News

Are You Attracting Thieves To Your Valuables? Tips To Protect Yourself

Published

7 years ago

6 minute read

By Sheldon Spackman

(originally published August 9, 2017)

Here are some interesting… well maybe some disturbing facts RCMP and Citizens On Patrol discovered in Red Deer this summer.

During Westerner Days last month, over the period of two days, Mounties and volunteers with Citizens on Patrol checked vehicles in the Westerner Park parking lot to see which vehicle owners were leaving themselves vulnerable to smash and grab crimes.

Although members and volunteers did not try to open any doors or touch the vehicles other than leaving a flyer under the wiper blade, a significant portion were found to be attractive targets for criminals.

Two hundred vehicles were checked on July 22nd and 81 more on July 23rd.
More thank half passed! 56 percent were found to be free of any visible temptations for criminals such as cash, electronics or other valuables in plain site.

But that means nearly half did not pass! 44 percent were found to be vulnerable to a smash and grab crime.

36 vehicles had possessions or cash in plain view

19 had visible electronics

55 had garage door openers in plain site

9 had the keys left inside!

Constable Sean Morris with the Red Deer RCMP says “Citizens continue to express their concern about property crimes, but many also continue to make choices that create attractive targets for smash and grab thefts. Criminals prowl parking lots looking for easy targets – why would you tempt them to smash your windows or steal your vehicle?”

We found some tips to consider every time you leave your vehicle. Here are the top ten tips to protect your vehicle and its contents while unattended from the Insurance Bureau of Canada…

Ensure your doors are always locked and the key is in your pocket
Always park in well-lit areas
Always roll up your car windows
Never leave money in plain sight
Put shopping bags and other parcels in the trunk
Ensure your GPS and other electronic devices are out of sight
Keep your vehicle registration certificate and proof of insurance on you
Take your cellphone with you
Never leave your vehicle running when unattended
If you frequently park in the same parking lot, park in a different spot each day.

For more info, tips and to rate your vehicle, go to the Insurance Bureau of Canada web site.

And here’s some explanation from the Calgary Police Service.

Lock it up. Close the windows, lock the doors and the trunk, and take your keys with you – never leave your vehicle unlocked, even for the few minutes it takes to duck into a store or run back into the house. And don’t hide a key on the vehicle – criminals know ALL the hiding spots.
Turn it off. Never leave your vehicle idling alone, even if you lock the doors. It costs the environment in emissions, and it could cost you when a criminal bypasses the door lock in seconds.
Hide your valuables. Wherever and whenever you park, remove your valuables – including any removable stereos. If that’s not practical (you’re in the middle of a shopping day, for example), hide the valuables in the trunk, out of sight, and then move the vehicle to a different place in the parking lot. Thieves watch parking lots to see who’s stashing shopping bags and then heading back into the mall.
Stow it right. If you have a garage, use it and lock it. If you don’t, choose a parking spot that’s as well lit and well travelled as possible, within sight of your windows.
Think security. If your vehicle has an alarm, use it. If it doesn’t, consider installing one, or at least using an anti-theft device such as a steering-wheel locking bar. These items can deter some criminals, and can delay others. If your vehicle is especially attractive to criminals, consider installing a security system such as an electronic vehicle disabling device, a hood-locking device or a location tracking system.
Protect yourself. Never leave any identifying information, such as your name, address, phone number or vehicle registration/insurance in the vehicle. Carry it in your wallet or purse instead, and never leave these items in the vehicle. You’ll also need the registration and insurance details in case the vehicle is stolen, so it’s a great idea to make an extra copy of these documents, to keep at home.
Report it! If you see suspicious people in or around vehicles, call the Police Service at 403-343-5575. And if your vehicle is broken into or stolen, report it to police right away, regardless of loss or insurance coverage. Break-ins are rarely isolated – reporting them immediately with as much detail as possible can help police in their investigation.

Related Topics:City of Red Deer Lock it or Lose it Red Deer Citizens on Patrol Red Deer RCMP Westerner Days Westerner Park

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Broken ‘equalization’ program bad for all provinces

Published on November 21, 2024

Todayville

From the Fraser Institute

By Alex Whalen and Tegan Hill

Back in the summer at a meeting in Halifax, several provincial premiers discussed a lawsuit meant to force the federal government to make changes to Canada’s equalization program. The suit—filed by Newfoundland and Labrador and backed by British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta—effectively argues that the current formula isn’t fair. But while the question of “fairness” can be subjective, its clear the equalization program is broken.

In theory, the program equalizes the ability of provinces to deliver reasonably comparable services at a reasonably comparable level of taxation. Any province’s ability to pay is based on its “fiscal capacity”—that is, its ability to raise revenue.

