Friday, January 19, 2007

Crime in Canada

Dion had the following to say today:

Updated Fri. Jan. 19 2007 5:03 PM ET

Canadian Press

MONTREAL -- Federal Liberal Leader Stephane Dion says Canada should follow the lead of the United States and France in protecting minority communities against hate crimes.

He called on governments to give them more funding

Correct me if I am wrong, but do we not already have laws in the books that "protect minority communities against hate crimes"? What kind of funding should we be giving them? Should we pay for a full time police officer to baby sit every person of a minority group to "protect them"? Is it more important to "protect" a minority than anyone else in this country? Are we not all equal?

How about we have laws that protect EVERYONE not just minority groups. Increase funding to our law enforcement so that perhaps they can protect EVERYONE better. Even with all the funding in the world, police forces cannot be everywhere all the time. Criminals will do what they do until they are caught.

Here is a sad example of how we have to equip our RCMP (sorry no link as this is not common knowledge... yet...). A small bedroom community just outside of Edmonton has had a major drug problem. The small RCMP detachment there did not have a budget to purchase the equipment required to do the undercover/surveillance work needed to bring the culprits to justice. One of the local community groups held a fund raiser and was able to raise enough to purchase everything on the RCMP wish list. That group could not legally donate these items to the RCMP detachment so they are loaning the equipment to them instead. In recent months the RCMP have made many arrests and have curtailed much of the drug activity in this community largely due to the equipment provided by the local group.

Now why on earth in a country as wealthy as Canada, does a local community group have to loan the RCMP equipment to do their jobs? I'm just asking....

4 comments:

Olaf said...

Interesting Tim...

Has it been on the news or anything? That seems like it would be something the CBC would jump all over... assuming it was the fault of the Conservative government. I'm surprised no one has reported it, because it seems quite unique.

Tim said...

Olaf,
Not yet. It is very unique as far as I know. Then again it may be something that happens on a regular basis and is kept quiet for the same reasons this one is. I personally know some of the people involved in this endevour who frankly, would rather stay anonymous. They are just happy that their efforts are being rewarded by the results.

Candace said...

That's insane, although I do find it encouraging that the public have stepped up to the plate to provide the funds/equipment necessary. Maybe this is "new age vigilantee-ism"?

Tim said...

"new age vigilantee-ism"?

Never thought of it in that way Candace. Here's hoping you are right as it is far better than the "old age vigilatee-ism".