Solicitor General Reacts to Gang Violence in Williams Lake
Prince George, B.C. – Victoria is keeping a watchful eye on the recent crime wave that’s been plaguing Williams Lake.
The most recent act of violence was an early morning shooting yesterday on Western Avenue which forced the lockdown of local schools. One suspect is in police custody and a gun has been seized in relation to the incident.
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Morris says the provincial government takes what’s happening there “very seriously.”
“The gun violence is not acceptable and neither is endangering the lives of innocent bystanders. We want all families to be safe and as Solicitor General I want to assure the people of Williams Lake that significant law enforcement resources are targeting those involved in this criminal activity and subjecting them to the full rigour of the law.”
He says an example of government action is the recently announced $23 million dollar boost to the Province’s ‘Guns and Gangs’ strategy, which promises more police teams and more prosecutors in fighting gang violence.
Morris also points out BC’s anti-gang unit “has been engaged in Williams Lake for some time” while “government staff have been meeting with key civic and First Nations leaders to support them in building a community safety plan that includes a vision for reducing violent, prolific offending in the region.”
He also acknowledges simply targeting prolific offenders isn’t always enough.
“Local knowledge and community leadership is critical to the success of this work, and that’s why we’ve been gathering input, and assure the local leaders that we support their crime-prevention and reduction priorities.”
Comments
Oh, it’s funny how we aren’t allowed to talk about what ethnic group are behind the violence. Doing so puts us in a light worse than the criminals in this Liberal world.
But hey, let’s just pretend it isn’t a certain group.
Leroy, who do ya think they’re run by?
All our gang violence is run from or started in the lower mainland,
the gangs are made up of every nationality, and all but very few independents who get approval from the HA to operate.
Actually Grizzly you are partly right but for Williams Lake why do you think first nations leaders are involved? That is a clue.
What we need is a gang of good undercover cops to have a war with the bad guys and all the bad guys get shot dead. Shoot,shutup,shovel end of gangs.
Gangs and gang mentality are everywhere…. Every race, Every country…. it is a societal problem obviously. For those who think different or point fingers at one group live in bubble; please enlighten yourselves lol. Although I must admit pointing fingers and regurgitating the hateful opinions of others throughout life is so much easier and takes the onus off what we have done to help one another… which is nothing I am guessing.
Welp, I support Griz and Medeon’s comments and approach on this subject so give me a thumbs down.
I heard this was a truf war between a First Nations Gang and your typical mainstream gang, if that’s the case it would be the First Aboriginal Gang of it’s kind in BC history. Hardly an epidemic, when you consider all the other gangs in BC and even PG who are usually affliated in some way with the Hell’s Angels.
Only the ignorant would point out Aboriginals in this rare case yet fail to mention the many other ethic groups like asians, east indians, etc. involved in gangs in the lower mainland. Crime is an equal opportunity employer that does not consider race, although surprise surpise, poor socio-economic conditions are a common factor.
“First Aboriginal Gang”..??. From under which rock have you been living? Aboriginal Gangs are nothing new.
It is safe to say, ethnicity should not matter though. A gang is a gang, white, black, yellow, red…. they ALL end up affecting the lives of innocent people and corrupting vulnerable youth.
The understated issue is that our legal system has shown leanience in favour of FN criminals in the past. Too many times, the fact that a criminal grew up in an alcoholic/abusive emvironment on the rez, has been cited as a defense for their behavior and has such gotten consideration by the courts when it comes to sentencing.
The idea of special treatment because of ethnicity is racism. Right is right, wrong is wrong… period. You commit the crime you do the time. I firmly believe in the 3 strike rule: if you get 3 criminal convictions then you get sent to a work camp on Baffin Island for a minimum 15 years of hard time.
We may not be allowed by society to use the death penalty, but it is time to show criminals that the innocent, law abiding public is taking our world back.
@ watchdog; If you are going to read and comment on my comments you really should read my comment correctly, I did not say First Aboriginal Gang…, I stated; “First Aboriginal Gang of it’s kind in BC history.”
Might want to fact check that watchdog, sure you will find Aboriginal Gangs else where in Canada, but B.C.? Hardly. Do your research and try to find an other Aboriginal Gangs in B.C. There are none, because the Aboriginal Gang in Wlliams Lake is the first of its kind in “B.C. history”. Now gangs in general, that has been a real problem all over B.C. including here in PG.
I enjoy researching and learning about facts and history instead of relying on someone else’s heresay and fanciful off-the-wall misinformed opinions.
JGalt..”I enjoy researching and learning about facts and history instead of relying on someone else’s heresay and fanciful off-the-wall misinformed opinions.”….
Might want to fact check that watchdog, sure you will find Aboriginal Gangs else where in Canada, but B.C.? Hardly. Do your research and try to find an other Aboriginal Gangs in B.C. There are none, because the Aboriginal Gang in Wlliams Lake is the first of its kind in “B.C. history”.
These are YOUR WORDS…I believe that you are quite full of it.
