Premier Danielle Smith announced a new public safety plan on Tuesday, just days after a mentally ill criminal with a violent past gruesomely stabbed a 35-year old mother and her 11-year old daughter to death outside an Edmonton school.
Since 2021, 26 homicides in Edmonton — and 23 in Calgary — were committed by criminals who were out on bail.
“The Liberal-NDP soft on crime approach is costing lives, and Albertans and all Canadians deserve better,” Smith said.
“We will not wait on the federal government,” she added.
Smith said if she is re-elected on May 29, she will implement the Safe Streets Action Plan, which will require ankle-bracelet monitoring for dangerous offenders who are out on bail thanks to Trudeau’s lax policies. She also said sheriffs will be deployed to monitor these criminals.
Smith stated the plan will add 100 more patrol officers on the streets, “as well as more funding for internet child exploitation and gang-suppression units.”
Additionally, Smith said the plan would “make it easier” for parents to know where violent and sexual offenders are, and provide investments into women’s shelters.
The Premier also said that the Alberta Sheriffs deployment pilot program will be extended.
Smith’s announcement comes just four days after a man who police have not named stabbed Carolann Robillard and her daughter to death in Edmonton.
Edmonton police chief Dale McFee said the murderer – who was shot by police and is on life support – was known to police. McFee said the man had been arrested on more than one occasion for various charges, including a recent incident where he attacked someone with a scooter.
A May 2 poll suggested that Premier Smith has surged ahead of the New Democratic Party (NDP) led by Rachel Notley — showing Smith had an 80% chance of winning a majority government.
As of May 8, the outcome shows the UCP has a 77% chance of forming a majority government.
