Ottawa, ON – Frank Caputo, Conservative Shadow Minister for Public Safety, issued the following statement on the recently obtained letter from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang:
“According to documents obtained by CBC, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claims to have more than 5,000 members in Canada, claims to possess ‘more guns’ than the police, has threatened ‘every’ Canadian business with extortion and has declared its intention to ‘take over’ Canada.
“Bishnoi-affiliated operatives have been linked to extortion, shootings, arson, auto theft, drug trafficking and intimidation across British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.
“This is not just a threat against one community. It is a threat against public safety, the rule of law and Canada’s sovereignty.
“For years, the Liberals waved people through with weak screening, poor enforcement and little regard for public safety. The result is exactly what Canadians are now witnessing: criminal networks exploiting our immigration system, operations across provincial borders, terrorizing business owners through extortion and using Canada as a base for organized crime.
“It is no wonder that extortion incidents are up nearly 300% since the Liberals took office in 2015.
“Conservatives have warned that organized criminal networks were exploiting weaknesses in Canada’s immigration and border security. Despite repeated warnings from law enforcement, victims, and community leaders, the Liberal government has failed to act with the urgency this crisis demands.
“That is why Conservatives successfully pushed for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang to be designated as a terrorist entity, giving law enforcement stronger tools to freeze assets, disrupt operations and punish those who threaten Canadians.
“In May, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called on the Liberal government to crack down on extortion by reversing Bill C-16’s get-out-of-jail-free provisions, increasing mandatory minimum sentences for organized crime-linked extortion to 10 years, and deporting visiting criminals, including members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. He also called for the passage of the Stand on Guard law to better protect Canadians and their families.
“We have further called for stronger immigration screening, tougher anti-fraud measures, faster deportations of foreign criminals, and greater transparency around warrants and removals.
“Canadians deserve to feel safe at home and at work, and should be able to trust that police have the tools to keep them safe. After a decade of Liberal negligence and soft-on-crime laws, that trust is broken.
“Conservatives will restore safe streets, secure our borders, defend Canada’s sovereignty, deport visiting criminals, stand with law enforcement and ensure that criminals face justice.”