Lets try your “misinformed” challenge shall we?
-712 crew (Anaham reserve based gang from back in the 1990’s)
-CRW (aka: Chilcotin Rebel Warriors (circa 90’s to present)
-IO (aka Indian Outlaws)
JGalt, these are just the Williams Lake based First Nations gangs…Williams Lake area is where they started.
Now for the rest of BC’s First Nations gangs:
-Native Blood
-Cree Boys
-Indian Posse
-Native Syndicate
-Redd Alert
All of these gangs are operating within BC, many have been for (in some cases) 10-25 years. BC’s shipping ports make our province a hotspot for importing drugs and shipping out stolen merchandise.
Maybe before you go making accusations, you should do more than just make sh#t up and try calling them “facts”
BTW JGalt, your “street cred” no longer holds any standing..
watchdog; State your sources please so that I/We can verify the facts you have presented… otherwise your comment is just more hearsay and uninformed opinions.
“-712 crew (Anaham reserve based gang from back in the 1990’s)
-CRW (aka: Chilcotin Rebel Warriors (circa 90’s to present)
-IO (aka Indian Outlaws)”
These are all just “wanna-be” gangs, defined from the same source I quote below.
By the way, your statement; “Now for the rest of BC’s First Nations gangs:
-Native Blood
-Cree Boys
-Indian Posse
-Native Syndicate
-Redd Alert”
are all gangs in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskachewan. You got that list from this source (3rd and 4th paragraphs), and these are all Alberta and Manitoba Gangs.
ht tps://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/brgnl-gngs-nvstgtn-2006/index-en.aspx#a07
Not bad though watchdog, you now know more more about Aboriginal Gangs than you did before, right?
First off JGalt, try actually googling Native/aboriginal gangs bc. After that read only recognized sources ie:globe and mail, williams lake tribune, or maybe even just google the names I have provided for you. All of which do in fact have/had operations within bc.
To answer your question, I learned more about Daniel Wolfe. Other than that, I was already quite familiar with gang lifestyle. I have not led a sheltered life in the least.
So, let’s give you some practice for internet searching… Your “Cursory Reflections on Political and Commercial Topics” are nothing more than “Efforts by an Invalid”…
A gang is a gang. Those who use the term “wannabe” in reference to a gang are either simpletons who know nothing, or are actually affiliated. I highly suspect you are not the latter
If you are of/were the lifestyle, you’d know what the term “goof” really implies… You goof..
Do your research assignment sir, I dont believe that you are a literary composer from the highlands, but you may be one who uses the term “wannabe”
Leanience is never shown to minority groups – ever. They are a minority and suffer the consequences of it, plain and simple. Also, they didnt choose how they grew up, we did as a society – and still do to this day. It is a world wide phenomenon – I really don’t know how anyone could think different…
Thats not bad: Grizzly2 -12 score; JGalt -13 score; Medeon -5 score.
Seen some pro-racist comments on here in the past that would get more than 50 thumbs up scores, and comments to the contrary getting as many thumbs down negative scores. Moving towards civility and open minded fairness is a gradual process, but we can see it happening in the numbers on here.
No racist comments so far only in your mind. Comments are just pointing out the facts that there are native gangs along with others, equal opportunity.
The conservatives tried to toughen up punishment but our dear leader will have none of it so with help from the liberal left justice system the tougher laws rescinded.
“He (Morris)also acknowledges simply targeting prolific offenders isn’t always enough.”
What is meant by “targeting? Does it mean running them in, charging them and making sure they get their day in court, face the full force of the law, get convicted and get locked up?
I do not believe that this has been happening! There should not even be such a thing as a “prolific” offender! Three strikes and you are out, meaning one stays locked up for a length of time set by whether or not a criminal is fit to be released (as a reformed human being) back into society! Our society has lost its backbone!
I do believe that Mr. Morris is acknowledging that the judicial system has their hands tied when it comes to the prolific offenders. Morris did his time behind the badge, he knows the issues. He cannot(as one man) arbitrarily put an end to the prolific offender issue.
I do however, believe that he is capable of affecting change in the right direction. As I had mentioned in a previous post.. time for a judicial overhaul.
I agree, one example is to just look at the Helen Betty Osbourne case….. disgusting.
Williams Lake rank 6th highest nationally on Canada’s crime severity index, there are many BC cities that place way above average on the crime severity index. Fort St. John ranks 11th, Prince Rupert 8th, Terrace 10th, Prince George 14th, etc. Heck even the playground for the rich and famous Whistler, BC ranks 19th out 239 Canadian cities. No First Nations living around Whistler, that’s for sure.
So why are a disproportionately large number of BC cities ranking so high on the national crime severity index? We have had this faux Liberal Government in BC for going on 15 consecutive years and what have they done so far to reduce crime? Absolutely nothing, under this government crime has proliferated and crime severity is sky-rocketing!!!
www. statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2012001/article/11692/tbl/csivalue-igcvaleurs-2011-eng.htm
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