B.C. Premier David Eby said he will press other premiers and the federal government for a national framework to allow prosecutors to pursue facilitators of organised crime using tools similar to the U.S. RICO Act.
Pitching U.S.-style tools at premiers' meetings
Mr. Eby told reporters he intends to raise the issue at the upcoming Council of the Federation meeting and at talks with Prime Minister Mark Carney. He argued Canada lacks some legal mechanisms to target people who enable criminal networks while operating in otherwise lawful ways.
He acknowledged civil liberties groups are likely to scrutinize any proposals that expand police or prosecutorial powers and said those concerns should be weighed against public safety needs.
"There needs to be a federal framework to target facilitators of crime who are currently operating legally, similar to U.S. anti-racketeering and anticorruption laws," Mr. Eby said.
Context: cross-border investigations and recent arrests
The push follows a U.S. Justice Department operation that announced arrests across multiple countries linked to offences by India-based criminal groups. The U.S. action included 24 suspects arrested worldwide, with three individuals in British Columbia now facing extradition, according to Mr. Eby.
| Metric | Number |
|---|---|
| Global arrests announced by U.S. DOJ | 24 |
| Suspects in B.C. facing extradition | 3 |
Mr. Eby framed the episode as illustrative of gaps in Canada’s law-enforcement toolkit: while the offending groups were investigated abroad, some facilitators operating in Canada were not always subject to laws that would enable co-ordinated, domestic prosecutions of the same scope.
Balancing powers and civil liberties
Mr. Eby said any expansion of authority should be measured and tested, and that protections for civil liberties must be part of the design. He did not outline specific legislative language or a draft federal proposal, instead signalling an intention to build consensus among premiers and with the federal government.
- Policy aim: Create a federal framework to target facilitators of organised crime.
- Political route: Raise issue at premiers’ meeting and first ministers’ talks.
- Driver: Recent U.S. investigation and extradition requests involving B.C. residents.
Justice and law-enforcement stakeholders, as well as civil liberties organisations, will likely be engaged should the federal government pursue legislative changes. Any move toward RICO-style laws would prompt debate over investigative scope, evidentiary thresholds and safeguards for fundamental rights.
The Canadian Press reported Mr. Eby’s remarks on July 17, 2026.
