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Harper turns Tories' focus to gun-related crime in city
Task force will tour Canada, meet victims, agencies
But criticized for taking `ideological' approach to issue
TABASSUM SIDDIQUI
STAFF REPORTER
Federal Conservative Leader Stephen Harper came to gun-troubled Toronto yesterday and unveiled a task force to examine crime rates that he says are on the rise across the country.
"One of the things that has made Canada a great country historically has been our traditionally low crime rate," Harper said.
"But, unfortunately, times are changing, our cities are changing.
"As a mother recently said to me, and I quote, `Toronto newscasts are starting to resemble Detroit newscasts.'"
Harper made his announcement from a podium set up on a basketball court next to the Trinity Community Recreation Centre near Queen and Bathurst Sts., where he and about 10 Tory MPs met earlier with municipal and community leaders.
He was short on details about the task force, which will be co-chaired by Ontario MPP Jim Flaherty and British Columbia MP Russ Hiebert, but said it will tour Canada to meet with victims of crime, law-enforcement workers and social agencies.
His party decided to move forward with the task force after growing tired of waiting for action from the federal Liberal government, Harper said.
But Irving Kulik of the Canadian Criminal Justice Association, an advocacy group pushing for changes to the justice system, suggested the task force might be misguided.
He said political leaders' time would be better spent building policy on a foundation of existing research.
"Before we get into a mood of panic, we have to look at it from a broader perspective," Kulik said from Ottawa. "It needs to be studied from a scientific basis rather than an ideological one."
The country's overall crime rate fell 1 per cent last year, but the national homicide rate increased 12 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
Harper said Canada is threatened by rising levels of crime, specifically homicides and drug offences.
Prior to the announcement, Harper and MPs met with local leaders, including Councillors Karen Stintz and Rob Ford and Toronto Police Association president Dave Wilson, to discuss the spate of gun violence in the city that has produced 32 fatal shootings so far this year.
Pastor Milton Edwards of Malvern Methodist Church said he was uncertain why he was invited to the meeting, but because he often counsels crime victims, he said he was willing to listen to the Conservatives' proposals with an open mind.
"What we want are solutions — I'm not here to take sides with any politician or any party," Edwards said.
"I can't say that I heard anything today that would give me hope, simply because this is the beginning process, but I'm looking forward to seeing how they're going to move forward with the information we've passed on."
Both co-chairs of the task force are familiar with crime issues. Hiebert's Surrey riding, near Vancouver, has had to deal with an increase in homicides and marijuana grow operations.
Flaherty was attorney general under former Ontario premier Mike Harris, who made law and order a big part of his platform. Flaherty, MPP for Whitby-Ajax, is planning to run in the next federal election.
The Liberals said Wednesday they will be holding a summit in Toronto to discuss gun and gang violence in the city.
With files from Canadian Press
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Ooooh, a task force.
Thanks for that mindless banter. Detroit's homicide rate is 43 per 100,000 and Toronto's is around 2. You are right about one thing though Harper, times are a changing... as in bye bye Harper.
Wow, sounds promising doesn't it. Jim Flaherty on tour to meet victims of crime. Slight problem with the plan... the victims are dead. I guess he means the families but how is that conversation going to go? Something along the lines of: "That's tragic, we are sorry about you loss. Do you mind if the camera gets a picture of you crying while Jim Flaherty puts his hand on your shoulder or gives you a hug?"
Ya think?
Funny. He wants the religious vote so bad that he is having pastors standing around him when the cameras are rolling and the pastors don't even know why they are there.
He met with who and hahaha.
Ooooh. A summit. I guess there is one slight difference though... one has the power to work on the issue and the other is dreaming of the power but not necessarily to work on this issue. The issue is in the black community and he is giving a speech at Bathurst and Queen, after meeting with two right wing city councillors that probably don't get much of the black vote and the Police Association president which I doubt has many fans in the black community (he isn't the chief of police or a deputy-chief... he represents the union and the union stands behind their members, even when they beat a black immigrant up in a Tim's parking lot), with a pastor that doesn't know why he is there, and is announcing two white well-off MPs will tour the country to talk to victims. I don't see how any of this shows any real concern or understanding about the issue beyond making people "feel good" something will be done.
