B.C. premier cites 'multi-faceted' crime approach amid debate about arrests
Premier John Horgan waded into British Columbia's contentious crime debate Wednesday, saying he understands concerns in communities about violent offenders, but arresting more people won't fix the issue.
He said he agreed with Attorney General Murray Rankin, who told the legislature Tuesday that a focus on more arrests of prolific offenders to curb crime would be “futile.”
“We can't arrest our way out of this challenge,” Horgan said at a news conference at the legislature. “It's a multi-faceted problem. People who see crime and see perpetrators not dealt with aggressively, I'm frustrated by that.”
A recent government-commissioned report cited police and probation officers who said repeat offenders “are emboldened to continue offending, deteriorating community confidence in the justice system.”
Opposition BC Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon, who said the government had a “catch and release” approach toward repeat violent offenders, said people in B.C. feared going outside in their own communities.
“A woman followed into her apartment, thrown on the ground and assaulted,” he said Wednesday in the legislature. “A hatchet attack on the SkyTrain. A baby in a stroller attacked with a glass bottle. A woman slashed in the neck with a machete.”
Falcon said the government was “completely detached from the reality of what's taking place in communities across this province.”
But Horgan accused the Liberals of engaging in a “bumper sticker” approach to the issue.
He cited remarks by newly elected Liberal MLA Elenore Sturko, a former RCMP officer, who told a campaign event last month that police “cannot arrest our way out of these problems.”
Violent crime in B.C. is an issue of deep concern that touches every community, including the hometowns of politicians from every political party, Horgan said.
“The B.C. Liberals are in the business of slogans,” he said. “I'd like to think we've been in the business of trying to solve the problem. That's done by hard work and collaboration.”
The government is approaching crime in a “multi-faceted way,” reforming the Police Act, reviewing the prosecution service, increasing budgets for courts and introducing mental health and addictions programs, said Horgan.
A report on prolific offenders that was commissioned by the government and released last month described incidents of violent crime throughout B.C., and frustrations of law enforcement officers arresting alleged criminals only to see them back on the streets.
The report by former Vancouver deputy police chief Doug LePard and Amanda Butler, a criminologist specializing in mental health and addiction, made 28 recommendations.
The report said police enforcement, aggressive prosecution and longer sentences won't address the problem of violent crime, but also said official statistics may not provide an accurate picture of crime trends in B.C.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world’s most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honored short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
Hot history: Tree rings show that last northern summer was the warmest since year 1
The broiling summer of 2023 was the hottest in the Northern Hemisphere in more than 2,000 years, a new study found.
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.