Canada’s secretary of state for combatting crime was in Alberta’s capital city on Thursday to discuss with business leaders public perception of Edmonton’s downtown safety levels. Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Revitalization Coalition (DRC) hosted Ruby Sahota, a Liberal MP from Ontario who is the first to serve in the role since it was created a year ago. Sahota took the podium at a public event to tout several of federal government’s recently passed bills: C-22, known also as the “lawful access” act, which the government says is meant to empower police and intelligence services but has been criticized as an intrusion on privacy and civil rights; C-14, a collection of bail reforms that make it more difficult to get bail for crimes like auto theft, extortion, and other crimes involving violence; and C-14, which strengthens the response to femicide and intimate partner violence, as well as sexual crimes against kids. The latter two came into effect in July. “I’m looking forward to seeing how that works through our provincial courtrooms and how it is applied. Of course, we’re going to continue that conversation because whatever support and help is needed at the federal level, we are there to make sure that these bills are successfully applied and that we see the impacts in our cities,” Sahota said in her speech. Later, asked about the onus placed on provincial governments for criminal justice, Sahota reiterated that each level of government has a role to play and provinces are responsible for courts and prisons. “I feel strongly that a lot of … the changes that were asked of us to be made in the Criminal Code of Canada, we have made,” Sahota said. “It is time to make sure that the courtrooms are resources and that they apply these changes appropriately.” Asked the same question, chamber president and CEO Doug Griffiths said, “The federal and provincial governments, right now, have shown that they are able to communicate and come up with solutions together. I think the next step, besides a pipeline, is to start to talk about what we do in Canada’s major cities and in our communities where we have these social issues.” During her trip, Sahota said she would be going on a ride-along with Edmonton police officers to see what their day looks like, and meeting with other business owners and social agencies that work in central Edmonton. According to Griffiths, business owners continue to report negative effects from public perception that downtown Edmonton is unsafe. He says public perception has not caught up to the data, which has begun to show a slow down in crime. This includes an increase in expenses due to damage or vandalism, or the hiring of security services. “The policy changes that the federal government is making will be able to get at those issues. There are absolutely gaps in the system,” said DRC chair Cheryll Watson. She also applauded the Edmonton Police Service’s new safety plan for downtown. “There’s still a lot of work to be done. Really, we’re calling on the city of Edmonton right now that the council is back to work. Downtown needs to be made a priority.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Dave Mitchell, The Canadian Press and CTVNews.ca
