This Week in Alberta
Finally something to report out of Alberta this campaign!
In fairness to the Tories, they have put out a press release with old quotes Keith Martin and Garth Turner made when they were Conservatives, in an effort to show that they are really a tolerant party...
In light of recent shootings in Calgary, Fast Forward contacted Richardson September 18 to ask how the Conservative approach to crime compares to other parties’ approaches. In reply, Richardson said Canada has been too “soft on crime” by showing too much sympathy towards offenders and their civil rights. “Particularly in big cities, we’ve got people that have grown up in a different culture,” said Richardson, 60. “And they don’t have the same background in terms of the stable communities we had 20, 30 years ago in our cities… and don’t have the same respect for authority or people’s person or property.”
Later in the same interview, Richardson brought up the increase of immigrants coming to Canada. “Canada accepts so many refugees, for example,” he said. “These are people that have had a very difficult life from whence they came. If you’ve been in a refugee camp, then you live day-to-day. And those are troubled people. They come here and, well, it’s easy to take advantage of people that are trying to help.”
Richardson added: “Talk to the police. Look at who’s committing these crimes. They’re not the kid that grew up next door.”
In fairness to the Tories, they have put out a press release with old quotes Keith Martin and Garth Turner made when they were Conservatives, in an effort to show that they are really a tolerant party...
Labels: Calgary Centre, Lee Richardson
posted by calgarygrit at
6:53 p.m.
11 Comments:
The Calgary gang problem (and what seems to be a key source of the increase in shootings taking place in the city), near as I can tell from reading the news, is predominantly Asian gangs. If that's true, then he's pretty much right.
By
John, at 7:57 p.m.
What surprised me was that he seemed to be saying that crime had a cause other than inherent moral weakness in the criminal. That people who come from difficult circumstances are more likely to commit crimes. That would seem to imply that helping people in difficult circumstances might be a good strategy against crime.
As opposed to, you know, throwing 14-year-olds into federal prisons for life, just as an example.
Fracking idiots.
By
Gauntlet, at 8:07 p.m.
Richardson did not refer to "Asian gangs"... he CLEARLY stated people from "different cultures". He didn't just attack immigrants and refugees, he took a shot at those of us from different cultures who may have been born here.
To John, you'd have to be a minority to understand the impact of these statements. He clearly pointed out a particular group.
As for crime in Calgary, there is far more of the "mainstream" population involved in crime than any "immigrant group" or "different culture". I lived in Calgary for years. I know about the crime there. Far more domestic violence, etc., than anything else. What you so ignorantly see is the media's pasting of the "sensationalist" crimes on the front page. If someone of color (not necessarily an immigrant - but they label them that anyways) does something in an organized fashion they scream about "immigrant gangs"... What a joke. The biggest "organization" in Canada is romanticized and glorified by the mainstream media... that is the HA. They control most of the drug and sex trade in Canada - as well as the illegal gambling, and cigarette smuggling. As your local police force. It's easy to scapegoat a visible minority - rather than try to find the criminal element hidden amongst the mainstream culture...
By
Anonymous, at 8:59 p.m.
There are quotes in the fast forward article from the Calgary police chief I believe, saying that most of the criminals they arrest are caucasians.
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calgarygrit, at 9:46 p.m.
Why are Conservatives running on a platform of having 14 yr old boys raped in adult prison??
Dion's decriminalization and Kelowna Accord policies are a cheaper and more humane way to be "tough on crime". Jeesh.
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Anonymous, at 10:06 p.m.
Does anyone have the statistics on how the per capita crime rate among immigrants compares to that of the general population?
By
Anonymous, at 12:31 a.m.
Hate! Hate Hate!
Seil Heil! Seil Heil! SEil Heil!
harper won't fire him! There would be a revolt in the party.
By
JimTan, at 1:32 a.m.
Seig Heil! Seig Heil!
From Kinsells: LOSERS: The Liberals. Who seem – I can’t believe this – to have a candidate in Winnipeg’s Kildonan-St.Paul, Lesley Hughes, who has promoted the Jews-Knew-About-9/11-Before-It-Happened Canard. Solution? Fire her now.
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nuna d. above, at 11:50 a.m.
Why didn't Richardson point the finger at architects? After all it was an architect (a born in Canada one, too) who murdered his wife, two daughters and one of those "innocent bystanders," a renter, that the media and CPS claimed to worry so much about.
To the first poster- the "Asian gang members" don't HAVE to be immigrants. Like in Toronto, a lot of vis-min "gang members" are also second and third-generation Canadian. And they ARE the kids who grew up next door.
By
Anonymous, at 1:46 a.m.
You know, Richardson's comments are really quite tame - particularly when compared to NDP candidate Andrew McKeever, threatening women and other's with violence, using references such as "f*cking c*nt", and so forth..
Perhaps Richardson's comments were wrong - but to call them overtly racist once you read them is over the top.. but I notice not a sniff of a mention of McKeever or your lovely Ms. Hughes who still hasn't appologized for her anti-Jewish dribble.
By
Robert G. Harvie, Q.C., at 1:01 p.m.
Or Brenda Finch. Liberal candidate in Ontairio, compareing The Prime Minister of Canada to Hitler. Disgraceful.
By
Anonymous, at 10:55 p.m.
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