Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people of Calgary to express concern over the recent sentencing decision that chips away at the public confidence in the justice system.
In a case of extortion in our city, the offender received an 18-month sentence, with six months to be served under house arrest. That is an extremely light outcome given the seriousness of the crime.
This was not a minor offence. The victim was targeted in Calgary and pressured to repay more than $200,000 tied to third party illegal gambling. He was shown images of cut-up body parts in an attempt to scare him. The threat cannot be dismissed as any less than extremely serious.
This case makes one thing clear: Our laws do not reflect the seriousness of extortion and organized crime. It is time to strengthen the law so that criminals face real consequences and Calgarians receive the protection they deserve.