DAWSON CREEK -- A Dawson Creek resident is urging Ottawa to put a stop to a so-called increase of crime in Northern B.C.
According to Kaylee Lindberg, she reached out to local MP Bob Zimmer after reports of shots fired near the school she works at. Together, they have put forward a petition to the House of Commons.
They are calling for a repeal of soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that they say have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada. They are also looking to end the decriminalization of hard drugs and stop the tax-funded handout of hard drugs. They say they hope the Canadian government can also invest money into treatment and recovery and bring our loved ones home drug-free.
Lindberg says northern communities should not have to accept the violent consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime. “It's starting to get scary just to go out for a walk by myself. It’s just becoming a lot more prevalent, especially recently when we had that shooting about two blocks from the school where I work. We heard the shots while kids were outside, and that was that was a real eye opener.”
Lindberg says she’s not alone. She says many residents across the Peace Region feel unsafe in their own neighbourhoods due to the increase in drive-by shootings and drug-related crime.
The petition is currently open online for signatures. It will close on March 19, 2024.
The petition comes after five reports of shots fired in a four-day stretch at the end of November, which prompted the province to send the uniformed gang enforcement team to the city.
