This Is What a Broken System Looks Like
Two summers ago, Rukinisha Nkundabatware was murdered outside the Belvedere LRT station in a brutal, unprovoked attack.
He was a father. A friend. A new Canadian.
He was doing nothing wrong — simply meeting a friend at the station — when he was stabbed in the chest by a man he didn’t know.
Jamal Wheeler had a long history of violence. He had assaulted strangers on transit. He had been banned from Edmonton Transit property.
And yet, he was free.
Living in a tent at the same transit station.
Out on bail. Again.
Earlier this month, Wheeler was sentenced to seven years. But with time already served, he’ll be out in about four and a half.
That’s not justice. That’s not safety.
Four. Out of Ten.
Let’s be honest with ourselves. The issue here isn’t just one judge or one courtroom decision.
This goes back further.
In 2019, changes to Canada’s bail laws made it significantly easier for repeat offenders to be released, and to breach conditions with few consequences.
The results have been devastating.
Since those reforms were introduced, over 40% of homicides in Canada have been committed by someone out on bail.
That’s not a statistic we should ever be comfortable with.
We Saw This Coming
In the fall of 2024, business and community leaders across the country — including here in Edmonton — warned the federal government: crime was rising, trust was falling and repeat offenders were cycling through the system unchecked.
Groups like IDA Canada and the Downtown Revitalization Coalition weren’t looking to score political points. They were sounding the alarm.
They asked for:
A full review of the bail system
Post-incarceration mental health and addiction supports
Investments in supportive housing and recovery services
Some progress was made. Bill C-48, passed in December 2023, tightened bail access for violent offenders.
But it didn’t go far enough.
And the consequences are still unfolding, right here at home.
We Need Safe Streets — And a Holistic Approach
Public safety doesn’t happen by accident. It takes leadership, investment and a clear plan. Here’s what I believe we need to move forward:
✅ Proactive Community Policing
We need officers who are more than first responders, we need them to be partners in prevention. Officers undergo rigorous training and bring critical expertise in crisis management, public safety and community outreach. By building on that professionalism and commitment, we can expand their role beyond emergency response. That means giving them the time, tools and support to build relationships, identify issues early and work alongside community groups and service providers. We must push for a model of policing that meets people where they are, before crisis strikes.
✅ Zero Tolerance for Violence
No one should feel unsafe waiting for a bus or walking down the street. Violent crime needs to come down and that starts with accountability for repeat offenders and a bail system that prioritizes public safety. With a Better Edmonton team, we will be strong advocates to the federal government to demand meaningful change.
✅ Preventive Programs
Our team has said it before, and we’ll say it again: we cannot police our way out of addiction, homelessness, or mental illness. We support long-term investments in housing, treatment, and recovery.
Edmonton is a prosecution capital. We have more jails per capita than any other major city in Canada. That means we need to establish a different kind of relationship with our provincial and federal partners. We must address this in a way that reflects our local reality — more funding, relocation of penitentiaries and a clearer understanding of the violent offenders being released into our communities.
✅ A Balanced, Holistic Approach
We believe we can — and must — balance accountability with compassion. This is not a choice between law enforcement or community supports. It’s both. And we will keep pushing for solutions that are smart, measured and grounded in the realities we’re seeing every day on our streets.
Let’s fix it. Before it happens again.
Tim Cartmell is running to be the next Mayor of Edmonton and is leading the Better Edmonton municipal party. Caroline Matthews is running for Council in Ward Métis and Mike Elliott is running for council in Ward pihêsiwin, both with the Better Edmonton municipal party.
