these communities, she would have learned that there simply are not enough RCMP trainees to fill current vacancies, let alone 39 more.
If the NDP wants to be taken seriously on this issue, its MLAs need to get out and actually visit rural Alberta. They need to meet with rural community leaders, victims, local crime watch volunteers, and the frontline police officers crying out for assistance.
For the past two years, this is exactly what MLAs from both United Conservative legacy parties have been doing. We have personally been to dozens of town hall meetings across the province on rural crime, and it has given us a much better understanding of the scope of the problem.
One common theme we’ve heard is deep frustration with our catch-and-release justice system. To begin with, far too few property crimes are fully investigated. Even when a criminal is caught, prosecuted, and convicted, all too often they are back on the street, victimizing another Alberta family, in short order. For these repeat offenders the criminal justice system is a joke. Simply hiring more prosecutors won’t solve the problem. Instead, the Justice Minister needs to get serious about working with her federal counterpart on meaningful changes to the Criminal Code.
We all know it’s time to get serious about addressing Alberta’s rising tide of rural crime.
Understanding the problem is the first step towards achieving lasting solutions. Unfortunately for the thousands of Albertans who have become victims of crime in recent years, this NDP government has yet to make an honest effort to truly understand what we’re up against.
United Conservatives support MP Stubbs’ motion to tackle rural crime
On Wednesday, Conservative Member of Parliament Shannon Stubbs was joined by Mike Ellis, United Conservative Solicitor General Critic and MLA for Calgary-West, Angela Pitt, United Conservative Justice Critic and MLA for Airdrie, and Jason Nixon, United Conservative House Leader and MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre in support of MP Stubbs’ upcoming federal Motion-167 to tackle rural crime.
Motion 167 calls on the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security to assess rural crime rates and trends, examine RCMP policing, and staff resources along with provincial and municipal partnerships in rural and remote communities across Canada, and to provide recommendations.
Stubbs first raised the issue of rural crime in the House of Commons on January 28, 2016 and again Commons in a member’s statement on September 29, 2017. In Lakeland, Stubbs cohosted a townhall in Marwayne on November 14, 2017, while other Conservative MPs participated in similar forums across Alberta in the fall.
On December 15, 2017, Stubbs wrote to Alberta Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley and federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to share constituent’s feedback and urge federal and provincial collaboration to combat rural crime.
Stubbs’ motion went on notice in the House of Commons on February 1, 2018 and is expected to be debated on March 27, 2018.
In 2015, Canada’s crime index rose for the first time in 12 years, with the highest increase in Alberta and Western Canada. The region experienced a 10 per cent growth in rural crime. Alberta faced an 80 per cent increase in property crime across the province and an increase of up to 105 per cent in theft of $5000 or under, and an increase of 58 per cent in motor vehicle theft in some areas.
Motion-167 is expected to be voted on during the spring sitting. It requires majority support in the House of Commons and calls on the committee to undertake the comprehensive assessment immediately, and to report findings within 6 months. Support for this motion is growing across Lakeland, Alberta and across the country.
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