Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is promising to combat a Canada-wide “car theft crisis,” with a suite of new proposals that includes beefing up security at the country’s ports.
Mr. Poilievre was in Montreal on Feb. 6 where he pitched his party’s proposed new measures to combat auto theft.
The measures, which include mandatory jail time and harsher bail conditions for repeat offenders, would be put in place if the Conservatives form the next government, Mr. Poilievre said.
During an outdoor news conference at the Port of Montreal, he said a Tory government would put $132.7 million over five years toward 24 advanced X-ray scanners so border agents can better detect stolen cars in shipping containers at ports in Vancouver, Montreal, Prince Rupert, and Halifax.
A specialized team of 75 CBSA officers would also be recruited to operate these scanners and intercept stolen vehicles before they are smuggled out of the country.
“By firing useless management consultants, we can pay for the much-needed X-ray scanners and the CBSA officers needed to operate them, and still end up with a net savings for taxpayers of $33 million,” he said in a Feb. 6 press release.
Mr. Poilievre announced additional measures to combat car theft at a Feb. 5 press conference in Brampton, Ont.
These included extending the mandatory prison sentence for repeat offenders from six months to three years, eliminating the option for house arrest in cases of motor vehicle theft prosecuted by indictment, introducing a specific aggravating factor for thefts committed for organized crime, and reversing policies from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s C-75 legislation to prioritize incarceration over bail for repeat offenders.
Mr. Poilievre also talked about the impact auto theft has on Canadians.
“In the first half of 2023, car insurance payouts were up 329 percent, adding $700 million in extra costs on your auto insurance, which is up by $129 a year just to pay for the cost of the Trudeau car theft crisis,” he said at the Montreal press conference.
Mr. Poilievre raised the topic in Question Period in the House of Commons Feb. 6, asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau if he would follow the Tory’s new “common sense plan.”
Mr. Trudeau tied Canada’s car theft problem to organized crime and said the Conservatives voted against giving the Ontario government money to combat the problem.
“Canadians are wondering why that party leader is defending organized crime rather than fighting car theft,” Mr. Trudeau said.
Mr. Poilievre responded that the previous Conservative government under Stephen Harper had 50 percent less auto theft and managed to cut costs at the same time.
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, during a press conference in Toronto, highlighted the goal of the investment: to bolster crime prevention and law enforcement efforts across Canada, notably in the York Region.
This move came as a response to the escalating issues of illegal firearms, gang-related violence, and the increase in violent car thefts, which Interpol has flagged as a significant global concern, with Canada emerging as a key area of focus.
Mr. LeBlanc has announced plans for a national summit to be held in February, specifically targeting the issue of auto theft.
