Finally something to report out of Alberta this campaign!

In light of recent shootings in Calgary, Fast Forward contacted Richardson September 18 to ask how the Conservative approach to crime compares to other parties’ approaches. In reply, Richardson said Canada has been too “soft on crime” by showing too much sympathy towards offenders and their civil rights. “Particularly in big cities, we’ve got people that have grown up in a different culture,” said Richardson, 60. “And they don’t have the same background in terms of the stable communities we had 20, 30 years ago in our cities… and don’t have the same respect for authority or people’s person or property.”

Later in the same interview, Richardson brought up the increase of immigrants coming to Canada. “Canada accepts so many refugees, for example,” he said. “These are people that have had a very difficult life from whence they came. If you’ve been in a refugee camp, then you live day-to-day. And those are troubled people. They come here and, well, it’s easy to take advantage of people that are trying to help.”

Richardson added: “Talk to the police. Look at who’s committing these crimes. They’re not the kid that grew up next door.”

In fairness to the Tories, they have put out a press release with old quotes Keith Martin and Garth Turner made when they were Conservatives, in an effort to show that they are really a tolerant party…