North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold wants anyone stealing firefighting equipment to be punished.
The Conservative MP has introduced a private member’s bill that seeks to amend the Criminal Code of Canada in relation to offences involving firefighting equipment.
“This past summer, I was shocked by reports of firefighting equipment being vandalized and stolen from wildfire service camps,” he said.
The bill proposes a new specific offence for theft of firefighting equipment that causes danger to life. Arnold’s bill also proposes to establish mischief related to firefighting equipment as an aggravating circumstance while the third component of the bill proposes a sentencing objective for theft of firefighting equipment.
“After researching the Criminal Code, it was apparent that the code has a gap when it comes to denunciation and deterrence specific to these types of offences and so I have introduced this bill in recognition of firefighters and the safety that they provide our communities,” said Arnold.
“Whether the offence occurs at a fire hall, in an apartment building or at a wildfire site, tampering or theft of firefighting equipment can quickly cause danger to life and it is time the Criminal Code reflects the gravity of such offences.”
