Hon. Yonah Martin: Honourable senators, last week I returned to Abbotsford, a city in the Fraser Valley, 45 minutes east of Vancouver, British Columbia, a place that is dear to me, in which I spent the first 14 years of my teaching career. Abbotsford is also a place where the oldest of the now infamous Bacon brothers had been one of my students.
In Abbotsford, at MP Ed Fast's office, I met a young Canadian who inspired me to make this statement today. I was moved not only by his sparkling charm and good looks. Kenton O'Donnell is only 11 years old, and his mother, as we discovered at this meeting, is also one of my former students. At present, the O'Donnells live across the street from the Bacon family home, in which two brothers still reside.
What compels me to make this statement, honourable senators, is what I learned from my face-to-face meeting with 11-year-old Kenton O'Donnell. He spoke from the heart and believes that one person can make a difference by simply speaking the truth.
In a speech to the staff and students of Clayburn Middle School, Kenton described his constant fear of living so close to two of British Columbia's most notorious gang targets, the Bacon brothers.
Residents of Kenton's neighbourhood have witnessed numerous shooting incidents aimed at the Bacon brothers, and Kenton remembers the sound of gunshots during one of these events. Every day, he rushes home from school in fear as he passes the Bacon brothers' home, always on the lookout for strange vehicles. It is not safe to play outside, and most of his friends are not allowed to play at his house anymore, as parents fear for the safety of their children.
Honourable senators, Kenton O'Donnell is but one Canadian who has become a prisoner in his own home, living in fear of going outdoors due to the threat of gang violence in his community.
As parliamentarians, it is our duty to give those responsible for law enforcement the tools they need to protect our communities, our families and our citizens. We must take decisive, responsible action to enhance safety in our streets and neighbourhoods.
New crime legislation, currently in the other place, will provide law enforcement officials and the justice system with better means to address serious organized crime and gang issues, including gang murders and drive-by shootings, while providing additional protection for police and peace officers.
The activities of organized crime and gangs are not confined to cities. They threaten all Canadians in all regions of our country.
Honourable senators, 11-year-old Kenton O'Donnell was brave enough to speak out against the violence in his community. In allowing the media to print his story, his parents hope to encourage parents to speak honestly to their children to prevent them from ever engaging in destructive criminal activities.
It is now our turn to remember Kenton's courage and everyday struggle, and work as parliamentarians to pass tougher laws to protect the safety and security of law-abiding citizens. Just as it requires a collective effort to address the needs of hard-working Canadians during these economically challenging times, only our collective will can and must reclaim our streets, our communities and our lives.