BC NDP

The New Democrat Opposition today tabled a motion in the Legislature to establish a Legislative Standing Committee to investigate the growth of organized crime in British Columbia.
"Recent police raids on the Legislature have heightened public awareness and concern about the prevalence of organized crime in our province, " said MacPhail.

"According to the RCMP, organized crime is a 'cancer eating at the moral fabric of our province.' And the Solicitor General has used every opportunity to raise the alarm about the prevalence of gangs, drug lords, and other organized crime activity, even suggesting that drug money in BC is finding its way to Afghanistan. But other than political grandstanding, the Solicitor General is all talk and no action when it comes to fighting organized crime."

"Given these worrisome events, the NDP Opposition believes the Legislature has a responsibility to examine the causes of organized crime, to seek input from the public, and to propose practical solutions to halt its spread."

MacPhail said that the BC Liberal government has not followed through on its promise to get tough on organized crime. In March 2003, the Solicitor General told the annual Premier's Congress that he would hold a forum for enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and prosecutors to help fight organized crime. To date, that forum has not taken place.

"In the absence of leadership coming from the Premier and the Solicitor General on organized crime, the Legislature needs to step in and take action," said MacPhail. "That's why, on the first day of the Legislative session, the NDP Opposition is proposing a new committee to get serious about fighting the spread of organized crime in BC."

The motion tabled by the Opposition proposes an Attorney General-Solicitor General Joint Committee. The new committee is in addition to seven other standing committees of the Legislature on issues ranging from Aboriginal Affairs to Crown Corporations.