Mayor Takes Extortion Fight to Ottawa
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke is in Ottawa this week with one clear goal. She wants stronger federal action to confront what she describes as a growing national extortion crisis. The issue tops her agenda as she meets with federal ministers, senior officials, and municipal leaders.
According to the mayor, the impact of extortion has spread far beyond individual cases. Families feel unsafe, businesses remain under pressure, and entire communities are living with fear.
Call for a National Emergency Response
Mayor Locke says recent federal steps, including plans to add up to 20 RCMP officers, signal progress. However, she stresses that those measures alone fall short of what the situation demands.
She argues that extortion has reached emergency levels and now requires a coordinated, nationwide response rather than piecemeal solutions.
Proposal for a Commissioner on Extortion Violence
During her Ottawa meetings, Mayor Locke plans to renew her call for the appointment of a Commissioner for Extortion Violence Against Canadians. This role would oversee a broad set of actions aimed at stopping organized crime linked to extortion.
Her proposal includes the rapid deployment of additional RCMP officers, federal organized crime units, and intelligence resources to Surrey. It also calls for federal RCMP leadership of a joint task force involving federal, provincial, and municipal agencies, with authority to act quickly.
Tougher Measures and Greater Transparency
The mayor is also urging Ottawa to speed up the removal of non-citizens charged or convicted of extortion, firearms offences, or related criminal activity. At the same time, she wants a review of legal gaps that may be limiting police ability to arrest, charge, and prosecute offenders effectively.
In addition, she is pushing for quarterly public reports that track the scale of extortion-related crime and measure progress in addressing it.
Message to Federal Leaders
Mayor Locke says the crisis has gone on for too long. While she acknowledges recent movement from other levels of government, she believes decisive action is overdue.
Her message in Ottawa remains direct. Organized crime, she says, cannot be allowed to continue threatening residents and business owners, and immediate action is needed.
Meetings With Big City Mayors
Alongside her federal meetings, Mayor Locke will attend the Big City Mayors’ Caucus. There, leaders from Canada’s largest cities will discuss shared national challenges, align advocacy efforts, and explore solutions to issues affecting municipalities across the country.
The mayor plans to use that forum to reinforce the urgency of coordinated action on extortion and organized crime nationwide.
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