Bernier presents petitions on rise in crime to BC Legislature

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Peace River South MLA Mike Bernier presented a petition on a perceived rise in crime in Dawson Creek to the B.C Legislature on Wednesday.

The petition Bernier submitted was started by the Concerned Citizens group in Dawson Creek, which got over 3,000 signatures from residents.

The Dawson Creek Concerned Citizens group has been taking steps in the community to bring attention to the rise in crime in the area. They recently sent a letter to the Peace River Regional District, prompting the board to contact the Attorney General. 

Bernier also presented a second petition on the rise in crime in Nanaimo.

Bernier explained that the residents of the Nanaimo region had been dealing with similar issues and had contacted him for help. 

“They’ve got an NDP MLA down there, and they weren’t getting attention, so they got ahold of me as well,” Bernier explained. 

Bernier said B.C. residents and the RCMP are frustrated with the “catch and release” system in place. 

“People are upset with the catch and release system that seems to be going on where people seem to know who these criminals are,” Bernier said.

“Our RCMP, I think, are just equally as frustrated from what they’re telling me because they do the work that they can within the law that they have to, but then these guys aren’t getting charged or going to jail.”

Bernier said he hopes these petitions coming forward will force the NDP government to look at the court system and how it’s run.

“We have some debates coming up in the legislature in the next month that I’ll be taking part in as well to just keep pushing government to say, this isn’t acceptable anymore,” Bernier said. 

“We have to hold these people accountable. We have to charge them, and they have to be convicted.”