This year, equalization payments will total a projected $25.3 billion with all provinces except B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan to receive some money. Whether due to higher incomes, higher employment or other factors, these three provinces have a greater ability to collect government revenue so they will not receive equalization.

However, contrary to the intent of the program, as recently as 2021, equalization program costs increased despite a decline in the fiscal capacity of oil-producing provinces such as Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador. In other words, the fiscal capacity gap among provinces was shrinking, yet recipient provinces still received a larger equalization payment.

Why? Because a “fixed-growth rule,” introduced by the Harper government in 2009, ensures that payments grow roughly in line with the economy—even if the gap between richer and poorer provinces shrinks. The result? Total equalization payments (before adjusting for inflation) increased by 19 per cent between 2015/16 and 2020/21 despite the gap in fiscal capacities between provinces shrinking during this time.

Moreover, the structure of the equalization program is also causing problems, even for recipient provinces, because it generates strong disincentives to natural resource development and the resulting economic growth because the program “claws back” equalization dollars when provinces raise revenue from natural resource development. Despite some changes to reduce this problem, one study estimated that a recipient province wishing to increase its natural resource revenues by a modest 10 per cent could face up to a 97 per cent claw back in equalization payments.

Put simply, provinces that generally do not receive equalization such as Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan have been punished for developing their resources, whereas recipient provinces such as Quebec and in the Maritimes have been rewarded for not developing theirs.

Finally, the current program design also encourages recipient provinces to maintain high personal and business income tax rates. While higher tax rates can reduce the incentive to work, invest and be productive, they also raise the national standard average tax rate, which is used in the equalization allocation formula. Therefore, provinces are incentivized to maintain high and economically damaging tax rates to maximize equalization payments.

Unless premiers push for reforms that will improve economic incentives and contain program costs, all provinces—recipient and non-recipient—will suffer the consequences.

Authors:

Alex Whalen and Tegan Hill

National

Liberals, NDP admit closed-door meetings took place in attempt to delay Canada’s next election

Published on November 12, 2024

Todayville

From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

Pushing back the date would preserve the pensions of some of the MPs who could be voted out of office in October 2025.

Aides to the cabinet of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that MPs from the Liberal and New Democratic Party (NDP) did indeed hold closed-door “briefings” to rewrite Canada’s elections laws so that they could push back the date of the next election.

The closed-door talks between the NDP and Liberals confirmed the aides included a revision that would guarantee some of its 28 MPs, including three of Trudeau’s cabinet members, would get a pension.

Allen Sutherland, who serves as the assistant cabinet secretary, testified before the House of Commons affairs committee that the changes to the Elections Act were discussed in the meetings.

“We attended a meeting where the substance of that proposal was discussed,” he said, adding that his “understanding is the briefing was primarily oral.”

According to Sutherland, as reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, it was only NDP and Liberal MPs who attended the secret meetings regarding changes to Canada’s Elections Act via Bill C-65, An Act to Amend the Canada Elections Act before the bill was introduced in March.

As reported by LifeSiteNews before, the Liberals were hoping to delay the 2025 federal election by a few days in what many see as a stunt to secure pensions for MPs who are projected to lose their seats. Approximately 80 MPs would qualify for pensions should they sit as MPs until at least October 27, 2025, which is the newly proposed election date. The election date is currently set for October 20, 2025.

Sutherland noted when asked by Conservative MP Luc Berthold that he recalled little from the meetings, but he did confirm he attended “two meetings of that kind.”

“Didn’t you find it unusual that a discussion about amending the Elections Act included only two political parties and excluded the others?” Berthold asked.

Sutherland responded, “It’s important to understand what my role was in those meetings which was simply to provide background information.”

“My role was to provide information,” replied Sutherland, who added he could not provide the exact dates of the meetings.

MPs must serve at least six years to qualify for a pension that pays $77,900 a year. Should an election be called today, many MPs would fall short of reaching the six years, hence Bill C-65 was introduced by the Liberals and NDP.

The Liberals have claimed that pushing back the next election date is not over pensions but due to “trying to observe religious holidays,” as noted by Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen.

“Conservatives voted against this bill,” Berthold said, as they are “confident of winning re-election. We don’t need this change.”

Trudeau’s popularity is at a all-time low, but he has refused to step down as PM, call an early election, or even step aside as Liberal Party leader.

As for the amendments to elections laws, they come after months of polling in favour of the Conservative Party under the leadership of Pierre Poilievre.

A recent poll found that 70 percent of Canadians believe the country is “broken” as Trudeau focuses on less critical issues. Similarly, in January, most Canadians reported that they are worse off financially since Trudeau took office.

Additionally, a January poll showed that 46 percent of Canadians expressed a desire for the federal election to take place sooner rather than the latest mandated date in the fall of 2025.