Poilievre promises Conservatives will push for action on extortion crimes

The federal Conservative Party leader spoke in Surrey, B.C., Wednesday, promising an action plan to address the crisis of extortion crimes affecting the South Asian community.

Just one day since Pierre Poilievre secured a new seat in the House of Commons after a byelection win in the rural Alberta riding of Battle River—Crowfoot, he began announcing Conservative Party priorities for the fall Parliamentary session.

He says the list includes building a self-reliant national economy, more exclusive and punitive immigration policies, and developing a plan to counter the extortion crime crisis.

The Opposition leader joined numerous calls, including that of B.C. Premier David Eby, to have the federal government label the Lawrence Bishnoi group a terrorist organization.

In recent months, the RCMP has stated that it has linked the Lawrence Bishnoi gang to extortion and other crimes against South Asian community members in Alberta, Ontario, and B.C.

Eby, along with Surrey, B.C., Mayor Brenda Locke, and Brampton, Ont., Mayor Patrick Brown are among several regional politicians who have written to Prime Minister Mark Carney requesting the gang be re-designated to help combat the problem.

“Doing so would allow police to arrest anyone who raises money, organizes, plans, does logistics or recruitment, and put those people in jail — or if they are non-Canadians, kick them out of this country,” said Poilievre Wednesday.

He says Conservatives will also call for the repeal of two criminal laws to “ensure that offenders who engage in extortion go to jail. And they’re not automatically released again and again through the revolving door.”

Finally, Poilievre announced that the party will submit a bill to set new mandatory minimums for prison sentences related to extortion crimes.

The bill would see a first offence increased to a four-year minimum, an offence with a gun increased to five years, and seven years if the offence “involves the use of fire.”