New Westminster, BC: Amid a shocking 200% spike in robberies and rampant open drug use in downtown New Westminster, MLA Steve Kooner is calling on the NDP government to stop obstructing police and start enforcing the law.
Recent comments from Sgt. Andrew Leaver confirm that the BC Prosecution Service, under the direction of the NDP’s Attorney General — is refusing to approve charges for possession of hard drugs.
“The people of New Westminster are being forced to live with open crack smoking, street-level drug dealing, and escalating violent crime,” said Kooner. “Police are doing their job. The Attorney General isn’t. Enough is enough.”
Kooner, who serves as the Official Opposition Critic for the Attorney General, is calling on the Minister to immediately instruct the BC Prosecution Service to approve charges for all cases of simple possession of hard drugs — particularly in situations involving public use, repeat offenders, or threats to public safety.
“The NDP’s policy of quietly refusing to prosecute possession has turned downtown New Westminster into a no-go zone,” said Kooner. “The Attorney General must end this ideological experiment before more families and businesses pay the price.”
The rise in crime has left residents and business owners frustrated and afraid. With the NDP refusing to enforce even the most basic drug laws, trust in the justice system is collapsing.
“We need consequences for criminal behaviour,” said Kooner. “People in New Westminster deserve law and order, not NDP excuses.”
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Media contact:
Jack Alarie, Communications Manager
Jack.Alarie@leg.bc.ca
+1 (672) 922-1142
