Will it Ever Stop?

[CANAUS]

Will it Ever Stop?

Another weekend, another shootout, another person killed plus 3 others injured. Remarkable only insofar that it is irremarkable. I am honestly sick of seeing another mother grieving over a son lost forever.

One of our sons.

There are more murders to date this year than in 2005, the so-called year of the gun. Overall shootings may be down, but at this time last year there were 54 murders, in 2005, 63 and so far, this year there have been 66. All the while, we are in the midst of an unpredented, uninterupted economic boom. Government inaction has led us nowhere.

Toronto was never supposed to be like this. We used to pride ourselves on our safe neighbourhoods, we were known as the city that works. The problem-free days of the 70's are long behind us. These days we're reduced to saying 'well at least we're not the States'. Granted, but that utterly misses the point. You see, when a city continually compares itself with another city to pull itself up, it is almost always done to cover its own inadequecies. Why don't we compare ourselves to Brussels, the capital of Belgium, which had a homicide rate of 0.4 last year.

The current crime wave, in a large part, can be linked to the Mike Harris regime of the late 1990's. One of his first acts while in office was to cut welfare rates by 22%. Hospitals were shut, social services downloaded, environmental disasters occured like Walkerton. Amalgamation was literally thrusted upon us, against our better judgement. Our quality of life has declined, as the roots of poverty in our communities have deepened. It all speaks to the ineptitude of the so-called 'common sense revolution'. Four years after being McGuintied, code word for doing nothing while giving the impression of real progress, has still left us as the child poverty capital of Ontario.

It is not too late.

The solutions are clear: A higher minimum wage to boost the wages of single-moms, more opportunities for our low-income youth, welfare rates that reflect the true cost of living, plentiful and better quality affordable housing; the list goes on. There are platitude upon platitude of studies which link deprived childhood development with gang participation.

Most importantly we need to reinvest in our neighbourhoods, make them safe and clean places to live once again. It is no surprise that most shootings occur in disadvantaged neighbourhoods like Jane-Finch, Rexdale or Malvern.

Take your pick.

I have great hope for this city, I was born here and have watched as this city has prospered. Indeed, we have a lot to be thankful for. We are an exciting city, full of culture and things to do. I can say without a doubt, having traveled the world, that we are the world's most multicultural city. I have stood at Dundas Square and been filled with great hope for the future of humankind. Toronto is often like that. But being simply multicultural is not enough. We have to be equitable and safe too.

[Tuscani01]

Originally Posted by CANAUS

We have to be equitable and safe too.

I don't remember a single time when I have felt unsafe in this city. Yes there are problems that need to be fixed but there is no need to over sensationalize these problems. Its not as bad as people make it out to be.

[CANAUS]

OK, overall this is true. But again have you been to Jane-Finch by yourself at 2 in the morning? Even some parts of downtown are pretty sketchy, like, believe it or not, the bus garage on Bay St at night. I don't believe I'm oversensationalising, I just wish people would recognise a problem when we have one.

[Tuscani01]

Originally Posted by CANAUS

OK, overall this is true. But again have you been to Jane-Finch by yourself at 2 in the morning? Even some parts of downtown are pretty sketchy, like, believe it or not, the bus garage on Bay St at night. I don't believe I'm oversensationalising, I just wish people would recognise a problem when we have one.

I have family and co-workers who live at Jane and Finch. There was a time when I did something stupid in the area... my friend nearly killed me for almost getting him killed, but nothing happened. Right now I live at Dufferin and Eglinton and when I tell people they mention the crime and things that go on here. All I have to say is if it wasn't for the news, I wouldn't know about it. I have walked home many times alone after midnight and have never seen or been involved in anything bad. I cant even remember the last time something bad happened here yet people still bring the crime factor up.

The way I see it is unless you go out looking for trouble, you wont be getting in any trouble. Get rid of the gangs and drugs and things should start improving. The problem is how do you go about doing that?

[Dream Brother]

I don't feel safe in this city at all. Maybe in some of the nicer areas of North York but that's about it. There is way too much of a wigger and jigger complex out there.

[Jaye101]

Maybe you should get out your house a bit more.

[salvius]

I do find the safety hysteria to, frankly, be laughable, especially when overblown to absurd heights (e.g. Dream Brother's post).

It's a city with an, overall, low crime rate. Which is not to say that crime does not happen, or that there are no problem areas.

For the record, I have walked Jane-Finch at all times of day and night, and with some frequency, and I can honestly say nothing remotely 'exciting' has ever happened to me. Again, not to say Jane and Finch has no problems, because clearly it does, but let's be realistic people.

