MLA Elenore Sturko, Official Opposition Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety, on Tuesday slammed Public Safety Minister Garry Begg for his comments at Sunday’s Surrey Public Safety Forum.
Sturko noted that frustration in the South Asian business community reached a boiling point and community members, many of them extortion victims, spoke out about a justice system they no longer trust.
She said that instead of standing with victims, the NDP blamed the community for not coming forward. Begg’s comments “made in front of survivors and concerned citizens shocked attendees,” she added.
Sturko said: “Garry Begg blamed the community for not coming forward with information about crimes. Shameful. Community members have told me they are afraid to come forward out of fear that violent criminals out on bail will retaliate. It is no wonder they have lost faith in the NDP-Liberal catch-and-release system.”
She pointed out that so far this year, Surrey Police have confirmed at least 10 extortion cases, but experts say the real number is far higher. Many victims are too afraid to speak out. One man was murdered. Another business owner is paying for private security. Some presenters at the forum even advocated for vigilantism, underscoring how deeply public trust has eroded.
“People aren’t coming forward because they’ve lost faith that anything will be done, and because they fear violent retaliation,” said Sturko. “The fact that the only public forum on this crisis was organized by a victim, not the government, says everything.”
Sturko also pointed to serious concerns around policing in Surrey, where, she said, the NDP’s $250 million transition has created deep instability. Surrey Police Service is offering $25,000 signing bonuses and $2,000 recruitment bounties to poach RCMP officers, who report being approached while on duty, adding difficulty to the already difficult working relationship in the city.
“Instead of blaming a scared community, Minister Begg and the NDP should take responsibility for the chaos their policies have created,” said Sturko. “It’s time for [Premier] David Eby and [Attorney General] Niki Sharma to show leadership by calling on the federal government to repeal Bill C-75 and C-5, and give police the tools to keep people safe.”
