EDMONTON, AB: United Conservative Party Interim Leader Nathan Cooper today released the following statement on the death of a Thorsby man due to a fatal gas-and-dash that has renewed calls for pay at the pump legislation:
“The United Conservative Party Official Opposition is questioning why the NDP government has not followed through on its 2015 commitment to make the promised changes that could save lives.
“Gas-and dash deaths are entirely preventable, with tragic examples including the recent death of Ki Yun Jo in Thorsby, and Maryam Rashidi in Calgary in 2015.
“In the spring of 2015, after the tragic death of a gas station worker, the NDP government made a commitment to introduce legislation on gas-and-dash crimes. It’s now the fall of 2017, and the NDP have a weak to non-existent legislative agenda, yet have taken no action on this issue.
“Sadly, history has repeated itself, and another grieving family and community are dealing with the consequences of inaction.
“As the Government of Alberta, the NDP have to answer why they have failed to take any action whatsoever on this issue. They must answer to Albertans for their inaction.
“As the Official Opposition, we will continue to be hard at work holding the NDP to account and keep asking tough questions.”