Yesterday a news conference addressing crime in Alberta was held. The four main speakers were Justice Minister Mickey Amery, Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and Edmonton police Chief Dale McFee. 

Mayor Sohi was the first speaker who mentioned "root causes" and insufficient "social infrastructure” both of which require long term solutions. Chief McFee followed Sohi and said that if we focus on infrastructure and social services without dealing with crime, then five years from now things will be every bit as bad as they are today. The chief added, “We get what we tolerate, and we’ve been tolerating way too much.” 

Focusing on root causes and social infrastructure not only require long term solutions, they serve to divert attention away from what has escalated and become all too common in our city: homeless, panhandling, tent cities, drug use, violence, theft, assaults, shootings and murders.  

#LorneGunter, #MickeyAmery, #MikeEllis, #AmarjeetSohi, #Dale McFee