Michael Walters Announces Plan to Prioritize and Tackle Extortion Targeting Punjabi Edmontonians

News Release

Michael Walters Announces Plan to Prioritize and Tackle Extortion Targeting Punjabi Edmontonians

Earlier today, speaking from Southeast Edmonton, Michael Walters highlighted the terrible threats of extortion facing Punjabi families and small businesses in Edmonton and across Canada. Michael Walters has met with dozens of business and community leaders in Edmonton who have made clear that this unacceptable criminal activity is threatening Edmontonians, perpetrated by international terrorist organizations.

“This will be among my highest priorities as the new Mayor. I will start to work on this in my first hours after being sworn in,” says Walters.

While several threats have made the news and been shared by the Edmonton Police Service, given the fear of reprisal faced by victims for speaking out, the real number of families and businesses impacted is yet unknown. To date, Edmonton City Council, including Mayor Sohi and Councillors Knack and Cartmell, have failed to truly and loudly represent how serious this issue is. More needs to be done to take action on these terrible crimes with partners across the country.

Speaking to the terrifying threats against Edmonton businesses and families, Walters said “When any one community is threatened or disenfranchised in our city, it is the Mayor’s job to loudly and clearly speak out and take action. As Mayor I will immediately bring community leaders, victims and their families, and invite relevant law enforcement authorities and other government partners together to tackle this issue head-on. Every Edmontonian should be aware and outraged about this.”

These crimes are not isolated to Edmonton, and indeed can be traced across the country. Michael Walters is committed to not just standing up for families here in Edmonton, but also to meeting with counterparts across the country from the Lower Mainland to Edmonton to Brampton and everywhere this is taking place, so a concerted nation-wide effort can be made to stop these international threats to domestic security.