Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition signed by the residents of Prince George and hand delivered by members of city council, who are all deeply concerned about repeat offending, court delays and the growing impact of property crime in our community. The petitioners point out that downtown Prince George businesses continue to face theft, vandalism, broken windows, arson and ongoing public safety concerns, while a small number of prolific offenders are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime.
The petitioners call on the government to strengthen bail provisions for repeat offenders, appoint more judges and prosecutors, increase resources for Crown counsel to reduce court delays and provide additional funding for correctional facilities, rehabilitation programs and release planning. I am pleased to table this petition on behalf of my constituents.