Rustad confirmed today - for the fourth time - that he would direct police not to enforce recent gun laws such as Bill C-21, which restricts semi-automatic weapons like the AR-15, 3-D printed ghost guns, and freezes handgun sales.

Rustad attempted to deflect with a false claim that his directive would not be about illegal guns. But the weapons he is referring to are illegal - why else would he want to direct police to not enforce the law? Rustad has explicitly promised “I will instruct police not to enforce those laws.”

“John Rustad has now said four times that he won’t let police enforce laws against illegal assault weapons and handguns,” said Baltej Singh Dhillon, BC NDP Candidate in Surrey-Serpentine. “If John Rustad was focused on legal guns only, why would he be promising to not enforce specific laws against illegal assault weapons? Rustad’s plan would tie the hands of police and prevent them from seizing banned assault weapons from gangs, making our streets less safe.”

“David Eby has a plan to enforce laws against illegal guns, hire 250 more RCMP officers, and create new secure care facilities to provide people with severe mental health and addictions challenges safe, compassionate involuntary care to keep them safe and keep communities safe,” said Dhillon. “Rustad’s plan for cuts and refusal to enforce gun laws would put people and communities at risk.”

David Eby and the BC NDP are taking action to fight crime and keep people safe:

• Hiring over 250 more RCMP officers and supporting police to keep guns off our streets
• Creating new secure care facilities to get people safe, involuntary care, including in correctional centres.
• Making BC’s bail policy the strictest in the country
• Leading the charge to push Ottawa to strengthen federal bail & sentencing conditions, including banning machetes and easier access to dangerous offender designations for violent people who need to stay behind bars.
• Creating 12 regional hubs of police, dedicated prosecutors and probation officers focused on tracking and arresting violent offenders, and keeping them in jail.
• Pushing Ottawa to properly staff policing and security at our federal ports to stop the trafficking of illegal drugs and their precursor chemicals, and weapons.
• New resources for community policing for downtowns, and new police teams to fight organized crime