It’s been a real problem for a number of years but rural crime has suddenly become of interest to the urban media and our provincial government. One does not want to be cynical but I wonder if two recent legal cases involving shootings and a tragic death helped instigate interest in this long-simmering problem.
Both the Federal and Alberta governments have reacted to find ways to deal with the growing criminal activity outside of the big cities. The federal approach seems to be to get the RCMP to hold public meetings in rural areas and small towns, particularly in Saskatchewan, to try and allay the fears of property owners and residents.
Good luck to them, as all they can do is provide excuses and promises.
What I suspect they really want to do is lay down the law to folks wanting to defend themselves against criminals engaging in home and property invasions for the purposes of theft and vandalism.
After the two recent legal cases it is clear that some people are prepared to take up firearms to deal directly with criminals and trespassers.
No one condones the use of firearms, but property owners are feeling helpless against this crime onslaught and are starting to feel doubly victimized – first by criminals and then by the justice system.
No one doubts the integrity and good intentions of the RCMP but lecturing about legal action against firearm use in defense of property and then making excuses and promises about alternatives doesn’t always go over well with suspicious and anxious property owners.
That’s the crux of the problem - the alternatives don’t work very well.
Telling folks to call the RCMP and let them handle the problem doesn’t hold a lot of credibility when the police are an hour away. Criminals are all too familiar with that reality and also know that property owners are less likely to report thefts when the outcome is usually less than satisfactory.
For instance, even when cattle thieves are caught judges don’t seem to understand the value of the animal and don’t seem to treat the crime seriously. Even prosecuting these cases is low on the priority list.
Interestingly, the Alberta government has reacted quite quickly considering that this issue involves rural voters - a sector not known to be an NDP government favourite.
On the one hand they must be tired of having to deal with another rural issue, but on the other hand they need to nip this matter in the bud before it gets out of hand.
I suspect the political strategy brain trust in the Premier’s office remembered the last time they really annoyed and aggravated rural and agricultural residents - that being the Bill 6 protests back in 2015.
That blunder gave the NDP government a black eye and lots of bad press in the urban media.
The last thing NDP strategists want is more angry protests by citizens being victimized by criminals whilst the NDP government appears to twiddle its thumbs. The ag and rural community may be small and insignificant to the urban-based NDP but they have proven that they can get lots of sympathy from city folks.
To derail that from happening again the government announced that it is providing an additional $10 million to hire more Mounties, prosecutors and staff to deal directly with the rural crime wave.
That all sounds great and is most welcome, but even if fully implemented it would take years to actually have any impact. Those extra law enforcement people have to be recruited and trained – plus they will need infrastructure like offices, equipment and more vehicles. If past bureaucratic experience is any guide I expect that much of the $10 million, if actually spent, may be frittered away within the system.
One would hope that a budget with expenditure timelines and performance goals has been established for the $10 million.
Without such a rigid plan delays are inevitable and sudden cutbacks are lurking.
But one very important goal has already been achieved and that’s the political objective – the $10 million commitment shows that the NDP government has rural Alberta’s back and is resolving the problem.
It’s going to be hard to protest against that action despite the political expediency.
Clearly the NDP government has learned from the past. Unfortunately, unless something more immediate and more visible can be done to allay the fears of rural property owners, drastic responses to ruthless criminality is sure to continue. More next time.
willverboven@hotmail.com