Premier Campbell probably wishes that his political legacy over the ages will be as the man who brought the Olympics to Vancouver.
However, he runs the risk that people will associate his reign as premier with – as a British newspaper put it - "blood-spattered streets littered with shell casings and corpses."
Vancouver, normally known throughout the world as a peaceful, beautiful place to live, might become perceived as the place where gangs run amok, shooting and killing with relative impunity.
"We've always been told by media experts to never admit that there is a gang war," the chief of police, Jim Chu, said last month. "Let's get serious. There is a gang war and it's brutal."
Under our system of government, it is the primary role of the premier of a province to do everything possible to keep the citizens safe. This buck stops with the Premier, not with any ministers, as the premier has the power to set the priorities of the provincial government and to appoint the men and women as ministers to achieve those priorities.
Given this primary duty, it is the responsibility of Premier Campbell to lead his ministers on trips to visit each and every MP in Parliament, to lobby for the legislation and resources (money and police) needed to stop the gang warfare in Vancouver's streets, and not to rest until this is achieved.
If the Premier does not reduce gangs substantially, and soon, then he runs the risk of becoming known at the man who was in charge when Vancouver became Gangcouver.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
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4 comments:
So what law would you like in place? Would you be willing to repeal sections on the Charter regarding unreasonable search and seizure, or allow less onerous requirements for wiretaps? Are you in favour of longer sentences for gang-related gun crime or drug crime? Or is the Liberal focus still on rehabilitation of the criminal as opposed to safety for the public? I wonder why all the midnight basketball programs and early childhood intervention programs initiated by the Federal Liberals and their provincial counterparts, as well as the BC NDP didn't prevent this? I'm all confused how these gang members became so violent when for the last 15 years we've had such enlightened, progressive leadership?
Rat, we need tougher laws for possession of guns. Confiscate the car and house where an illegal gun is found. Increase the number of police focused on gangs in Vancouver. Combine the police forces in the cities surrounding Vancouver proper. Allow easier wire taps. Minimum sentences for possession of guns and use of guns. Use anti-racketeering laws to strike at the money raised by gangsters. Allow easier search and seizure rights for police of cars, if an officer has grounds for believing illegal guns might be in the car.
In other words, get real about the problem, and stop it.
I would blame our past Vancouver mayors instead of the premier. By giving a pass to to the grow ops, addicts and their suppliers, we sent the signal far and wide that Vancouver was the New Amsterdam. It was clear thaT the gangs would swiftly move in and grow in such an enviroment.
Owen and Campbell are the ones to blame.
The problem is in the now; the solution is now, not in the past; and those politicians now in power are the ones who must solve the problem.
That's politics.
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