Canada is at the forefront of a broader movement that seeks to reimagine police, prisons, and the nature of justice
Policing
Our Deluded Leaders Ignore Reality and Ensure Disaster
Do you think that without electricity you can charge an electric car? The governor of California Gavin Newsom and the dozen states that follow California’s rules do, and so apparently does Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada. They have mandated electric cars by...
Does Canada Now Have a Two-Tiered Justice System?
The FBI raid on the home of former President Donald Trump has emphasized existing concerns that the United States now has a two-tiered justice system--one for those in power, and another for those who aren’t. But here in Canada we have a quieter version of that same...
The Masked Failure of Command
Police services are once again hard at work preparing annual budget submissions for the next fiscal year. The cost of policing continues to mount year after year, and the justifications seem to repeat year to year as well. The budget for Canada’s largest municipal...
Featured News
Alberta Politics and Empty Promises of Health-care Solutions
The writ has been dropped and Albertans are off to the polls on May 29. That leaves just four weeks for political leaders and voters to sort out what is arguably the most divisive, yet significant, issue for this election - health care. On Day 2, NDP leader Rachel...
There’s Nothing Fair About Canadian Health Care
For the past 14 years, Vancouver surgeon Dr. Brian Day has led the charge for health-care reform, pushing for the right of patients to pay for private care if their health and well-being are threatened as a result of waiting in a stagnant and overburdened public...
Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
The path to net zero, based on the much disputed belief that carbon dioxide is a pollution, is more steep and impractical than most people realize. Replacing fossil fuels with clean electricity will require much more power generation and a greatly upgraded grid to...
Youth Curfews Are Not Good Policy
Over the decades, many communities in Canada have experimented with different versions of a curfew for children and adolescents. Most often, anyone under the age of 16 or 18 must be off the street by a specific time, such as 10pm. The aim is to reduce vandalism and...
RCMP Firearms Seizures in High River May Risk Lives, Not Save Them
The RCMP’s ill-advised seizure of firearms from abandoned High River homes has eroded confidence in the federal police and may have the unintended consequence of endangering more lives in future.
The Last Word on Crime and Police — For Now
The Frontier Centre recently released a backgrounder I co-authored over the last few months on the effect of police levels on crime. The conclusion was simple: the evidence suggests that Canadian cities have sufficient police resources. This has predictably ruffled some feathers. I’ll address some of the criticisms I’ve received, though, frankly, most of the points were already addressed in the paper.
More Police Does Not Equal Less Crime: Canada’s Cities Have Sufficient Police Resources
Canadian cities are very safe relative to American cities. Some cities could reduce crime with a targeted police presence in relatively dangerous neighbourhoods. However, simply increasing police levels does not appear to be an effective anti-crime strategy, and police services could free up resources by adopting more efficient staffing policies.
Crime and Punishment in the UK
The UK Conservative Party looks at alternatives to incarceration. Fiscal pressure is mounting. Overall crime rates are falling. And stubborn reoffending rates suggest that some things are not working. Maybe that memo has not made it to Ottawa yet.
Don’t Panic Over Crime Statistics: Canadian cities are safe
Western Canadian cities once again dominated the Maclean’s Most Dangerous Cities list. But while the rankings are useful for policy makers, they need to be taken with a grain of salt.
A Law and Order Christmas Story
From Ottawa a response of police that demonstrates care. I applaud the actions of the Ottawa police for demonstrating exceptional service to the community and sharing the Christmas spirit.
A Real Tough on Crime Agenda
Starve organized crime for money by legalizing soft drugs as argued by the National Post.