BC Conservatives pledge crime reform and DRIPA repeal

The newly elected Conservative government in British Columbia, led by Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson, has outlined key policy priorities following a landslide election victory. The party aims to address public safety by ending open drug use, improving mental health care access, and empowering police to enforce the Mental Health Act to facilitate mandatory treatment.

To bolster law enforcement, the Conservatives' 'Safe Streets' pledge includes hiring 250 additional police officers and adding 500 RCMP officers to rural communities over the next five years.

Additionally, Doerkson confirmed his commitment to repealing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). He argued that the legislation, which requires provincial laws to align with United Nations standards regarding Indigenous consent, has failed to resolve legal disputes concerning mining and development, stating, “It has not worked in this province and frankly I think it has caused more problems to date than potentially anything else.”