e.
British Columbia Premier David Eby is directing his cabinet to put greater focus on public safety, with a specific emphasis on cracking down on organized crime.
In mandate letters sent to all cabinet ministers in July, Eby outlined priorities for the current term. In his letter to Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Nina Kreiger, he called for stronger collaboration between law enforcement and social agencies.
“Make our neighbourhoods and communities safer by working with law enforcement and social agencies to address street disorder, crack down on organized crime, and do all we can to ensure repeat offenders stay behind bars,” the premier wrote.
Organized crime has become a growing concern in B.C. in recent years, with several high-profile shootings and extortion-related incidents — many reportedly linked to gang activity — particularly in Surrey, a city with a large South Asian population.
The opposition is calling on the provincial government to take stronger action.
Steve Kooner, the Opposition Critic for Attorney General, told Sher-E-Punjab Radio 600 AM that organized crime has been on the rise and that the South Asian community has been disproportionately affected.
“You can see how many incidents of shootings have happened,” Kooner said. “We want the provincial government to make more efforts to put pressure on the federal government to take action against the people who are involved in such activities.”
Kooner said Kreiger should continue pressing Ottawa to take further steps to help curb the violence.