Concerns over public safety spark debate in B.C. Legislature

The NDP government is in the hot seat and facing increased pressure to do something to address public safety concerns, following the stabbing death of a teenager on a bus in Surrey last week.

The death of 17-year-old Ethan Bespflug is one of several high-profile attacks on transit recently that’s highlighted renewed conversation around the issue.

On Monday afternoon during Question Period, the newly minted BC United Party went after the premier.

“The question Ethan’s family is asking, the question British Columbians are asking, the question this Opposition has repeatedly been asking, when is this premier and government finally going to take some concrete steps so people can feel safe in their communities again?” Kevin Flacon asked.

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Premier David Eby insists he is taking action.

“Our government takes this incredibly seriously. We’ve been working on public transit safety with TransLink, even in advance of these recent, horrific incidents. Community safety officers — TransLink is already in the midst of hiring them. They’re bringing out 24 community safety officers to increase security on transit system,” Eby said.

“The RCMP and Transit Police are stepping up their presence and patrols on the transit system and we’ve told them that if they need any additional resources, they should absolutely ask, and we’ll make those available.”

The premier says his public safety minister has reached out to his federal counterpart to ensure B.C. is part of any national response to increased public violence. Eby adds premiers across the country are also working with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police to make potential recommendations in the future.

Falcon seized that opportunity to go after Eby for his time as a cabinet minister.

“I remind the premier, he was also the Attorney General for over five years and oversaw the explosion of violence that we’re seeing in communities across the province. Just in the past two weeks alone, we’ve seen a man’s death on a SkyTrain at Surrey Central Station, a serious assault on a TransLink bus in Vancouver, a violent, bloody brawl on a West Vancouver Blue Bus, a stabbing at the Columbia SkyTrain Station, assaults on the Millennium Line in Burnaby and a man whose throat was slashed on a bus in Surrey.

“Enough is enough. People are tired of the rhetoric and the re-announcements and want concrete action that actually produces improved results,” Falcon said.

Eby says he understands the grief of the victims’ families and how people, who are just going about their day, are concerned about getting around on transit. “Our government will not stand by. We will continue to take action.”

Falcon wasn’t buying it.

“The answer is woefully inadequate. Let’s understand how we got to the position we’re in. For five-and-a-half years as Attorney General, this Attorney General left hundreds and hundreds of vacant policing positions vacant right across the province of British Columbia. The question we ask as an Opposition on behalf of the public, is when will we finally get concrete results that improve the safety in our streets so people can feel safe again in British Columbia?” he said.

BC United is accusing Eby of not doing enough to fill those jobs.

“There are 813 RCMP vacancies across Canada, 460 of those RCMP vacancies are right here in British Columbia. The Solicitor General and premier could have taken action on this five years ago, four years ago, three years ago, two years ago, last year, earlier this year — the results are terrible,” MLA Todd Stone said.

Meanwhile, on Monday the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) announced an arrest and a second-degree murder charge in Bespflug’s death. IHIT saying 20-year-old Kaiden Mintenko of Burnaby is known to police and the motive for the attack is still being determined