Premier David Eby has criticized BC RCMP Assistant Commissioner John Brewer for claiming the rise in extortion-related crime — mostly targeting the South Asian community — is "not a crisis."Eby appeared to suggest that Brewer should either publicly acknowledge the severity of the situation, or step down..During a press conference in Prince George on Wednesday, Eby said he was "puzzled" by Brewer's comments."It's hard to think of a situation where you're unable to do business, you don't feel comfortable in your own home, you're facing gunshots, and where residents in homes are shooting back ... as anything other than a crisis," he added. "If Mr. Brewer does not feel that urgency, if he does not feel that this is a crisis then perhaps he’s not the right person to head up this task force."Eby explained that the Extortion Task Force was established "to respond to a crisis.""We need them to bring that urgency to this job, and to do it quickly and effectively for the people of Surrey and the people south of the Fraser," he declared. "That's what they expect, that's what they demand, that's what I expect.".There have been 35 extortion-related cases this month in Surrey alone. During a press conference on Tuesday, Brewer maintained that things were under control..BC RCMP says extortion 'not a crisis,' warns victims against committing 'overt acts of self-defence'."There's not a crisis," he said. "A crisis is what's happening out there with drug overdoses. People are dying. This is a threat to public safety."Brewer later explained that while it may be a crisis for impacted individuals, by labelling it as such at a societal level, one runs the risk of scaring people into taking the law into their own hands."Yes, there's been an uptick in the new year," he admitted. "We are now actively hunting these extortionists and they know we're hunting them."Since its inception in September 2025, the task force has taken over 32 files from Lower Mainland police. A total of 100 judicial authorizations have been obtained, seven people have been charged, and 111 foreign nationals have been investigated over alleged Immigration and Refugee Protection Act-related offences. Of those, nine have been deported.
