Surrey, BC has already recorded 51 extortions this year. 11 of them ended with shots fired. That might sound surprising until you realise last year there were 133 cases, and 49 related shootings. So what’s actually driving this? And how is it possible that after more than a year of this, no level of government (municipal, provincial, federal) and no police force has managed to get it under control? Host Noor speaks with former MP Jinny Sims, who was targeted in these campaigns, and Wade Deisman, a criminologist at the University of the Fraser Valley.

Host: Noor Azrieh

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Host/Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)

Guests: Jinny Sims, Wade Deisman

Background reading:

B.C. politicians call on federal government to get tough on extortion crisis – CBC News
Protest held against extortion wave in Surrey as 3 foreign nationals charged – CBC News
Shots fired at Surrey radio station believed to be extortion-related – Global News
Extortion is disrupting B.C. lives and businesses. And there's no end in sight – Vancouver Sun
Extortion Theatre: Sikh Politicians, Party Scripts, & The Refusal To Name India – Baaz News

Sponsors:

Visit fizz.ca to learn more about Fizz mobile and its long list of added-value features and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off and 10GB of free data.

Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today at douglas.ca/canadaland

Everyone is still finding their way. Find yours and feel lighter. Sign up and get 10% off at Better Help.

We have a monthly supporter-exclusive show, Off The Record, where our very own Sam Konnert gets to talk to YOU, fine listeners. We asked you to call in and share interesting stories happening from across the country, and you all delivered, so make sure to tune in to that this Thursday.

If you want to hear that (or if you want to catch up on all the great episodes of Off The Record you may have missed!) become a supporter at canadaland.com/join.

If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.

Can't get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to Motivate Yourself in 2026 (PART 2)

The Habit Mechanic — Train Your Brain for the AI Revolution

Top strengths and key achievements

The AI-powered Podcast Player