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Black spot on reputation

Canada and Alberta's persona as a tourist-friendly haven where people from around the world can take in the magnificence of our untouched wilderness and friendly people took a hit last week.

Canada and Alberta's persona as a tourist-friendly haven where people from around the world can take in the magnificence of our untouched wilderness and friendly people took a hit last week. The shooting of a German tourist made international headlines after a man was shot in the head in what has been described as a targetted attack, though the wounded tourist was not the intended victim. Fortunately, the man is expected to recover and we send our deepest apologies to him and his family who will undoubtedly be scarred by this cowardly act for the rest of their lives. There was a time when people could easily say this type of thing doesn't happen in Canada and point the finger to the south when it comes to gun violence. While the rates are still low, gun violence in Alberta has been on the rise. According to Statistics Canada, between 2013 and 2017, the rates of gun-related crime in the province nearly doubled to 53 incidents per 100,000 population – 23 points higher than the national average. While the national stats might be low when compared to the United States, Canada falls behind when compared to some European nations in terms of gun violence and it is something we need to take seriously, In 2016, Alberta had a massive influx of overseas and American tourists that drove tourism spending to a record $8.5 billion. The province has also set a goal of surpassing $10 billion in tourism revenue by 2020. Even here in Cochrane, the town is working on a tourism strategy aimed at capitalizing on a surging tourism industry. At the risk of sounding callus, this shooting hurts us all. It unfortunately casts a shadow on all of Alberta and on Albertans as people around the world see this story in various international headlines and broadcasts. Some of them might be considering visiting this amazing province and many might reconsider their travel plans. It would be unfortunate if this shooting blemished our nation's reputation. Canada is the only country in the Americas to be ranked in top 10 of the World's Safest Countries list. Ranked eighth, we are leaps and bonds ahead of the second safest nation, Chile at 31st. The US is ranked 55th on the 160 country list. While many might look at this incident as not their problem, it really is. Tourism brings in a lot of money for small businesses and communities in this region, money that is sorely needed as the economy continues to recover. We cannot overstate the importance that public safety be everyone's responsibility because crime is more than a nuisance, and there is never only one victim. In recent years, we have developed a mind-our-business attitude, which as had the unfortunate side affect of community's failing to look after each other. Criminals fear one thing, getting caught. Let's all help build an atmosphere where getting caught is inevitable.

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