What to do with repeat offenders — drug users and dealers, break-and-enter artists, organized criminals, thieves and domestic abusers — after you let them loose on bail?Well, instead of locking them up in remand, the Manitoba government covertly sends them to live in senior's complexes and among single moms with children in scarce rural affordable Manitoba Housing units.Not only has this resulted in a huge spike in rural crime, but it's also reckless insanity!Are those within the NDP government making these moronic decisions laying out the welcome mat for criminals in their own neighbourhoods? Or is it just OK to place vulnerable seniors, children and entire communities somewhere else at risk?.NDP accused of housing repeat offenders in rural Manitoba units .Allegedly these repeat offenders are being monitored while under house arrest awaiting trial. That would be impossible to do in the case of one who provided an address where he'd be staying under "house arrest." It was an empty parking lot in Beausejour, a small community of 3,600 northeast of Winnipeg."We had two different gentlemen, I shouldn't say gentlemen, two offenders who were actually released under care of seniors living in Manitoba Housing complexes," said Beausejour Mayor Ray Schirle. "One was arrested on drug charges and multiple thefts. The other one was charged with domestic violence. These are younger people. The one guy was in his 30s. The other one is middle 40s.".Surely, repeat offenders awaiting court dates while residing in Beausejour can be trusted to be on good behaviour.Well no, many cannot. Beausejour is only one Manitoba community suffering a spike in home invasions, drug trafficking, break-ins to cars, homes and businesses that — surprise! — coincides with offenders herded into its midst.Understandably, Schirle — whose personal business was broken into three times in less than a year — is fuming over a 500-600% increase in crime in his community over the past few months. About 60% of the offenders are relocated from out of town, even other provinces..MCCRAE: Every child matters, or perhaps not."They're being released under house arrest and bail into Manitoba Housing units. The justice system and bail reform need to be looked at now," said Schirle."It's enough. We have really good citizens, and we have a beautiful community. I'm not letting a pile of thugs take over our community. It's just not happening. That's why I'm fighting. I want to protect my community. I want to make Beausejour a safe community again.""Are we the worst town in the province? No. But I don't like what's happening in my community and I am putting a stop to it.".Opposition justice critic and Brandon West MLA Wayne Balcaen said municipalities province-wide are affected."This is happening in Beausejour, it's happening in Portage la Prairie, and it's happening in other towns and cities across rural Manitoba," he said.Beausejour's formidable mayor has the backing of residents letting out a collective "outcry" and demanding an end to this madness."We have a lot of wonderful people in our community living in Manitoba Housing," Schirle explained. "Unfortunately, we have a handful of houses that should be evicted and cleaned up. They're signing these people in under house arrest. The courts are releasing them without even looking where they're going to."Or who they are bunking with. What could possibly go wrong when they are housed under the same roof? Oh wait, the RCMP recently raided one problem house where half a dozen recidivists awaiting trial lived together..SLOBODIAN: Tens of millions spent — zero female entrepreneurs empowered.Schirle figures 50 families are on the affordable housing waiting list. He has no idea how many more offenders are Beausejour-bound to skip the line in front of them.Meanwhile, the crime spike has the RCMP, already grappling with stretched manpower, running ragged."The group that RCMP is trying to target in our community is right from domestic violence to drugs to thefts to vehicles being broken into and home invasions."Even when the Mounties get their man, the NDP's "catch-and-release" bail system is gentle with lawbreakers. One offender in Beausejour was arrested four times in a two-week period for breaking into houses and commercial properties. He was released every time and has disappeared. So much for his pious promise to appear at his next court date.."I have people yelling at me about our RCMP officers and I'm being very frank. My officers are doing a fantastic job," Schirle said. "My officers are working themselves off their feet right now. They're short-staffed and doing everything they can."This has got to be especially tough — and dangerous — in rural municipalities where undermanned RCMP detachments cover vast areas making quick response time impossible.Schirle sent letters to NDP Justice minister Matt Wiebe and Housing Minister Bernadette Smith. They didn’t have the courtesy to respond to his concerns about the "multiple convicted and wanted criminals released or housed under house arrest or out on bail" in his town."Neither of them has reached out to me as of today," he lamented. "The letters were sent August 1.”.THOMAS: Calgary's birthday celebrations an exercise in wokeness.However, Christine Hutlet, Beausejour’s chief administrative officer, said a meeting has been scheduled "in a few weeks" with the deputy justice minister, RCMP and a regional Manitoba Housing manager.Premier Wab Kinew emphatically vowed to bring in provincial bail reform within his first 100 days in office. That was in 2023. It was a big campaign issue.But fear not, the NDP government believes "Manitobans deserve to feel safe in their communities," and is committed to "address concerns to work out a solution" — at least that's what justice minister Wiebe in a statement to the Western Standard.."We are taking action that is tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime," the minister added. "Our five-point bail plan includes increased enforcement, enhanced supervision, bringing back ankle monitors and clear direction for crown prosecutors to consider the impact of bail on public safety."Why go so big? Maybe start with little things, like checking out addresses to see if there is a house on an empty parking lot."We will continue to advocate to the federal government for bail reform because they need to do their part to keep Manitobans and all Canadians safe," Wiebe added..EYRE: ‘Lawfare’: How a weaponized Charter of Rights is preventing governments from governing.Oh please! Own some responsibility. The federal government isn't placing repeat offenders among Manitoba’s seniors and moms. The province is.Meanwhile, Schirle, who serves as Eastern director for the Association of Manitoba Municipalities which has been lobbying for bail reform for the past three years, refuses to back down."My community has had enough," he declared. "We're planning open town hall meetings, having discussions with the public about safety in their houses, working with our citizens on patrol and the RCMP patrolling our communities. As a community we’re going to come out strong and push these guys out."Not soon enough.
