Extortion in Surrey, British Columbia and our Police Force!

If you don't live in Canada, you may not know what's been going on.  We are not happy about being the number one dangerous city in Canada.  Our Mayor is in Ottawa.  Our Premier met with extortion victims and was horrified with what they told him.  

Remember when we went from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to our Surrey Police Services.  We don't have helicopters or a dog squad.  Many of the officers that were hired to our new police force had a lot of experience are close to retirement.  They won't work the streets!  The union agreement says two officers to every police car and I have NEVER seen that happen.  They don't have enough boots on the ground!

Premier David Eby put the Surrey Police Service and police board under a microscope Tuesday during a meeting with Surrey business leaders related to the ongoing extortion crisis plaguing South Asian businesses and residents in this city.  There will be a change of the guard with five of eight Surrey Police Board directors getting replaced after their terms expire.  Board chairman Harley Chappell confirmed this Tuesday afternoon.

This is from a local newspaper:

Patience has worn thin on the extortions front as pressure from Surrey Police Board directors came to bear on Chief Constable Norm Lipinski at its November 13 meeting. During that meeting director Bilal Cheema noted there’s “a lot of angst” in the community. “There’s a lot of worry, there’s a lot of fear. What concerns me is that when I hear the chief of our police tell me that we’re reaching our capacity I don’t feel that the criminals are reaching their capacity and that concerns the hell out of me.”  Cheema said at the November board meeting people are asking him for answers and he doesn’t know what to tell them. “I feel ashamed,” he said. “I sit on the Surrey Police Board and they expect me to have answers – I don’t have answers, and I bet some of my colleagues don’t have answers either.”  Eby on Tuesday expressed concern about “inconsistent communications” between the extortion task force and the Surrey Police Service to the community. “These inconsistent communications result in the community feeling that everybody is not on the same page, that they’re not all working together, that they’re not coordinated on the number-one issue in their lives,” he said.

If you watched the news, the Surrey Police Force announced the apprehension of three foreign nationals who shot at a residence in Crescent Beach.  It was another extortion warning.  What they didn't tell you is they didn't catch them.  Thanks to the RCMP and the Delta Dog Squad they were caught!  The Surrey Police Service lied to the citizens of Surrey!  They don't tell you that on the news.

This police transition isn't going well.  Hopefully the Premier will admit it was a mistake and give us back the Royal Canadian Mounted Police!  We are paying a lot of more in policing and getting a lot less for our tax dollars!  There are changes coming in the law that will help but you have to catch these people first!

Here is the press release from Mayor Brenda Locke:

Ottawa – Mayor Brenda Locke is in Ottawa this week to press for additional support to address the national extortion crisis. This will be her number one priority during her meetings with federal ministers, senior officials and municipal leaders.

“The extortion crisis has devastated families, shaken businesses, and put communities across the country on edge,” said Mayor Locke. “While recent steps from the federal government, such as the announcement of up to 20 additional RCMP officers, are encouraging, more needs to be done. This is a national emergency, and it requires a full-scale national response.”

Mayor Locke will reiterate her call to appoint a Commissioner for Extortion Violence Against Canadians to oversee the implementation of key measures, including:

• Immediate deployment of additional RCMP, federal organized crime units, and intelligence resources to Surrey
• Federal RCMP leadership of a joint federal-provincial-municipal task force with authority to act rapidly on extortion-related violence
• Expedited removal of non-citizens charged or convicted of extortion, firearms offences, or participation in extortion-related criminal activity
• Review of legislative gaps and recommendations to strengthen police capacity for arresting, charging and prosecuting offenders
• Quarterly public reporting on the severity of extortion-related activity and progress in addressing the crisis

“Three years in, we’re finally seeing movement from other orders of government, but the crisis is far from over,” Mayor Locke said. “My message in Ottawa will be simple: We cannot allow organized crime to continue threatening our city’s residents and business owners. We need decisive action now.”

Canada Federal Bill C-14

Bill C-14 covers criminal charges, sentencing and organized crime.  Hopefully when this bill is passed it will address our outdated laws to make it harder for criminals to find loopholes that postpone or reduce their sentences.  

