I can’t say that the hearts of our city’s politicians and journalists are in the wrong place, but I truly have to question where their thoughts and their motives are. The becomes important especially when we’re on the topic of any solutions to our current violent crimes and what defines it as a serious enough problem to trump all other issues Toronto faces.
Let’s just, for the sake of compliance, agree with the masses. Is violent crime the root of the problem, or is violent crime merely the multiplication of a myriad of other problems in this city?
I know that politicians, of which I doubt any in this city live in what could be perceived as a “bad” area. In my experiences, I have only felt threatened once in my 10+ years in this city. That was my first year here living up at Dufferin and Finch and going west to Jane after midnight. Keep in mind, I was a green country hick who had no experience with a city more than 300k in a population. Fear of crime, and perceived crime, originates in the minds of those who do not understand.
I’m not, however, saying that crime isn’t a problem. It is. What I am saying is that thinking its a major issue is just a bit skewed and possibly pandering votes to those who do not understand how safe the city is.
Common sense should dictate that situations like walking at night alone, especially for women, is dangerous no matter where you live. Same goes with leaving children unattended in busy areas. The fact is that there will always be “bad” people. A city, with more concentrated populations, is going to have more “bad” people.
So what makes a bad person? Violent crime can mean a few things. Physical violence, sexual violence or property violence, to name a vew examples. So what’s the plan of action on curbing these forms of violent crime? More police could be a solution, albeit an expensive one. The city has already been through a few dangerous strikes involving “work to rule” over the last decades. Police are not cheap, nor do they warrant a safer city. Toronto has been increasing it’s police force steadily over the last decade. Crime has not decreased, and the population is not increasing at any more of a drastic rate than it was in the past.
Healthcare, however, has been on the decline and drastically both in funding and manpower. The same can be said for education. The same can be said for youth programs.
Growing up in a small town of 900 people, and now being 29 I’m a firm believer in the old addage “Idle hands are the devils playmate”. What does Toronto really expect is going to happen to crime when peope with various levels of psychosis are free to walk the streets along with kids who aren’t getting the same quality education as in the past (parents are just as big in the blame on this as teachers) and extra-curricular activity is gone in the name of budget cuts.
A safe society is one that takes care of its weak and young to the best of its ability. How did Mike Harris shutting down almost all the mental health hospitals in Ontario make the streets safer? Has Mike Harris, or any politician, seen a mentally ill person?
How has Dalton Mcguinty cancelling music programs, or athletic programs, helped make the streets safer? Has Dalton McGuinty, or any politician, seen what happens to youth without boundaries, guidelines, and constructive learning OUTSIDE of the classroom?
In our short-sightedness we continue to vote in politicians and mayors that look to short term solutions. They look to budget cuts and downsizing. Its gotten to the point where 2 parents need to work just to economically raise a kid. What are we to do when the school system is downsized to the point where you either school your kid at home, or spend 50k a year on a private school? This is as the number of mentally ill people continue to strike fear into us, and our children.
Where do we really draw the line?
Is crime really the problem with Toronto?