Conservative MP Larry Brock challenged Prime Minister Mark Carney in the House of Commons on Tuesday over what he called a growing crisis of extortion and gang-linked violence across Canada.
Brock said that extortion has “exploded” since the current government took office and cited a Conservative Party claim that nationwide extortion has risen by about 330 per cent. Brock accused criminal gangs of threatening, shooting at and firebombing families in cities such as Surrey, Calgary and Brampton, and urged the government to support measures to bar serious criminals from exploiting refugee claims.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, responding for the government, said Ottawa has met with victims and law enforcement to address extortion and emphasized the need for cross-party cooperation. He urged support for legislation such as Bill C-2, which would give police expanded lawful access powers to combat organized crime.
Anandasangaree called for an end to what he described as political obstructionism to ensure law enforcement has the tools needed to disrupt criminal networks.
The political clash comes amid increasing public attention on extortion-related incidents in multiple provinces. Police-reported crime data show the rate of extortion in Canada decreased about 10 per cent in 2024 to 32 incidents per 100,000 population after several years of rises, though the rate remains about four times higher than a decade earlier. Statistics Canada also reported the violent Crime Severity Index category that includes extortion grew about 35 per cent between 2022 and 2023.
In Surrey, British Columbia, local police recorded at least 16 extortion-related cases in the first weeks of 2026, including multiple shootings linked to intimidation campaigns, and said incidents reflect a broader trend of threats and demands for payments in the region.
Government efforts to combat extortion include coordinated task forces involving local and federal partners — such as Peel Regional Police’s dedicated extortion unit supported with federal funding — and collaboration to disrupt organized crime networks operating across provinces.
Much of the heightened focus has centered on transnational organized crime groups linked to extortion schemes, including the Bishnoi gang, which Canadian police have connected to a series of violent extortion and intimidation cases affecting diaspora communities.
The Commons exchange reflects growing pressure on the Carney government to tighten enforcement and consider legislative changes as extortion-linked threats and violence continue to draw public concern from coast to coast.
