TORONTO (TIP): The fear of extortion continues to escalate as the local, provincial and federal agencies continue to grope in the dark without finding any substantial solutions to the problems that have been spreading their tentacles to communities across Canada, especially those with a significant Indian immigrant population.
The worst hit are the affluent members of the Indian community in general and the Sikhs in particular.
Extortions, which have been a rising concern for years, continue to rock meetings of city councils, provincial assemblies, and the national Parliament, the House of Commons.
The problem has been in the public domain that after a series of town hall meetings, debates and deliberations, those allegedly behind the rattling crime have started spreading the terror by making the shocking videos of their actions viral. The other day, a video of a man shooting up a Brampton home while brandishing two pistols allegedly went viral. It sent shock waves among members of the Indian community.
A recent report in a major tabloid of Toronto said that extortion was a “story of people being threatened with violence, like the shooting, or arson to the business or home, if they do not pay up. While the shootings and other acts of violence are carried out by hired local thugs, the money is often wired to organized crime groups in India. While the notoriously vicious and violent Bishnoi gang in India has claimed responsibility for some of these extortion rackets, there are other groups and copycat outfits involved.
“In the Brampton incident earlier this month, the shooting was recorded by an accomplice of the gunman and then sent to the homeowner the next day with a demand for $500,000. While Brampton and the surrounding area are a hotspot for this activity, it’s also been a problem in Winnipeg, Edmonton, and British Columbia’s Lower Mainland,” the report said.
After the Brampton City Council and Mayor urged the Federal Government to declare it a national crisis. Now, the city council of Surrey in BC, headed by Mayor Brenda Loc, passed a unanimous motion calling for a national state of emergency and for strong action by the federal government after 35 extortion incidents since the beginning of the year.
“Surrey is facing a serious and growing crisis of organized extortion, intimidation, and targeted shootings,” Locke said. “Residents and business owners are living in constant fear. Public safety is at risk, and the social and economic impact is real.”
She wants additional police resources, suggesting a joint federal-provincial-municipal task force and expedited deportation of “non-citizens charged or convicted of extortion, firearms offences, or participation in extortion-related criminal activity.”
On return from his India visit, British Columbia Premier David Eby went after the head of a police anti-extortion task force. After his interaction with Indian media in Mumbai, where he found himself in a piquant situation when asked repeatedly about the Hardeep Singh Nijjar case, Eby said that the head of the anti-extortion needed to step aside if he could not demonstrate a sense of urgency in the fight. His remarks about RCMP Assistant Commissioner John Brewer come a day after Brewer repeatedly declined to characterize a wave of extortion-related shootings in the Lower Mainland as a crisis.
Soon after, the premier said that Brewer’s comments “cut at public confidence” and he needed to clarify himself. “If Mr. Brewer does not feel that urgency, does not feel this is a crisis, perhaps he’s not the right person to head up this task force,” Eby said, maintaining that “the reason we established this task force … was to respond to a crisis. We need them to bring that urgency to this job and to do it quickly and effectively for the people of Surrey and the people south of the Fraser,” the premier continued. “That is what they expect, that is what they demand, and that is what I expect.”
A few days earlier, Brewer, in an update on the work of the B.C. extortion task force, held that it was “actively hunting” suspects in 32 files across the Lower Mainland. But he would not describe the situation as a crisis after being pressed to do so in a news conference. Police were “actively hunting” those who were extorting businesses and individuals in B.C. John Brewer urged residents not to take matters into their own hands. This statement came as a sequel to yet another shooting in Surrey, which was believed to be linked to extortion.
There have been instances when victims reportedly retorted and fired back at the extortionists. Interestingly, Brewer apologized for not using the term “crisis” in his news conference and said the opportunity to provide an update had instead called the RCMP’s commitment into question and impacted public confidence.
The issue has been rocking the House of Commons, which resumed its sitting after the holiday break on Monday.
Conservative Deputy Leader Tim Uppal said that Canadians were living in fear in their own neighborhoods as extortion runs rampant right across the country. In British Columbia alone, extortion has increased by nearly 500%, yet the Liberals continue to ignore this crisis, so much so that the Surrey city council desperately passed a unanimous motion to ask the government to take some action. Canadians do not need more empty announcements or more meetings and town halls. Canadians need action. Why was the government ignoring the safety of Canadians? When will the Liberals finally work with us to bring in mandatory minimum sentences for extortion to help protect Canadians? he asked.
Responding to Tim Uppal, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General Sean Fraser admitted that extortion was a real and pressing problem in this country and that members had an opportunity to do something about it. Laws are being debated in Parliament right now that would make it harder for people charged with extortion-related offences to be released on bail, that would result in deeper and longer sentences for people who are convicted of extortion, and that would give new tools to law enforcement, who are asking the House to pass the strong borders act on lawful access so they can investigate, charge, and prosecute criminals. The thing that these different measures have in common is that the Conservative Party of Canada has been obstructing them for months. I ask them to get with the program, support these important bills, and bring extortion to an end in Canada.
Conservative MP Harb Gill from Windsor West, while joining the debate, said that as a former police officer, “I know a crisis when I see one. Extortion is out of control. Businesses and families are being threatened, shot at, and shaken down daily, yet the Liberals deny there is a crisis. They are dragging their feet. Some municipalities are even asking for a state of emergency to be declared. When will the government stop its hug-a-thug policy, work with Conservatives, restore mandatory minimums, and repeal the catch-and-release laws? For crying out loud, do something about this crisis.
Ruby Sahota, Secretary of State, Combatting Crime, intervened to say that in this country, we have life in prison for extortion and mandatory minimum sentences when extortion is committed by organized criminals or with a firearm.” We are taking this issue very seriously. That is why I have crisscrossed the country, finding out what is needed and where the gaps are. Everywhere I have gone, police and law enforcement agencies have asked for lawful access. That was the second measure that we brought to Parliament, but the Conservatives have been obstructing it every step of the way. What do they have against catching extortionists?
Another Conservative MP, Amarjeet Gill from Brampton West, held that extortion was “exploding and terrorizing communities across Canada, such as Brampton and Surrey. Homes and businesses are being threatened and shot at. Families are living in fear. Some residents have recently fled the country. Their families are in fear for their lives. This crime surge cannot become the new normal. Canadians are paying the price, but Canadians deserve safety, not excuses. When will the Liberal government take real action to stop extortion, crack down on organized crime, and keep Canadians safe?
Veteran Affairs Minister Jill McKnight said that the rise in “extortion-related threats, shootings, and intimidation across Ontario and the Lower Mainland is a grave concern. I know how much fear it is causing for families, businesses, and our communities. Our government is advancing expanded legislative powers so that law enforcement has the tools it needs to effectively combat extortion and organized criminal networks. Political opponents in Surrey put aside their differences to act with quick urgency. I am asking their Conservative counterparts to stop obstructing necessary legislation and work with us to provide practical solutions. Our communities need to feel safe at home,” he said.
(If space permits, please carry the full introduction of Prabhjot. If not, please print the following)
(Prabhjot Singh is a Toronto-based Senior Journalist. He can be reached at prabhjot416@gmail.com)
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