During a speech in Surrey, British Columbia, the federal Conservative Party leader unveiled plans to combat the surge in extortion crimes impacting the South Asian community. Pierre Poilievre wasted no time in outlining the party’s key priorities for the upcoming Parliamentary session, which include bolstering the national economy, implementing stricter immigration policies, and tackling the escalating extortion crisis head-on.
Prompted by mounting concerns over the activities of the Lawrence Bishnoi group, Poilievre echoed calls for the organization to be designated as a terrorist entity, a move also supported by B.C. Premier David Eby and other regional leaders. The RCMP has linked the Lawrence Bishnoi gang to a spate of extortion and criminal activities targeting South Asian individuals across Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia.
In a bid to combat these crimes effectively, Poilievre emphasized the need for harsher penalties and law enforcement measures. The Conservative leader proposed repealing existing laws that lead to repeat offenders being released and announced plans to introduce a bill establishing new mandatory minimum sentences for extortion-related offenses. These measures would include a minimum four-year sentence for a first offense, five years for offenses involving a firearm, and seven years for offenses involving arson.