‘Trudeau and the NDP’ to blame for violent crime wave, says Poilievre in Edmonton

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“The worst unrest, drug addiction, crime and chaos are in places run by woke New Democrats, Liberal mayors and prime ministers,” he said, adding that violence is a national problem. .

Posted April 13, 2023 Last Updated 3 hours 2 mins read

Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, speaks to the media during a stopover in Edmonton, Thursday, April 13, 2023. Photo by Photo by David Bloom Article content

Pierre Poilievre says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the NDP are responsible for normalizing violent crime in Alberta under a bail system.

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The leader of the Conservative Party of Canada gave a campaign-style speech Thursday in Edmonton, reiterating demands for bail reform from Canada’s 13 prime ministers and many police departments across the country. His call comes after police reported two stabbings in Edmonton and two shootings in Calgary in the past 24 hours. Edmonton has seen six fatal shootings since March 7.

Trudeau and the NDP have caused this crime wave with policies that allow the same violent repeat offenders to terrorize innocent people, Poilievre told reporters.

When asked by a reporter if Alberta’s UCP government should do more to address social issues like homelessness to better prevent crime, Poilievre pointed to crime levels in Vancouver and praised Alberta for prioritizing drug treatment services.

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The worst unrest, drug addiction, crime and mayhem are in places run by woke New Democrats, Liberal mayors and prime ministers, he said, adding that violence is a national problem.

If this is happening across Canada, it cannot be the responsibility of just one provincial government, he said, adding that the high cost of living has led to an increase in homelessness. He promised to cap government spending if elected and to jail repeat violent offenders.

After meeting with provincial and territorial leaders last month, Liberal Justice Minister David Lametti promised he would move quickly on targeted Criminal Code reforms to update the country’s bail system.

Stumping in Calgary, Poilievre targets crime, bail reform 18-year-old stabbed and assaulted at Southgate Center

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Content of the article Bail reform alone will not solve violent crimes: criminologist

Temitope Oriola, a professor of criminology and sociology at the University of Alberta, said in an interview with Postmedia that bail reform alone will not solve the current crisis.

I think those who focus primarily or exclusively on bail reforms are missing the point, and in some cases it deliberately seems so, because they know it would only scratch the surface, said Oriola, adding that system changes are always worth considering and debating. , but unreasonable detentions are not a sustainable long-term solution.

Rhetoric doesn’t help. This is a moment in history when all levels of government must work together to craft appropriate solutions rather than trade blame, he said.

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Oriola said it was important to support the reformation of individuals in prison and to provide support for their release.

The essence of the criminal justice system is not to detain people indefinitely, he said, adding that the high cost of incarceration must be weighed against the cost of providing refuge or mental health support.

Oriola said the police had a role to play, but the root causes of crime needed to be addressed.

We need to address issues related to homelessness, substance abuse, mental health issues and unemployment, Oriola said.

What we need is a comprehensive approach, he said.

Earlier this month, the UCP government of Alberta Premier Danielle Smiths announced funding for 50 more police officers in Edmonton after the average crime severity index in the city center rose by 29% between July and December 2022.

Alberta Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley has accused the UCP government of cutting off municipal photo radar revenues that were used to pay for police services.

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