Madam Speaker, what is the consequence of a weak immigration system? It is extortion.
What is the consequence of a government that believes that the perpetrators of crime are in fact the victims? It is extortion.
What is the consequence of loosening bail conditions and reducing sentencing for violent crimes? It is extortion.
We have an extortion problem in Canada because we have a Liberal government that has weakened the Criminal Code. Families and businesses are all suffering the consequences because of the Liberals' decisions.
First, with regard to a weak immigration system, when immigration screening and enforcement are lax, transnational gangs exploit these gaps to recruit members, move individuals across borders and establish operations in Canada. This creates an environment where organized crime thrives, enabling intimidation and extortion schemes targeting vulnerable businesses, especially in sectors like transportation and retail. Strengthening immigration enforcement and closing loopholes are essential to prevent criminal infiltration and protect Canadians.
Second, the government treating perpetrators as victims is an erosion of deterrence. Policies that prioritize offenders over public safety weaken accountability. When violent criminals are portrayed as victims, sentencing becomes lenient and consequences diminish. This emboldens repeat offenders, undermines deterrence and signals to criminal networks that Canada is a low-risk environment for extortion-related crimes.
Third, loosening bail conditions and reducing sentences increases violent crimes. Bills like Bill C-5 and Bill C-75 in previous parliaments have allowed dangerous offenders to be released repeatedly, eroding public confidence and enabling crime to spread. The result is that extortion threats in British Columbia have surged 481% since 2015. Firearms-related offences are up 130%, and homicides have risen 29%. These trends show that soft-on-crime laws are directly correlated with escalating violence and intimidation.
Canada's extortion crisis is not isolated. It is the product of systemic weaknesses in immigration enforcement, criminal justice philosophy and bail-sentencing laws. Businesses and families are paying the price for policies that have prioritized criminals over communities. A year ago, Conservatives put forward a plan to tackle this head-on. Indeed, I sponsored the bill to put in force mandatory jail time for extortion with a firearm and to remove house arrest as an option for these violent crimes. The Liberals did not vote for it. They voted against it. Since then, thousands of new extortion cases have expanded across Canada.
The government's refusal to act until recently has only emboldened criminals and left victims without justice. When will the government make the change, bring forward the legislation that is going to have a real impact and stop this crisis, which is ruining the reputation of Canada, ruining businesses and ruining families?