I've talked to a local MLA about our repeat offenders.  This law will put prolific offenders behind bars instead of being released to offend again and then get released!  It's been a revolving door in our city and it's disgusting.  They are back out in the streets in 24 hours to do it again.  

Bill C‑14 is a federal proposal to make Canada’s bail system stricter and sentencing tougher for violent and repeat offenders. It focuses on keeping high‑risk individuals in custody, reducing random violence, and ensuring more serious consequences for serious crimes.

Bill C‑14 Explained in Plain, Everyday Language

Bill C‑14 is called the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act. It changes three major laws:

• Criminal Code

• Youth Criminal Justice Act

• National Defence Act

Its goal is simple: make communities safer by tightening bail rules and increasing penalties for serious crimes.

1. What the Bill Is Trying to Fix

The federal government says too many violent or repeat offenders are being released quickly and reoffending.

Bill C‑14 aims to:

• Reduce “catch‑and‑release”

• Keep dangerous people in custody longer

• Respond to rising concerns about random violence and organized crime.

2. What Changes for Bail (the rules for releasing someone before trial)

A. Harder to Get Bail for Violent or Repeat Offenders

Judges must look more closely at:

• Whether the person has a history of violence

• Whether the crime involved random or unprovoked attacks

• Whether the person has repeatedly broken bail conditions before

B. More “Reverse Onus” Situations

Normally, the Crown must prove why someone should stay in jail.

Under Bill C‑14, for more serious crimes, the accused must prove why they should be released.

This applies especially to:

• Violent repeat offenders

• Organized crime‑related offences

• Serious weapons offences

3. What Changes for Sentencing

A. Tougher Penalties for Serious Crimes

The bill adds new “aggravating factors,” meaning judges must consider harsher sentences when:

• The victim is a first responder

• The crime targets critical infrastructure (e.g., power stations)

• The crime involves organized retail theft (a growing issue across Canada)

B. More Consecutive Sentences

For some crimes, sentences must be served one after another, not at the same time.

This results in longer time in custody.

C. No More House Arrest for Serious Sexual Offences

People convicted of serious sexual crimes would no longer be allowed to serve their sentence at home.  About time!!!!

4. What Changes for Youth

The Youth Criminal Justice Act is updated so that:

• Judges can consider tougher responses for violent youth offenders

• Bail rules for youth align more closely with adult rules in serious cases

5. What This Means for Regular Canadians

For most people, nothing changes in daily life.

But communities may see:

• Fewer high‑risk offenders released quickly

• Stronger consequences for violent crimes

• More protection for first responders and critical infrastructure

The bill does not affect:

• Immigration

• Everyday travel

• Minor offences

• Peaceful protests or lawful activities

6. Where the Bill Stands Now

As of the latest update, Bill C‑14 is:

• In committee in the House of Commons after second reading

• Still being studied and debated before it can become law

I will try to keep on top of this and hopefully it will be passed to the Senate and then to the Governor General for royal assent.

Canada Federal Bill C-12

I enjoying reading federal bills that are proposed in Canadian Parliament.  Sometimes the language gets a little heavy, so I asked Artificial Intelligence (AI - Co-Pilot) my new best friend to translate it into plain, everyday language!  

Bill C‑12 is a federal proposal to modernize Canada’s border and immigration security laws so agencies can better stop organized crime, fentanyl trafficking, and money laundering while still respecting Charter rights. It updates old rules so CBSA, the Coast Guard, and other departments can share information and act more effectively.  

We have 14 criminals that came to Canada on a "visitor or student visa" and have been terrorizing our citizens with extortion.  They are shooting at houses, have killed people and are harassing businesses in the community to pay them millions.  Many have been caught.  When the last 14 that were charged went to court, they all claimed "refugee status".  This will delay their trials and our laws as they are written gives anyone who claims "refugee status" freedom until their claim is heard.  These claims take years!  That is why the law is being fast tracked so they can be deported back to the country they came from!

1. What the bill is trying to do

• Make Canada’s borders harder for criminals to exploit.

• Give border and immigration officers clearer, modern powers.

• Improve cooperation between federal departments so they can share information when needed.

• Strengthen tools to fight organized crime, illegal drugs (especially fentanyl), and money laundering.

2. Key Changes Explained Simply

A. Stronger Border Security

• CBSA officers already inspect goods leaving Canada, but sometimes the goods are stored in places they can’t legally access.

