OTTAWA – In the midst of a gang turf war in Surrey that has resulted in an alarming number of shootings and one homicide, Jasbir Sandhu, MP for Surrey North, rose in the House of Commons today to slam the Conservative government for not making public safety a priority.

The recent spate of shootings in Surrey has underscored the need to address gang-related violence in Canada, a need which MP Sandhu has been actively highlighting since 2011. “The violence in Surrey has reached crisis levels. There was another shooting yesterday. That is 25 shootings in the last 8 weeks alone. People in my community are worried for their safety and the safety of their families” explained MP Sandhu.

Surrey residents have been gathering and urging the government to step in and provide more education and outreach programs to end gang-related violence. “Yet, the Conservative 2015 budget didn’t even mention crime prevention, gangs or Surrey. Conservative cuts have left the RCMP unable to manage key crime databases and forensic services. Will the Conservatives stop making excuses and start protecting the public in Surrey?” asked MP Sandhu.

To address this growing problem, Jasbir Sandhu also introduced motion M-407 in the House of Commons calling on the Government to provide stable, long-term funding for youth gang prevention and intervention programs. Conservatives will soon have a chance to vote in favor of this motion and work towards keeping our streets safe.

Sandhu’s question in the House of Commons can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxtJ-82GAyI