The provincial government held a public safety summit in Winnipeg yesterday to discuss ways to reduce crime, keep communities safe and address the root causes of crime.
Premier Wab Kinew said “Too many Manitobans are feeling unsafe at home, at work and in our communities, while at the same time more Manitobans are struggling with chronic homelessness, mental health and addictions, and we know more needs to be done to address these issues. Our government is reaching out to stakeholders across the province to get their input as we work to make sure Manitoba families feel safe in their communities. We believe that we can do big things if we come together as one Manitoba.”
The public safety summit brought together a variety of community leaders from across Manitoba, including representatives from Indigenous leadership and organizations, law enforcement, restorative justice, victims service organizations, municipalities, advocates serving vulnerable populations and other agencies, to discuss shared priorities and how to address the root causes of crime.
Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said, “Manitobans deserve to feel safe no matter where they live or work. This summit is one part of our government’s plan to get tough on crime and the root causes of crime. We want to hear ideas from community leaders on how to make Manitoba safer.”
Sessions at the summit included:
-mental health, addictions and homelessness;
-youth violence;
-gender-based violence and MMIWG2S+;
-rural and northern safety;
-access to justice and victim services;
-vandalism, theft and property crime;
-law enforcement;
-organized crime; and
-strengthening the Criminal Code.
Feedback from the summit will be incorporated into a provincewide strategy to reduce crime and make communities safer.
The justice minister noted he will continue to meet with stakeholders across the province throughout the spring and summer in preparation for a strategy, which will be released in late September.
