Law enforcement leaders from several provincial jurisdictions, including Alberta, will meet in the coming weeks to address an escalating wave of violent extortion incidents targeting South Asian communities. The issues of extortion, threats and violence were discussed at meetings in Ottawa on Wednesday. B.C.’s Premier David Eby met with the federal public safety minister to discuss the growing crisis plaguing several communities. He says he wants to see more policing resources involved and ensure law enforcement agencies work together more seamlessly. Year to date, Surrey, B.C., has already faced 36 extortion-related incidents. “The prime minister and I and our ministers have agreed that within the next two weeks, we will have a meeting of police leadership from Ontario, B.C., Alberta, Manitoba and the national police,” Eby announced after Wednesday’s meeting in Ottawa. That meeting will be held in Surrey. That city is calling on Ottawa to declare a federal state of emergency to address the organized extortion crisis. Other cities like Edmonton, Winnipeg, some communities in Ontario and Calgary have also had their share of crimes where money is demanded, victims are threatened and targeted shootings and arsons are carried out, resulting in victims living in fear and, in some cases, impacting local businesses’ bottom lines. Calgary police said at a police commission meeting on Wednesday that since July, there have been 13 reported extortion attempts targeting the South Asian community. That includes a shooting at a home in Redstone over the weekend. Calgary police said the situation in B.C. is different than here but cautioned that could change. “I have paid close attention to the developments in Surrey over the last 28 to 48 hours, where the situation is described as an epidemic,” said Deputy Chief Asif Rashid with the Calgary Police Service. “We continue to monitor the developments there.” It’s not clear yet whether Calgary’s police chief will attend the meeting in Surrey. Calgary police say they’ve engaged with provincial and national law enforcement networks on the issue. Calgary police say while they’re not aware of the meeting announced on Wednesday, they will attend if asked.
