VICTORIA -- British Columbia’s public safety minister says he will form an all-party committee to modernize the province’s Police Act amid widespread calls for policing reform in B.C and across North America.
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth announced Friday he would strike the committee to engage with experts and communities when the B.C. legislature resumes later this month.
In a statement, Farnworth called the 45-year-old Police Act “outdated” and “out of step” with the government’s policies.
"We know more work can and must be accomplished,” Farnworth said, noting Premier John Horgan asked him to form the committee to “reflect today's challenges and opportunities for delivering police services with a specific focus on systemic racism.”
Earlier Friday, the premier said recent calls to defund police departments are a simplistic approach to a complex problem.
Horgan said police are increasingly burdened with a range of challenges facing the public, including homelessness, mental health and addiction, which require more funding.
He said it's inappropriate to expect law enforcement to take on those issues as they deal with public safety concerns.
"Everyone deserves to be treated fairly by the police,” Farnworth said.
“Our government acknowledges that for many Black, Indigenous and other people of colour, that hasn't always been the case. Ensuring the police are held accountable to the highest standards for fair and unbiased conduct is crucial to maintaining public trust.”
Farnworth said he will table the motion to form the committee and looks forward to its recommendations.
