Strengthen public crime reporting
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to strengthen public reporting on intergovernmental coordination to prevent rising violent and organized crime. The government responds it uses task forces, funding, laws and improved national crime data.
Why we would sign this petition
- Makes intergovernmental efforts transparent, enabling public oversight and informed civic pressure if coordination or results are insufficient.
- Promotes accountability and can help target prevention resources where trends show rising violent and organized crime.
- Provides communities and victims with measurable indicators of progress, supporting evidence-based policy adjustments and trust.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- May duplicate existing reporting systems, adding bureaucracy without producing clearer outcomes.
- Producing more public reports could divert funds and staff from frontline enforcement and prevention activities.
- Detailed public reporting risks revealing operational information or sensitive data that could hinder active investigations or privacy.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WHEREAS Organized violence, extortion, shootings and intimidation across the Lower Mainland and beyond is rising. Daylight shootings, murders and violence underscore a broader public safety crisis. Such as the tragic death of Darshan Singh Sahsi in Abbotsford. THEREFORE We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to reinforce the process of public reporting so Canadians can clearly see how federal, provincial and local governments are working together to prevent further increases in violent and organized crime.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Public Safety Signed by JACQUES RAMSAY, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY The Government of Canada takes the issue of organized crime and extortion seriously, and is committed to addressing the complex and evolving threats facing our communities that are posed by transnational criminal organizations. This includes taking clear and concrete steps to disrupt organized crime, such as through the listing of the Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code, and the introduction of stricter bail provisions for extortion offences through Bill C-14 . In addition, federal legislation such Bill C-2, the Stronger Borders Act, will help give law enforcement the tools they need to fight back against organized crime. These investments will provide enhanced intelligence sharing and enforcement capacity to combat transnational criminal networks and cut off the flow of illicit money that fuels them. The Government of Canada acknowledges the impact that extortion is having on communities across British Columbia, particularly in the Lower Mainland. This issue is of national concern and requires coordinated leadership and action from all levels of government and law enforcement. The Trilateral Summit on Extortion on November 28, 2025, concluded with a a unified pledge to disrupt organized crime networks and protect businesses and residents across the Lower Mainland. At the event, the Minister of Public Safety announced the investment of $1.5 million in funding through Public Safety Canada’s Crime Prevention Action Fund for the Yo Bro Yo Girl Initiative to launch a Youth Engagement Hub in Surrey, BC. This initiative aims to support up to one thousand youth by bringing together schools, law enforcement, and community partners to reduce gang involvement through mentorship, employment training, and counselling In addition, to support victims of extortion, the Government of Canada is providing the Government of British Columbia with $500,000 over two years, through Justice Canada’s Victims Fund, for four additional victim service and community outreach workers to assist the B.C. Extortion Task Force and local police. This funding will also support the development and translation of public resources, including webpages and safety planning tools, to improve cultural relevance and accessibility. The federal investment will be matched by the province and address the need for additional victim services and community outreach in Lower Mainland communities, particularly Abbotsford and Surrey. The federal Government has also allocated $390 million over five years to support provinces and territories with prevention programs and law enforcement initiatives through the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, and $250 million through the Building Safer Communities Fund. The Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund has invested $100,000 in the province of BC to support Crime Stoppers in delivering a 60-day public awareness campaign focused on extortion prevention and education. In September 2025, a provincial extortion task force was established in British Columbia with approximately 40 investigative resources drawn from various policing agencies, including the British Columbia Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Abbotsford Police Department, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit – B.C. (CFSEU-BC), Delta Police Department, Metro Vancouver Transit Police, Surrey Police Service, and the Canada Border Services Agency. The task force has been focused on covert and overt investigative strategies, gathering and analyzing evidence, interviewing witnesses, executing search warrants, and managing evolving risks – with the goal of identifying those responsible for committing the criminal offence of extortion, securing criminal charges against suspects, bringing these matters before the courts, and holding those responsible accountable. Recently, the RCMP has implemented the strategic deployment of resources based on intelligence from the Task Force to focus on prevention, deterrence and intelligence gathering in support of ongoing investigations. These resources include, but are not limited to, Emergency Response Teams and Police Dog Services throughout the province, CFSEU-BC, and British Columbia Highway Patrol. This multi-agency approach allows for leveraging police resources and ensuring seamless information sharing. The task force is also working with the RCMP’s National Coordination and Support Team (NCST) in partnership with police departments in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and abroad, to address the rise in extortion crimes. Their coordinated efforts have led to arrests in all three provinces. The Government of Canada is committed to providing the justice community and the public with transparent, relevant, and high-quality data on crime trends. A key mechanism supporting this commitment is the National Justice Statistics Initiative (NJSI), which serves federal–provincial–territorial Deputy Ministers of Justice and Public Safety. Through its Liaison Officers Committee (LOC), partners guide the work of the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics (CCJCSS), a division of Statistics Canada, ensuring accurate, coherent, and timely national crime and justice data. This coordinated approach enables the Government to identify emerging threats—such as extortion—monitor regional trends, and support evidence-based policymaking, resource allocation, and enforcement strategies, ultimately helping Canada respond more effectively to public safety challenges. The Government of Canada affirms that the safety, dignity, and well-being of all Canadians remain central to its public safety agenda and core responsibilities. Intimidation and violence of any kind have no place in Canada, and we are committed to ensuring communities feel secure, respected, and protected.