Public pressure on authorities to deal with downtown Kelowna crime at MLA town hall

As the microphone went around the packed house at a town hall in Kelowna Thursday night, people expressed frustration and a need for the government to get tougher on tackling crime, addiction and homelessness.

BC Conservative MLAs Kristina Loewen, Gavin Dew and Macklin McCall hosted a town hall at Revelry, Feb. 5.

The people at the meeting proposed a range of solutions to the local opposition MLAs including bail reform to keep chronic offenders imprisoned, more rebates for small businesses who deal with crime like break-ins and more emphasis on detox centres rather than harm reduction like safe injection sites.

“We can stand up for business owners and for vulnerable individuals,” Loewen said. “I believe we have to advocate for more avenues to treatment and care that actually helps heal people and keeps people safe… and at the same time, I believe we need a real justice system that takes repeat offenders seriously.”

The audience cheered when someone proposed putting homeless people on buses and sending them to Victoria.

“This is the only one I’m going to say no comment to,” Loewen said, which got a laugh from the crowd.

The town hall was open mic event as opposed to the City of Kelowna’s crime forum last week where people had to submit questions online.

Todd Daniels, the owner of Gallery Streetwear, said there needs to be a concrete action plan, something that many other speakers in the audience said as well. Daniels took a dig at the city for speaking more about intentions than action.

“What’s listed there was a set of intentions, not a plan. A plan means guidelines, fair ownership, accountability and measured outcomes,” he said.