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By rdnewsNOW Staff

Stakeholder Perspectives

MPs Calkins and Zimmer co-host virtual rural crime panel discussion

Apr 12, 2021 | 1:03 PM

Rural crime was the focus of a virtual panel discussion co-hosted by Red Deer-Lacombe Conservative MP, Blaine Calkins last week.

The event held on April 8 also featured Bob Zimmer, Member of Parliament for Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies.

“As Chair of the Conservative Rural Crime Caucus, I am pleased we had the opportunity to once again speak to Canadians about the issues of rural crime and update them on Conservative initiatives to combat this very serious issue,” said Calkins, in a release. “The Liberal’s soft-on-crime agenda has created countless victims of crime all across Canada, particularly in rural areas. Canadians deserve better, and Canada’s Conservatives are working hard to target criminals who target rural Canadians.”

Calkins and Zimmer welcomed a variety of panelists, including representatives from the RCMP’s E Division North and K Division, the president of the Alberta Provincial Rural Crime Watch Association, an Investigation and Risk Management Specialist, and a victim of rural crime.

Government officials say the panelists spoke about how measures to address rural crime have been progressing, current trends, as well as how the pandemic and associated public health orders have impacted rural crime.

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Other topics covered were concerns surrounding habitual offenders, crime prevention, the role of civil society in addressing rural crime, and inadequacies in the justice system.

“I want to thank everyone who participated in this discussion as well as Blaine for his continued efforts on this important issue. He has always been a stalwart defender of rural Canadians,” said Zimmer. “Crime has affected far too many in our community. Instead of this Liberal government focusing on the ones perpetuating the crime, they have chosen to focus resources on law-abiding firearms owners and reducing consequences for serious crime. We need a government that will tackle rural crime straight on.”