• Bill C‑12 would let CBSA enter warehouses and transportation hubs to inspect exported goods, making it harder for criminals to ship illegal items out of the country.

B. More Maritime Security

• Canada’s coasts face new security risks (smuggling, organized crime, etc.).

• The Canadian Coast Guard would be allowed to conduct security patrols and share intelligence, something they currently don’t have full authority to do.

C. Better Information Sharing

• Right now, different federal departments often hold pieces of information but can’t easily share them.

• The bill would allow more coordinated information sharing so agencies can respond faster and more effectively to threats.

3. Why the Government Says It’s Needed

• Criminal networks are more sophisticated than they were when many of Canada’s border laws were written.

• Fentanyl trafficking and money laundering have become major national security concerns.

• The bill aims to give law enforcement “modern tools” while still protecting privacy and Charter rights.

4. Where the Bill Stands

• Bill C‑12 is titled “Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act.”

• It has moved through the House of Commons and is now in the Senate for further debate.

5. What This Means for Regular Canadians

• No changes to everyday travel or immigration applications for most people.

• The focus is on criminal activity, not regular travellers or newcomers.

• You may see:

• More coordinated border enforcement

• Stronger action against smuggling and organized crime

• Improved security at ports, airports, and coastal areas

Tomorrow I'll post the content and changes to our laws proposed in Canada's Bill C-14.

Our City has declared a State of Emergency.  Here is our Mayor and Premier:

Immigration Canada and the Criminal Code of Canada

I often wonder about our Immigration system and the Criminal Code of Canada.  Criminals keep finding ways to circumvent the system.  I heard this on the news and it infuriated me!

Global News (Dec 2025)

• 14 suspects identified by the B.C. Extortion Task Force claimed refugee status after CBSA began immigration investigations.

• Their deportations are now on hold until the Immigration and Refugee Board rules on their claims.

• Immigration lawyers note that filing a claim can delay removal for years due to IRB backlogs.

The Federal Law that has a weakness was exploited by these "visitors" to our country has been addressed by the Mayor of Surrey and the Premier of British Columbia.  They have both asked the Federal Government to fast track new legislation to fix this loophole.  Bill C-12 that will stop criminals from claiming refugee status and Bill C-14 that will tighten the Criminal Code are being voted on and will soon be law in Canada.  It can't happen fast enough.  All 14 of these thugs have shot at houses and terrorised business owners with extortion are out on bail!  

I read Jeffrey Epstein was convicted in 2008 or procuring a child for prostitution.  He was a registered level 3 sex offender in New York after 2010.  All the people who continued to visit him, must have been aware of this.  

Obviously the people at Customs and Immigration in Ottawa did their job because when he tried to come to Canada he got this letter:

It is legit as it was released by the US Department of Justice.  It was in the Epstein files.   I'm glad our Immigration and Border Protection did their due diligence in 2018!

Alan Alda turned 90 on January 28th

The Last Two Nurses of the 4077th Came to See Hawkeye — And He Broke Down in Tears

January 23, 2026

His birthday was five days away.

But they couldn’t wait.

At their age, no one waits anymore.

Alan Alda was in a hospital room at Cedars-Sinai.

Nothing dramatic.

Nothing headline-worthy.

A bad flu.

Parkinson’s complications.

Dehydration.

Doctors said he’d be fine.

A few days.

IV fluids.

Rest.

Still…

He was 89 years old.

Five days from turning 90.

And he was spending it in a hospital bed.

The room was quiet.

Too quiet.

White walls.

Beeping monitors.

That antiseptic smell that makes time feel slower.

For eleven years, Alan Alda played Hawkeye Pierce —

the doctor who never stayed in bed.

Now he was the patient.

He stared at the ceiling and whispered to himself:

“Funny how life works.”

January 23rd.

Three days in.

He was feeling better.

But something was missing.

Not the medicine.

Not the doctors.

The noise.

The chaos.

The laughter.

The family.

The 4077th.

That afternoon, there was a knock.

Alan opened his eyes.

The nurse smiled — a strange smile, like she knew something.

“Mr. Alda,” she said,

“I think you’ll want to see these visitors.”

The door opened.

And for a second, Alan thought he was dreaming.

