View From the Legislature

It’s easy to be skeptical about a lot of things these days. Promises of quick solutions, whether in the political world or the commercial world rarely deliver as advertised. So, when things are actually successful and work as hoped, it is worth noting it.

Take for example the issue of catalytic converter theft. This particular crime was at epidemic proportions in Manitoba just a short while ago. Thieves were stealing catalytic convertors from the mufflers of cars because the metals in them could be sold easily and for a good price. During my time as Minister of Justice, I heard the frustrations that were being felt by many Manitobans who would return to their vehicle from the mall, a movie or from a house of worship only to discover that their catalytic convertor had been stolen. This was not only a matter of inconvenience, but it also cost individual Manitobans money as well as Manitoba Public Insurance.

There were some, including in the NDP, who said that it would be impossible to curb this crime. After all, it had become a problem in many jurisdictions across Canada. Yet, together with justice officials, CrimeStoppers and law enforcement, a multi-faceted plan was put together in an attempt to curb catalytic convertor theft as well as the theft of other precious metals.

The cornerstone of this strategy was the passing of legislation that would require scrap metal dealers to maintain a record of their purchases of scrap metal. This includes obtaining ID from the individual selling the scrap metal and an explanation of how it was acquired. While this added an administrative burden to these operations, it was seen as important to ensuring that thieves didn’t have a place to sell their stolen goods with little ability to identify them. This was not legislation passed without consideration for the impact that this would have on scrap metal businesses. It is hard to pass along the cost of theft onto innocent parties and efforts were made to try to strike a proper balance.

Additional measures were also put in place. A project that was launched in Steinbach in partnership with CrimeStoppers provided for Vehicle Identification Numbers to be engraved on the catalytic convertors free of charge to both deter theft and help police trace the parts if stolen. Importantly, police also undertook significant steps to crack down on catalytic convertor thieves. This resulted in a number of significant charges being laid.

And what has been the result of these efforts? Last week, Winnipeg Police revealed that the number of reported catalytic converter thefts had dropped from 236 in the first few weeks of last year to only 12 during the same time frame this year. That is a remarkable reduction in crime and exceeds all expectations for success. And while Winnipeg and Manitoba continue to deal with a high level of property and violent crime, this is an example that smart policies and targeted efforts can have a positive impact on reducing crime.

While the NDP were critical of many of these efforts when they were in opposition, I hope now that they are in government they will look at this as an example of how to approach other community safety issues. A combination of legislative measures, police enforcement and community involvement can truly make a difference. It stands as a reminder that while we may often be skeptical about initiatives that are undertaken, when they work, they benefit all of us.