It was a motion supported by MPs across the country, sending a clear message that something needs to be done about rural crime.
Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs presented Motion 167 to the House of Commons on Feb. 1. Over the course of the following months, she debated the issue and travelled communities across Canada, where she witnessed the same concern as her own constituents.
“Thousands of Canadians from right across the country supported Motion 167, and I know that they reached out to Liberal Members of Parliament across the country to tell them to ensure that it passed the House of Commons,” Stubbs said.
The motion requires the Standing Committee for Public Safety and National Security to investigate the issue of rural crime in Canada.
Stubbs added, “They can go ahead and start work to take concrete action on rural crime with recommendations within six months.”
In order to move forward, Motion 167 needed a majority vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday, May 30, but it went beyond just getting a few head nods, it received unanimous consent.
According to Stubbs, it’s unusual for an opposition member to have so much support for a motion requiring action.
“It was moving during the vote on the motion to see that we all still came together, despite our regular and passionate disagreements, to prioritize this issue,” expressed Stubbs.
With over 101 endorsements from local crime watch groups, provincial MLAs, municipalities, and major municipal associations in seven provinces, it was clear this was an issue that stretched outside of the Lakeland.
“The place it (crime) is escalating the most, especially with robberies and increasing violence, is in rural Canada, with the highest bump being in rural Alberta,” Stubbs explained. “The fact that the Standing Committee for Public Safety and National Security hasn’t yet focused on rural crime and been able to start working on it and prioritize it here, is what motivated me to bring forward this motion when I had the opportunity to do so.”
The Standing Committee for Public Safety and National Security will spend the next six months reviewing the issue of rural crime, including interviews with residents, business owners, and organizations.
Stubbs is hoping it will result in concrete recommendations to take action against rural crime across the country, RCMP staff resoures, and policies in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
“The next step is the standing committee is mandated to begin an analysis and assessment,” detailed Stubbs. “I will be giving my recommendations to my colleagues who are a part of that committee for witnesses they need to call across Canada and I will be suggesting to them municipal representatives and members of law enforcement.”
Although she doesn’t sit on the committee responsible for the review, she encourages people to contact her office “if they have suggestions for people they would really like to see speak on record.”
During discussion of Motion 167, the NDP suggested amendments to include measures to increase the tatical and operational effectivenes of Indigenous police forces, strategies, and resources for rural judicial and rehabilitation systems, and improved support for rural crime victims.
“The NDP proposed an amendment that I thought highlighted an important issue, with which I agreed and adopted to the motion. I think all of us coming together just to do the right thing and to highlight this issue, which is an urgent crisis in rural communities across Canada, I was glad to see that that could happen in the midst of so many issues that we are actively holding the Liberals to account on,” Stubbs said.
She added, “I know there is a shortage of frontline RCMP, resources, and staff shortages, who are doing the best that they can to serve in big rural regions, with all of the challenges that already come with policing a rural area.”
She also noted there is a feeling that rural communities are facing situations that just “wouldn’t be acceptable to urban residents.”
Stubbs referred to the shortages in rural detachments, the continuing issue of rural crime, lack of visible police presence, and ability to protect law abiding citizens, as prime examples.
“Rural Canadians deserve the same safety and security as urban Canadians,” she added.
Stubbs does have concerns moving forward when it comes to the Liberals’ proposed firearms and justice legislations.
“They’re going in the opposite direction from what I hear from the constituents in the Lakeland, who want to see stricter penalities and they want the revolving door of the justice system to stop. They want people who are forced to protect themselves, their families, and their homes to not be re-victimized and then criminalized.”
From what she can tell, the federal government isn’t headed that way, which is one of the reasons why she is encouraging her consitutuents to reach out during the committee’s analysis.
“I hope the committee will hear from as many people as possible over the next six months, so they can hear that side from Canadians, that they want to put the rights of law abiding Canadians and victims of crime ahead of the rights of criminals,” Stubbs emphasized.
Time and time again, Stubbs has heard that the number one concern across the Lakeland, the province, and the country, is the increase in rural crime.
“It’s harming their homes, businesses, and making them feel unsafe in their communites,” expressed Stubbs. “I hope I’m earning my keep on behalf of my constituents, because I know that people feel vulnerable, that they feel like sitting ducks, and that they feel targeted.”
