BRAMPTON Mayor Patrick Brown is urging the federal government to take the same action that it took recently in British Columbia to deal with the menace of extortion.
In a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree on Tuesday, Brown wrote: “Following Deputy Mayor Harkirat Singh’s motion, unanimously approved by [Brampton City] Council, we respectfully request that the Government of Canada take the following actions [to combat the rise of extortions]:
“1) Extend dedicated extortion and organized-crime task-force funding to the Region of Peel, mirroring the federal funding and operational model established in British Columbia.
“2) Provide targeted funding for victim support and community outreach, including culturally informed services, safety planning, and initiatives that encourage reporting and protect those who come forward.
“3) Establish formal intelligence-sharing and coordination frameworks between federal, provincial, and municipal law enforcement agencies to enable the effective disruption of transnational criminal networks operating across borders and jurisdictions.”
Brown said: “Extortion driven by transnational criminal networks has increased at an alarming rate in Peel Region, with small businesses and vulnerable community members being disproportionately targeted through threats of violence, arson, and intimidation. The scale, sophistication, and cross-border nature of these crimes place them well beyond what municipal resources alone can sustainably address.”
He added: “Peel Region’s extortion rates now meet or exceed those that justified federal intervention in British Columbia. As such, equitable treatment demands that federal support follow crime severity rather than geography. Without comparable federal investment, communities such as Brampton are left exposed to criminal networks that operate internationally, exploit digital platforms, and rely on intimidation to silence victims.”
Brown said that the actions Brampton City Council have requested “would significantly strengthen public safety, protect vulnerable communities, and ensure a coordinated national response to a threat that is neither local nor isolated.” He added: “Brampton and Peel Region stand ready to work collaboratively with the federal government and our provincial partners to implement solutions that reflect the seriousness of this challenge.”
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