Manitobans are incredible people. Almost annually our residents are recognized as the top charitable givers in the country. In addition, Manitobans are also among the most generous when it comes to giving their time and volunteering in their communities and around the province.
So with all the great things about Manitoba and Manitobans, it continues to be disappointing that annually, the province is identified as having the highest violent crime rate in Canada. That was the case again this past week when Statistics Canada released a report that we once again top the country in violent crime victimization. And behind the statistics are real individuals who not only lose personal property or have the physical scars of a crime, often they lose a personal sense of security.
Equally concerning is the fact that it doesn’t seem we are about to lose this distinction anytime soon under the NDP government. While other provinces such as Alberta, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Ontario saw very significant declines in their violent victimization rate in 2014, Statistics Canada says that Manitoba’s rate showed no real change.
Perhaps that doesn’t come as much of a surprise. When looking at the re-offence rates for the province, they have only gone up since 2007. The majority of offenders who leave a provincial correctional centre are charged with an offence within two years of their release which means our justice system isn’t much more than a revolving door.
The reality is that the high violent crime rate in Manitoba is a direct result of not being able to reduce the re-offence rate.
And while the NDP always have a ‘wait till next year’ approach in promising that things will get better soon, they have been saying that for more than a decade. A look at the most recent crime statistics do not provide hope that things are getting better. In fact, in Winnipeg, the current statistics show that there is an increase in crime this year over last of 8%. That includes an increase in the number of shootings by 12% and an increase in the number of residential Break and Enters by 18%.
For the NDP, the answer is always the same. They release a new strategy or promise on fighting violent crime and promise things will get better. Once the announcement is over and the media have left, nothing much seems to change. Year after year Manitoba continues to be ranked as the worst when it comes to violent crime.
There are many great things about Manitoba and the people who call it home. They deserve to live in a province that is known for those great things and not for the high rate of violent crime.
