Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been hearing from Langley MP Mark Warawa and other B.C. MPs about the need to do more to tackle gangland violence in the Lower Mainland.

By Monique Tamminga - Langley Times

A total of 18 shootings in one month in the Lower Mainland brought the prime minister to Vancouver and B.C.'s top cops to Ottawa on Thursday, with Stephen Harper announcing a new 'Organized Crime Bill' to tackle gangs.

The bill introduces automatic first-degree murder charges for anyone involved in a gang-related killing. Drive-by shooting convictions will receive mandatory four-year prison sentences.

"The gang violence needs to end now," said Langley MP Mark Warawa on Thursday from Ottawa.

Warawa said the country is abuzz about the Fraser Valley's gang problem, with B.C. being dubbed the organized crime capital of Canada.

"With B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal and Solicitor General John Van Dongen coming to Ottawa and our prime minister coming to Vancouver, it just goes to show how serious all levels of government are taking this."

The Organized Crime Bill could be passed into law as quickly as mid-spring if the opposition parties continue to support it, said Warawa.

"But now we are counting on the courts to support it," said Warawa. After two years of delays, the Conservative government’s “Tackling Violent Crime” legislation came into force in May 2008 and yet provincial court judges have ignored it, he said.

"These gang members who face weapon charges shouldn't be getting bail under the new legislation and yet they are. We need judges to start using the laws they are instructed to use."

Both the federal NDP and Liberals have come out in support of the bill on Thursday. But Warawa is doubtful they will continue to.

"At this point, they say the will support it but when the public isn't watching, it goes into committee and they keep it from passing," he said.

The Tackling Violent Crime bill went to a confidence vote, something this government doesn't plan to do again this time.

"There is no appetite for an election right now," Warawa said.

Harper met behind closed doors with police and family members of gang crime victims to have a roundtable discussion about how to fight gang crime.