Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' throne speech was 2,500 words, yet there was not one mention of the opioid crisis or the unprecedented crime wave caused by their policies.
Last week in my hometown of Williams Lake, the city council passed a motion to declare a state of emergency in response to the rising rates of vandalism, open drug use, arson, theft, overdose and public indecency. Businesses cannot even secure the mandatory insurance, because of the high rates of vandalism. Meanwhile, the city is experiencing between 20 and 30 overdoses per day.
City councillor Scott Nelson said the rates of crime, vandalism, drugs and overdoses have “skyrocketed” and are “out of control.” He said, “In Williams Lake, a population of 10,000, six prolific offenders commit over 98% of the crime. When they are in jail, the crime rate goes down; when they are out, it skyrockets. The new government must finally take the fentanyl crisis seriously, get tough on crime, lock up repeat offenders and keep our communities safe.”