[rbt]

Originally Posted by CANAUS

OK, overall this is true. But again have you been to Jane-Finch by yourself at 2 in the morning?

I lived there (Fountainhead specifically, but that's part of the neighbourhood) for quite a while and regularly got home between 1am and 5am, by foot, walking alone.

The only thing dangerous in that area is burnt turkeys flying off balcony's on Thanksgiving morning. Really, you need to watch out for those.

[nitzomoe]

I think you should get your facts straight, brussels has a murder rate of 0.10 PER 1,000 PEOPLE. Whereas the city in Canada which has the highest murder rate Saskatoon has a homicide rate of 4.1 PER 100,000 PEOPLE or 0.4 per 1,000 people. Toronto is nowhere near the rate of Saskatoon, its considerably lower and Toronto is still considered one of the safest major cities in Canada.

http://www.urbanaudit.org/rank.aspx (Social Aspects > number of murders and violent deaths per 1,000 ppl> Denmark > descending)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/...ime-stats.html

[Electrify]

I do not think a $10 minimum wage overnight is the answer to our problems. All it would do would be to increase inflation and unemployment, thus bringing us back to where we are in the first place. This would also decrease tourism, since it would be more expensive to visit Ontario than other places.

I think what the Liberals have been doing, by gradually increasing it is the most responsible way of going by things. However, what would also be smart is to offer tax rebates to organizations with a large employee base if their starting wage is at $10/hour. This would help to ensure more places offer good wages, while keeping prices and employment loss to a minimum.

[Filip]

I never felt unsafe in Toronto to be honest. There are areas, though, that I refuse to walk through - namely Jane and Finch and Regent Park.

[Taller, Better]

Originally Posted by Dream Brother

I don't feel safe in this city at all. Maybe in some of the nicer areas of North York but that's about it. There is way too much of a wigger and jigger complex out there.

you forgot to mention "suburban paranoia" as well.

[Jaye101]

Originally Posted by Filip

I never felt unsafe in Toronto to be honest. There are areas, though, that I refuse to walk through - namely Jane and Finch and Regent Park.

And it is because you refuse to walk through them why you'll always fear them.

[w.ll.am]

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

I used to live at Jane and Finch for about 3 months. And when I say Jane and Finch I mean specifically on Driftwood Ave. Arriving at home at all hours the only think I was afraid of was the spook stories put in my head by the news sensationalizing every little thing that happened in the area.

If anything I'd be willing to wager far more violent crimes happen in the club district every weekend.

[leaf345]

Originally Posted by Dream Brother

I don't feel safe in this city at all. Maybe in some of the nicer areas of North York but that's about it. There is way too much of a wigger and jigger complex out there.

I've heard wigger before, but jigger? Huh?

I think you should get your facts straight, brussels has a murder rate of 0.10 PER 1,000 PEOPLE. Whereas the city in Canada which has the highest murder rate Saskatoon has a homicide rate of 4.1 PER 100,000 PEOPLE or 0.4 per 1,000 people. Toronto is nowhere near the rate of Saskatoon, its considerably lower and Toronto is still considered one of the safest major cities in Canada.

0.1/1000? Wow, that works out to about 10/100 000... that's more than the average American city. Some basic google searches seem to indicate that Belgium has murder rate almost twice that of the USA. That's surprising.

[Taller, Better]

Originally Posted by leaf345

I've heard wigger before, but jigger? Huh?
.

I've never heard it either, and suspect dream brother just dreamt it up.
I think it is obvious what the "J" stands for.

[noob(but not really)]

Originally Posted by Filip

There are areas, though, that I refuse to walk through - namely Jane and Finch and Regent Park.

Those areas are nothing.

[CANAUS]

Originally Posted by Jaye101

Maybe you should get out your house a bit more.

I'm often out at 2 in the morning downtown and I feel safer there at that time than in my friend's suburb on East Mall near Kipling station.

[ale26]

wow some people blow things way out of proportion i mean...saying that it is totally unsafe to walk the big bad streets of Toronto at night..like cummon..obviously this kind of thing is going to happen..i mean it is a city of close to 6 million...and the crime rate is still quite low...try walking some streets in Detroit, or buffalo or New York or Philly at night..never mind night, even some times during the day...then maybe you will reconsider yout thoughts about Toronto.

[Dream Brother]

Originally Posted by Jaye101

Maybe you should get out your house a bit more.

Look who's talking. You have over 4000 posts.