Task force will tour Canada, meet victims, agencies
But criticized for taking `ideological' approach to issue
TABASSUM SIDDIQUI
STAFF REPORTER
Federal Conservative Leader Stephen Harper came to gun-troubled Toronto yesterday and unveiled a task force to examine crime rates that he says are on the rise across the country.
"One of the things that has made Canada a great country historically has been our traditionally low crime rate," Harper said.
"But, unfortunately, times are changing, our cities are changing.
"As a mother recently said to me, and I quote, `Toronto newscasts are starting to resemble Detroit newscasts.'"
Harper made his announcement from a podium set up on a basketball court next to the Trinity Community Recreation Centre near Queen and Bathurst Sts., where he and about 10 Tory MPs met earlier with municipal and community leaders.
He was short on details about the task force, which will be co-chaired by Ontario MPP Jim Flaherty and British Columbia MP Russ Hiebert, but said it will tour Canada to meet with victims of crime, law-enforcement workers and social agencies.
His party decided to move forward with the task force after growing tired of waiting for action from the federal Liberal government, Harper said.
But Irving Kulik of the Canadian Criminal Justice Association, an advocacy group pushing for changes to the justice system, suggested the task force might be misguided.
He said political leaders' time would be better spent building policy on a foundation of existing research.
"Before we get into a mood of panic, we have to look at it from a broader perspective," Kulik said from Ottawa. "It needs to be studied from a scientific basis rather than an ideological one."
The country's overall crime rate fell 1 per cent last year, but the national homicide rate increased 12 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
Harper said Canada is threatened by rising levels of crime, specifically homicides and drug offences.
Prior to the announcement, Harper and MPs met with local leaders, including Councillors Karen Stintz and Rob Ford and Toronto Police Association president Dave Wilson, to discuss the spate of gun violence in the city that has produced 32 fatal shootings so far this year.
Pastor Milton Edwards of Malvern Methodist Church said he was uncertain why he was invited to the meeting, but because he often counsels crime victims, he said he was willing to listen to the Conservatives' proposals with an open mind.
"What we want are solutions — I'm not here to take sides with any politician or any party," Edwards said.
"I can't say that I heard anything today that would give me hope, simply because this is the beginning process, but I'm looking forward to seeing how they're going to move forward with the information we've passed on."
Both co-chairs of the task force are familiar with crime issues. Hiebert's Surrey riding, near Vancouver, has had to deal with an increase in homicides and marijuana grow operations.
Flaherty was attorney general under former Ontario premier Mike Harris, who made law and order a big part of his platform. Flaherty, MPP for Whitby-Ajax, is planning to run in the next federal election.
The Liberals said Wednesday they will be holding a summit in Toronto to discuss gun and gang violence in the city.
With files from Canadian Press
--------
Ooooh, a task force.
Thanks for that mindless banter. Detroit's homicide rate is 43 per 100,000 and Toronto's is around 2. You are right about one thing though Harper, times are a changing... as in bye bye Harper.
Wow, sounds promising doesn't it. Jim Flaherty on tour to meet victims of crime. Slight problem with the plan... the victims are dead. I guess he means the families but how is that conversation going to go? Something along the lines of: "That's tragic, we are sorry about you loss. Do you mind if the camera gets a picture of you crying while Jim Flaherty puts his hand on your shoulder or gives you a hug?"
Ya think?
Funny. He wants the religious vote so bad that he is having pastors standing around him when the cameras are rolling and the pastors don't even know why they are there.
He met with who and hahaha.
Ooooh. A summit. I guess there is one slight difference though... one has the power to work on the issue and the other is dreaming of the power but not necessarily to work on this issue. The issue is in the black community and he is giving a speech at Bathurst and Queen, after meeting with two right wing city councillors that probably don't get much of the black vote and the Police Association president which I doubt has many fans in the black community (he isn't the chief of police or a deputy-chief... he represents the union and the union stands behind their members, even when they beat a black immigrant up in a Tim's parking lot), with a pastor that doesn't know why he is there, and is announcing two white well-off MPs will tour the country to talk to victims. I don't see how any of this shows any real concern or understanding about the issue beyond making people "feel good" something will be done.
