Leah Moss is a Kamloops resident and mother who is taking action against the open drug use and criminal activity she is witnessing in the city.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Leah Moss
July 09, 2021 - 7:00 AM
Kamloops resident Leah Moss is fed up with the criminal activity and open drug use on the city’s North Shore.
Moss grew up in Juniper Ridge and moved to the North Shore with her husband two decades ago to raise a family. She says she has been getting more frustrated as the city she loves falls further into drugs and crime.
“I love the North Shore,” Moss said. “I love the neighbourhood and the long growing season for my garden. I do not like what has happened to it of course, and I’m angry because I can’t take my kids for a walk on the beach without seeing open drug use.”
Moss says she is not an activist or a politician, but on June 25, she decided to take action. She started a Facebook group called Kamloops Citizens for Change, which now has 1,500 followers. All of them are committed to getting the changes made and taking back their city.
Moss and a group of volunteers gathered on the North Shore, Wednesday, July 7, to meet and share ideas. Their next step is to form a committee.
“The meeting was exciting as it was the first time everyone met,” Moss said. “We want change. We have volunteers who will help organize everything. We are prepared to go all the way to the provincial and federal government.”
Despite the anger and frustration many members of the group are feeling, Moss says they will not be taking the law into their own hands. They are a law abiding group with zero tolerance for name calling, hate speech or any talk of violence.
They are currently discussing a peaceful protest.
“We want to show the government this is not how we want to live,” Moss said. “We are a law abiding group who want to make a change.
"We need the provincial government to change the Charge Assessment Standards in B.C. This is, in part, what has been preventing the RCMP and courts from doing the job we want them to be able to do. I think it is best at this point to keep it simple and ask for this to be changed.”
The group is organizing itself for a demonstration outside city hall, making signs and fliers, and collecting signatures on a petition.
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