Two women walked in.

One Black woman, silver-haired, warm eyes.

One Asian woman, elegant, calm, holding a bakery box.

And they weren’t dressed like hospital visitors.

They were wearing Army nurse uniforms.

Olive green.

White aprons.

Red crosses on their caps.

Uniforms from the 4077th.

The Black woman stepped forward.

Stood at attention.

Saluted.

“Lieutenant Ginger Bayliss reporting for duty, sir.”

Alan’s breath caught.

“Ginger…?”

Odessa Cleveland.

The nurse from Season One.

From the very beginning.

Fifty-one years ago.

“You remember me?” she asked softly.

Alan tried to sit up, hands shaking — not from Parkinson’s.

From emotion.

“How could I forget?” he said.

“You were family.”

Odessa took his hand.

“I heard you were here,” she said.

“I still had the uniform. I don’t know why I kept it.”

Alan nodded.

“Because it mattered.”

Then the other woman smiled.

“And I brought cake.”

Alan looked at her.

That face.

“Soo-Lin… Soon-Lee?”

Rosalind Chao laughed.

“Two episodes,” she said.

“The last two. That counts.”

She set the box down.

Inside:

A birthday cake.

“HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY, HAWKEYE.”

“Your birthday’s in five days,” Rosalind said.

“But we couldn’t wait.”

Odessa added quietly:

“At our age, Alan… we don’t wait anymore.

We just show up.”

Alan’s phone buzzed.

A video call.

Jamie Farr.

On screen.

In a wheelchair.

Wearing the dress.

“HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY, HAWKEYE!”

Alan burst out laughing — real laughter.

“Klinger never misses roll call,” Jamie said.

“I couldn’t come, so I sent the nurses.”

They sang Happy Birthday.

Off-key.

Too loud.

Perfect.

They ate cake.

They told stories.

They laughed about the set.

About the years.

About the ones who were gone.

No speeches.

No sadness.

Just family.

Before leaving, Odessa handed Alan a small book of poetry.

“There’s one in here about MAS*H,” she said.

“About you. About what that time meant.”

Rosalind kissed his forehead.

“Happy early birthday, Hawkeye.”

When the door closed, the room was quiet again.

But it wasn’t empty.

Alan looked at the half-eaten cake.

At the uniforms now gone.

At the memory that had just walked in and refused to wait.

Five days later, Alan would turn 90.

But the celebration had already happened.

Because the last two nurses of the 4077th showed up.

Because family doesn’t wait.

And because some bonds don’t fade —

even after fifty years.

Urgent Primary Care just opened in Cloverdale

 

Fraser Health opened another Urgent Primary Care Center close to where I live.  I've visited the one by the Surrey Hospital with a family member a couple of years ago and was pleased at how fast and efficient they were.

My daughter slipped on the ice in the Costco parking lot last Thursday.  She had a lot of pain in her ankle and it was swollen.  She waited until the next morning and it was still sore so she called "811" (our Nurse Line in BC).  She talked to a nurse who took all the information and told her to go to Urgent Care.  The nurse tasked how long it would take her to get there.  It was about a 25 minute drive and when she arrived, they were waiting for her!  There were lots of people sitting on chairs, but she was taken as a "priority"!   

They put her in an office, took her blood pressure, temperature and told her to go to the X-ray facility in the next building.  They were waiting for her!  She went right in.  She went right back to Urgent Care and before she could sit in an empty chair, they told her to go directly to a room where the doctor was waiting!  Thankfully she didn't break anything, but had a bad sprain.  They told her to stay off of it, what to expect and what to do/not to do.  She was amazed by the quick efficient matter it was dealt with. She is slowly getting better.  

If anyone has a medical problem in British Columbia, call 811 first!  If you live in Cloverdale or South Surrey, a new Urgent Primary Care Center opened this week on Wednesday!

5711 176A Street

Surrey,

B.C.V3S 6S6

Parking and Transportation:  Parking available. Public transit nearby.

Hours of operation

Urgent care:
Open 7 days a week, including statutory holidays:
9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Primary care (by appointment):
Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
For patients already connected with a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

If you need urgent care, your first step is to register as a patient.

You have to love Bruce Springsteen

 His latest song:  

Streets of Minneapolis: