CANDIDATES TRADE SHOTS OVER GANG VIOLENCE

Liberal-Planned Squad Already In Place, Tories, NDP Say

Metro Vancouver's rampant gun use and escalating gang violence was
front and centre Tuesday in the federal election campaign.

Liberal candidates in B.C. released their law-and-order platform,
calling for the formation of a "dedicated guns-gang task force" with
400 new officers across the country.

"B.C. would get a significant number of the police officers and the
resources because B.C. has a significant problem," said Liberal
candidate Ujjal Dosanjh, the incumbent in Vancouver South.

"B.C. has a very significant share of cross-border gun-smuggling and
cross-border drug-smuggling and gang violence," Dosanjh said.

But Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day fired back, saying the
Liberals' position failed to recognize the work being done by the
existing B.C. Integrated Gang Task Force and other policing units
tackling organized crime in the province.

"It is very disappointing, hypocritical or at best a cruel joke," Day
said.

"The time for talking is over when it comes to gun activity and gang
activity on our streets."

At a news conference in North Vancouver, Day said both the Liberals
and the NDP have blocked Conservative proposals to get tougher on
violent criminals since the Conservatives formed a minority government
in January 2006.

Day said the government has already toughened up the gun-licensing
process.

"We think it is important to make sure that firearms don't get into
the wrong hands," Day said. "We want mandatory jail terms for people
committing crimes with firearms."

He said the Conservatives have had positive feedback on the measures
it introduced to deal with violent crime.

"Most people we have talked to are pleased with the approach we are
taking," Day said. "That's why we brought in the Violent Crime Act."

While crime rates are generally down, violent crime linked to youth
and gang violence is up, as is the number of organized crime groups in
B.C.

NDP MP Dawn Black, who's running again in New Westminster, said her
party's platform would focus on prevention, policing and punishment.

"I don't see community safety and crime issues as a right or a left
issue. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their community," Black
said. "The NDP will have a comprehensive plan to end gun crime and
gang violence in British Columbia."

Black said the Liberal announcement baffled her given that there is
already a gang task force in place.

"I went out on a drive-around with the Port Moody police a couple of
months ago and met some of the people on the integrated gang task
force, so it is there already," Black said.

The long-time MP has twin sons who are with the Vancouver Police
Department, she said, so she has some first-hand knowledge of the
perspective of those working in law enforcement.

Black and Dosanjh said the Conservatives have not delivered all the
officers they promised in the last election campaign.

"A significant portion of the money that was committed by the
Conservatives has not flowed," Dosanjh said. "They have not been tough
on the ground in terms of delivering on these promises."

Police agencies contacted Tuesday said they weren't sure about how the
Liberal gang task force would work.

"For the last four years, I thought that's what we had," said Sgt.
Shinder Kirk, of the B.C. Integrated Gang Task Force. "We have a
number of agencies working not only independently, but also in
concert, not only to address the issue of guns and gangs, but also of
trends and how to combat it in the future."

West Vancouver Police Chief Kash Heed said he is happy that the
serious problem of gang violence is at least being raised.

"This issue needs to be discussed, not just because there is an
election, but because of how serious it is and how significant it is
and how much the public is concerned about it," Heed said.

"We have to be continually talking about it."