Thoughts on BC Politics and More

This week in Ottawa, yet another private member’s bill became the focus of considerable attention. This time, it was Bill C‑242, known as the Jail Not Bail Act, introduced by Conservative MP Arpan Khanna, who represents Oxford, Ontario. For those who attended my recent crime forum in Kelowna, MP Khanna participated as a guest, taking the time to listen directly to the serious concerns residents raised about crime in our community. The issue of repeat violent offenders being released only to re‑offend is not abstract—it is a reality that many families and businesses here in Kelowna are confronting. I have met with the City of Kelowna on this matter, which has clearly documented the significant and growing impact this problem is having locally. Similar concerns are being raised by residents and local leaders in communities across my riding. It is also important to recognize how we arrived at this point. In 2018, the Trudeau Liberal government passed Bill C‑75, amending the Criminal Code ...

The headline looked harmless enough: “Opposition motion on bail reform voted down in Parliament.” But scratch the surface and you find the real story — an ever-widening rift between Ottawa and the East, and Alberta and the West. At the core is the legal muddle Canadians now endure — courtesy of the Liberal era of “catch-and-release.” Paperwork isn’t finished before the accused is back on the street. Police data and criminologists tell the same tale: a tiny cohort of chronic offenders is responsible for a gross share of crime. This isn’t the familiar 80/20 rule; it’s an ultra-Pareto world in which well under one percent can drive double-digit percentages of the total. Round and round they go — arrest, bail, release — while public confidence drains away ... CLICK HERE for the full story