Sask Party news release
Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall wants to know why Lorne Calvert and NDP Justice Minister Frank Quennell have said and done nothing about gang activity and recent incidents of violent crime in Saskatoon.
“Saskatoon people are telling me that they don’t feel safe and they don’t feel their children are safe in their own homes and communities,” Wall said.
Wall said the Calvert NDP government needs to address the issue because Saskatchewan families should be able to live without fear.
“Cracking down on gang activities must be a priority for this government,” Wall said, noting that Saskatchewan has the highest per capita concentration of young gang members in the country, according to the Criminal Intelligence Service Saskatchewan Winter 2005 Report. PDF
“It’s a big issue across this province. First Nation Leaders have told us they are very concerned about increased gang activity on and off-reserve, and they are too are taking a leadership role on this,” Wall said. “We’ve offered to work with them on this issue.”
Wall said he is asking his Justice Critic, Saskatoon Southeast MLA Don Morgan, to take the lead on this issue by looking into possible solutions and by pushing the government for action. Ted Merriman (Community Resources and Employment), Don Toth (Corrections and Public Safety), and June Draude (First Nations and Metis Relations) will join Morgan on the committee.
[…]
“In 1991, Lorne Calvert said he dreamed of a province where everyone could feel safe walking the streets. After 14 years of NDP government, people don’t feel safe in Lorne Calvert’s own constituency. It’s time for Mr. Calvert to stop just dreaming, wake up and address the problem.”
Background: Sask crime stats.
Update (via Rawlco radio) – NDP MLA Pat Atkinson has responded, citing a “2 percent drop in crime” in Saskatchewan, and accusing the SaskParty of “scare tactics”. When questioned by local reporter Mervin Brass about how she would respond had her home been one of the four who experienced home invasions this last week, she replied that she’d “be scared”.
On a different front, the problem is impacting the real estate market, with local agents reporting that homes are becoming very hard to move in the Riversdale area.
It seems rather obvious why there has been no action on this front.
First of all, the typical socialist/leftist theory of “the criminal is a victim” prevents them from enacting fitting punishment and deterrents from these activities. The term ”
NDP justice minister” is really quite the oxymoron.
The second point is, a majority of the gang activity involves first nations youths. The provincial government does not want to alienate a block of voters who have traditionally supported them.
Just my thoughts.
Someone needs to demonstrate that these poor youths are committing violence because of the oppression of the intolerant patriarchal bigoted straight jacket of KKKristian religion that was rammed down the throats of an innocent perfect non-violent people by the fascistic black robes. That will get MSM and politicos attention.
Oh wait, that was 200 years ago.
Canada’s justice system will continue to be very unjust as long as our correctional system essentially promotes the “hug’em” philosophy with violent and/or serious young offenders and the “let’em out in jig time” philosophy with all offenders in general.
There should be a min sentencing option to allow for violent young offenders and young offenders convicted of certain serious crimes to serve time in boot camps to teahc discipline, structure and respect.
There should also be mush tougher minimum sentences for just about every category of violent crime in general. All of this is for nothing without toargeted enforcement and good gear for police. Sadly, things like the firearms registry boondoggle have chewed up thousands of police man hours and cost us money that could be used to correct these problems. Meanwhile Paul Martin, Lorne Calvert and the rest of the slackjawed criminal lovers march right along…
I’m curious – do you think that maybe Ont & Que have such low crime rates because their politicians are busy robbing the rest of Canada blind, so there isn’t as much need?
There should be a two-prong strategy rolled out right away to tackle the problem.
First of all, it is obvious more law enforcement officers are needed in Saskatoon, along with the appropriate resources to deal with the immediate problem.
Secondly, a good long-term approach may be to invest in more education in Riversdale. I see this problem as being rooted in chronic poverty, and the best way to escape poverty is through education. Instead of simply throwing money at the problem, like socialists do, I think investing in education would give young people in Riversdale something to look forward to, so they can become productive citizens and contribute to their province and their nation.
Just some food for thought.
Socialism has treated Saskatchewan well.
Invest in education?
First, you have to convince the social engineers responsible for the mess that you can force children to go to school.
As always, the place to keep up with Canadian politics is the Road Kill Diaries…
As a Yank in Arizona, I am always interested in what is happening in Canada, esspecially with regards to crime…I am shocked to learn that Saskatchewan had the largest growth in crime of the provinces.
Now I know that the penal system is a bit more lovey-dovey in some respects up there, but I thought it would not be different in the West…Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta esspecially so due to your much more rural nature. One would expect crime in Toronto and Ontario in general Vancouver and Quebec and Montreal…but Saskatoon? Edmonton? Nope, not me.
Anyway, keep up the great posts, I learn something new about the Great Dominion of Canada every time I visit!
so just where are the city cops in all this? correct me if i’m wrong, but the last time i looked it was supposed to be the police who cracked heads, not the assorted political hacks in regina. if there’s a policing problem on the west side, maybe its the POLICE who should be held to account?
Angus, I think that the police are at the very bottom of the list of people to blame. They have absolutely no say in how these thugs are brought up, and once they have arrested and processed an offender, it’s out of their hands again. They are just reacting to crime, and picking up the pieces.
Other than the perps themselves, it is Liberal-minded pandering politicians and poverty-pimp activists who are most to blame, because they incite buck-passing among those who most need to get a grip on their own lives. As long as you start from the position that your and your family’s behaviour is caused by people you’ve never even met, there is no possible solution.
Note to dithering impotent politicos: Arm the victims.
I could care less if these socio[pathic animal kill each other but if they extend their violence to the community of peaceful law abiding citizens, their fatality risk should increase exponentially.
If we saw a “gangsta” a day laid out on a slab by some citizen exercising his right to citizen’s arrest and self defense, I guarantee being a “gangsta” would be a very unpopular/short lived vocation.
There would be an immense reduction of youth criminality if poverty did not prevent young people from having things *to make and do*.
Drop in places for woodworking, mechanics, art work, music and other stuff.
I leave it to professionals to design systems where tools, guitars, and art supplies are not simply stolen but are used to help kids persure interests.
Bouncer like security guys as counsellors paid by the government may be the only expense. The community centers and church music rooms are already in place and not fully used.
73s TG
Kate, I get your point, I really do.
If I was running this province, and if forcing children in Riversdale is what it would take to provide a long-term solution to the problem, I would do it without hesitation. But of course I am not in charge, nor am I going to be, and the social engineers, as you correctly refer to them, are not going to listen to us. More is the pity.
Carlos Santana and family are doing solid things to help disadvantaged kids. They seem to have some viable ideas. CarlosSantana.com, I think.
Doubt very much that government could provide much help without going over budget and making all the families of the administration rich, so I sent an Email to Tim Horton’s about North Winnipeg and Saskatoon.
What the heck. Something could happen on a small scale to involve Native teens and young adults in Music, woodworking or cedar mask carving. The mask carving is easy money when you get the hang of it.
Even if only a few find things they like to do, it will be worth it. Many would prefer to quit the gun and knife and do something easier on one’s health anyway.
Ever seen George Leach play guitar with that powerful intensity of his? He can sure play some great Blues and R&B, and I’m glad he’s using that power with the guitar and not with other tools in the street. 73s TG