$9,200,000,000 loss: Public safety minister confronted over shoplifting crisis

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:02]Sir, I have some questions for you. They are simple questions and I hope that I can get simple answers. So, the first question I ask is, do you realize that shoplifting has become a national crisis?

[00:00:16]>> Look, you know, certainly um when when we talk about national crisis, Mr. Al, then we have to be careful in the context.

[00:00:26]>> Okay. So, I think this is No, okay. My second question.

[00:00:30]So, do you know the annual losses caused by shoplifting in the country?

[00:00:34]>> I believe it's 6 billion a year.

[00:00:37]>> The answer is 9.2 billions.

[00:00:40]Number three.

[00:00:42]Do you know how much losses from shoplifting have increased from 2019 to 2025?

[00:00:47]>> Uh I'm not familiar with with that increase, no.

[00:00:50]>> So, it doubled from 5 billion to 9.2.

[00:00:53]Do you know how much an average grocery store has to spend on preventive measures and security each year?

[00:01:00]>> Um Mr. Al, I I I will say as a government we are ensuring that the laws are in place to ensure >> Okay, the answer is 5,000. So, on an average, a grocery store has to spend $5,000 for preventives and security measures.

[00:01:17]Okay.

[00:01:19]Do you know the percentage increase in violence in reported shoplifting cases?

[00:01:24]>> So, Mr. Al, what I will say is I'm not an expert on shoplifting. Okay, but I will say that I I general issues around public safety I can speak to what we as a government have been doing to address the issues of public safety. The concerns that you express are legitimate and I will say that over the last year we've taken a number of very important >> the answer. The increase is 76%.

[00:01:48]So, do you know the percentage of retailers who feel unsafe in the workplace?

[00:01:53]>> Again, I don't think this is helpful.

[00:01:55]>> No, okay, the answer is 47%.

[00:01:57]I will tell you why this is helpful okay at the end.

[00:02:01]Do you know that shoplifting is often related to drug use?

[00:02:05]>> Sorry, I I don't understand your >> Do you know that shoplifting is often related to drug use?

[00:02:10]>> It could be, yes.

[00:02:11]>> Okay, great. Do you know that the same offenders are repeatedly arrested and released it on the same day?

[00:02:19]>> Again, Mr. I think if if you want to speak broadly on public safety, I'm I'm more than glad to give you some commentary as to the steps this government has been taken. What is not helpful frankly is like 20 questions okay? 20 questions to test my >> Mr. Chair >> Two more.

[00:02:37]>> Point of order.

[00:02:38]>> Yes, Madam Soudi.

[00:02:40]>> Um with all due respect for my colleague, our minister is here today to answer questions. I don't think that it's fair to talk over each other. It's also not healthy for the interpreters that are doing the interpretation.

[00:02:51]>> Okay, be patient. I have two more questions, okay?

[00:02:54]>> Q and P Soudi, Miss MP Lau.

[00:02:58]>> So, do you know the percentage of repeat offenders among those arrested for shoplifting?

[00:03:04]>> Mr. Lau, I can give you a comprehensive answer in terms of what we as a government are doing to address the issues around crime.

[00:03:14]>> So, 18% is the answer.

[00:03:16]>> Yes.

[00:03:17]>> And the final question is, do you have a national strategy to deal with this shoplifting crisis?

[00:03:23]>> Um I can say that Secretary of State uh Sohota has been involved and engaged on this issue. There was a discussion in Peel Region very recently. We're certainly open to looking at national strategy on on a range of issues. But but certainly I would say overall issues around crime, we have Bill C-14 which strengthens bail as well as sentencing Bill C-16, which is uh on victims' rights. We have Bill uh C-22, which uh speaks to lawful access, a tool that law enforcement have been asking for for many, many years.

[00:04:02]>> Now, I hope that you can come up with an effective strategy to deal with this growing problem. It hurts everybody in the country. Because when there are losses in the uh in the money terms, it affects everybody in affordability. Because the loss for the business will pass on to the customers. And also, when we have such a large number of retailers telling us that they don't feel safe in the workplace, I think we should be of concern. Now, actually, I've raised this question 4 weeks ago in the house. And I made a statement. And the fact that you are telling me that you are not aware of it, you know, is perhaps, you know, the I it was not being pay attention to. Maybe, you know, I'm just a new MP, you know, nobody cares about, you know, what I'm saying.

[00:04:54]But I would be surprised that uh you are telling you told me that, you know, you are not aware of the problem. So, I hope that this can be something that you can bring back to your to your government and work on.

[00:05:05]>> With respect, well, I think the way you had framed it, um I didn't agree with you that it's a national crisis. I think there is a number of issues that will take precedent over this a national crisis, including the national crisis on missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit individuals. Um the drug toxic drug crisis is a crisis.

[00:05:25]Certainly, issues around retail theft is an issue. It's certainly something that I'm concerned about, as are all Canadians, but it doesn't elevate to the level of a national crisis. So, that's where I started on Yeah, sorry to come in. Organized retail crime. It's organized.

[00:05:42]>> Sorry to interrupt.