SASKATOON — Opposition leader Carla Beck has rolled out the Saskatchewan-NDP’s plan of addressing the root of crime if provincial voters give them the majority to form a government in this year’s general election.
The Regina Lakeview MLA was in Saskatoon on Friday, Aug. 30, to make the announcement, accusing Premier Scott Moe and the Sask Party-led government of disregarding the issues of addiction, crime and homelessness in the province.
Beck said that in the past, Saskatchewan was a place where doors could be left unlocked, and people felt safe in businesses and neighbourhoods. However, a lot has changed, and their proposed four-point plan would make the province safe again.
“Under Scott Moe and the Sask Party, we now have the highest rate of violent crimes in the entire country. Their [Sask Party] solution, a Marshal Service that no one asks for that nearly 100 municipalities oppose,” said Beck.
“[The Marshal Service] could waste tens of millions of dollars that could be put to better use. We need to get our province out of last place regarding crime. It is time for change, and that is why we are here today to release our plan to get tough on crime and its causes.”
The NDP plans to scrap that provincial Marshals Service and redirect the money to hire more local police officers, invest in mental health and addiction services, pursue organized crime and drug traffickers, and allocate $2 million for a security rebate program.
“Many sectors described the Marshals plan as a solution no one asked for. The problem of crime, mental health and addictions is real. The response from the Sask Party was a Marshal Service that wouldn’t see boots on the ground until 2026,” said Beck.
“We’ve already spent $20M on a service for things like, I’m not sure you know, logos and some background work when what we needed was boots on the ground right away. We’ve asked them to scrap the Marshal Services.”
Beck added that the task force would pursue drug traffickers who have attained unexplained wealth. At the same time, the rebate program would help families, small businesses, and places of worship invest in security alarms, cameras, and motion sensor lights.
“Being able to monitor from your phone if someone is trying to break into your house. In some rural areas, one of the problems is that their cameras don’t connect to the internet. It has to be practical solutions,” she said.
“We’re not looking for slogans. We’re looking for effective crime reduction and support for mental health and addictions. That is what we’re talking about getting tough on crime and its causes and treatment for mental health and addictions.”
She said that addiction and crime are two different issues, and both need to be addressed, as everyone, including those who frequent safe consumption sites and the neighbourhoods around these facilities, needs to have a sense of security.
“There are many interfaces here, but in terms of safe consumption sites, no one wants people to be using drugs. We can start there. Everyone wants to feel secure in their communities. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to this,” said Beck.
“We need to keep people alive until they can get into treatment. We need to keep people safe in their communities while we are dealing with mental health and addiction crises. We don’t need highly divisive and polarizing positions instead of solutions.”
Beck said other opposition members, like Housing and Social Services Critic Meara Conway, have also met with various community leaders to understand the issue and shortcomings of addressing homelessness in the province.
“We’ve discussed in length with many stakeholders what solutions might be, the absolute folly of the [Saskatchewan Income Support] program. Changes that need to be done with the SIS program, which has fueled both addiction and homelessness,” said Beck.
“The fact that we have thousands of social housing units that are empty at a time when we have people that are homeless. There are many contributing factors to the problem we see in front of us. Every day this problem goes unresolved, whole communities are suffering.”
She added that the current Saskatchewan government lacks political will and has been making policy choices that worsen the problems instead of devising solutions that will cause the entire province to suffer.
“This is a government that knows these issues. They have the same meetings that we have. They understand what the concerns are, and they have chosen not to act. We deserve better than that. Our [the NDP] government would get tough on crime and its causes,” said Beck.
