Toronto Mayor's reason for gun violence...

[21pro]

David Miller, Toronto Mayor, blames the U.S. for Toronto's gun violence problems..., citing that 50% of the gun's found in gang busts and gun's used in violence in the city originate from the U.S.. His statement was made as his only response of how to combat gun violence in Toronto after last week's 6 shootings in a 24 hour period.

Don't you think this show's a serious lack of leadership on his part... I mean, c'mon... do you really think that the core of the problem is that some illegal american guns make it into canada? sure, it adds to the problem... but the problem is here, In Toronto!... In fact Calgary's illegal gun population has 68% of it originating in the U.S., but far less gang warfare and far, far, less shootings, even on a per capital level... Winnipeg, with a real high crime rate per capital and 73% of its reported seized illegal guns are from the U.S. also has alot less gun violence... It is not american guns... It is a Toronto problem that needs to be looked at.

 

[newguy27]

the root of the problem lies in Tony Blair['s support of the illegal invasion and occupation of iraq.

ha ha ha...that's what BBC said too, wasn't it? And Blair caused the Black Plauge hundred of years ago too.

Miller has no real vision or leadership. What's proposing? Blow up the US? CLose the borders? huh? It also means that 50% of the guns dont come from the US. What are we gonna do about that? I guess TO City Council is too busy trying to find ways to embarrass Miss Universe than fight crime.

 

[slowpoke]

David Miller, Toronto Mayor, blames the U.S. for Toronto's gun violence problems..., citing that 50% of the gun's found in gang busts and gun's used in violence in the city originate from the U.S.. His statement was made as his only response of how to combat gun violence in Toronto after last week's 6 shootings in a 24 hour period.

Don't you think this show's a serious lack of leadership on his part... I mean, c'mon... do you really think that the core of the problem is that some illegal american guns make it into canada? sure, it adds to the problem... but the problem is here, In Toronto!... In fact Calgary's illegal gun population has 68% of it originating in the U.S., but far less gang warfare and far, far, less shootings, even on a per capital level... Winnipeg, with a real high crime rate per capital and 73% of its reported seized illegal guns are from the U.S. also has alot less gun violence... It is not american guns... It is a Toronto problem that needs to be looked at.

I am neither for or against Miller but I wouldn't expect him to announce a comprehensive action plan to combat gun violence so quickly following those 6 shootings. The fact is that the overall crime rate is dropping in Toronto. Miller's comments are valid insofar as the lax gun laws in the US do make guns far too available to be smuggled into Canada.

You're the one who's saying that Miller "blames the US for Toronto's gun violence problems". I heard him on the radio too and I distinctly recall his comment about US gun laws and the fact that 50% of the illegal guns in Toronto originate in the US. You've chosen to pretend that this simple statement "was made as his only response of how to combat gun violence in Toronto....". Somehow I think he'd have a wee bit more to say if he'd really been attempting to describe Toronto's response to the problem of gang violence and guns in particular. You've taken a 10 second sound byte and are trying to tell us that you've got the whole story. Get real.

 

[newguy27]

Some nice insight from the posts above...

I wonder if a mayorial candidate would accept the backing of TERB membership!!

They can put that in the ads..."TERB members support X for TO mayor"!!

 

[Keebler Elf]

We have a world class city that is being held hostage by socialists and unions. Volunteers are not allowed to work in union workplaces and as a result the costs to operate such places escalate.

(psst... Just b/c someone's viewpoints are left of yours, it doesn't make them a "socialist")

(psst deux... Why should non-union workers be allowed to work in a unionized workplace where the EMPLOYER has agreed not to have non-union workers? Once you agree to something, you need to suck it up, be a man, and live up to what you agreed to.)

 

[Cinema Face]

Not enough bicycles and windmills.

Not enough money to the homele$$.

 

[assoholic]

..gee we are flooded by a huge cache of illegal arms, but somehow that would not contribute to the problem , congratulations you are officially an idiot.

 

[Jon]

Re: Guns in Toronto...

In my view, the problems of gun violence in Toronto recently(over the last ten or fifteen years or so)is indicative of Canada's 'open' immigration policies, lax border patrol, and ineffective Judicial system. How do we explain to our American neighbours, that yes, we have known terrorists and extremists living in our Country, but the 'authorities' here don't seem to care and appear to do nothing about it. How do we explain some of the recent and very lenient Judicial decisions regarding acts of violence(including the use of firearms) against otherwise innocent individuals? Does everyone just accept the so called Government 'statistics' that claim violent crimes are 'down'; or does anyone consider the fact that these statistics are based on an ever increasing population, resulting from one of the most permissive immigration policies in the World? Mayor David Miller should stop pointing fingers at the U.S., and start looking in his own back yard for answers to this question. Sincerely, Jon .

 

[james t kirk]

Miller is just making excuses.

It's time that we take a hard look at our so called Justice System.

2 things come to mind.

1. The Young Offenders act is a joke, and punks today know it. It's time we went back to the way it was before. 16 years old, not 18, and the possibility of being tried as an adult and carry over sentences.


2. Do a crime with a gun, how bout you get 20 years in jail. Never mind the fact that most assholes know that they can commit a gun crime with nothing more than a slap on the wrist to worry about.


Guns don't commit crimes, people do (to quote the American right). It's very true. Blaming the recent surge in gun violence on the ease of purchasing a gun from the US fails to address the root causes of the problem (to quote the american left). The root cause is that you have a whole group of punks out there who think its cool to run around shooting people with no fear of the justice system.

Lock em up and throw away the key.

 

[Truncador]

Blaming the recent surge in gun violence on the ease of purchasing a gun from the US fails to address the root causes of the problem

But it's easier and more self-serving than taking responsibility and showing leadership.

 

[lenharper]

But it's easier and more self-serving than taking responsibility and showing leadership.

So if he had pointed the finger at the Feds (and their perceived softness on crime) instead of pointing the finger at the states (with their perceived porous gun laws) he would have been showing leadership?

 

[SupahotGavin]

miller sucks

dave miller is slowly showing us his true colours.

this latest crack about American gun laws is way out of line.

i think most torontoians were so happy to see that clown Lastman go we would voted in just about anyone assuming they could put two words together and could deliver a speech without offending anyone.

what i'm seeing out of Miller is a classic tax and spend politician. he has no solutions for the problems which plague toronto unless it involves 'new funding' (thats code for withdrawls out of our wallets). He raised property taxes immediately once he took office (even though it wasn't platform he ran his election on).

this guy is such a flake - I can't wait to see him go.

 

[Truncador]

So if he had pointed the finger at the Feds (and their perceived softness on crime) instead of pointing the finger at the states (with their perceived porous gun laws) he would have been showing leadership?

Yes.

 

[james t kirk]

dave miller is slowly showing us his true colours.

this latest crack about American gun laws is way out of line.

i think most torontoians were so happy to see that clown Lastman go we would have just about voted in just about anyone assuming they could put two words together and could deliver a speech without offending anyone.

what i'm seeing out of Miller is a classic tax and spend politician. he has no solutions for the problems which plague toronto unless it involves 'new funding' (thats code for withdrawls out of our wallets). He raised property taxes immediately once he took office (even though it wasn't platform he ran his election on).

this guy is such a flake - I can't wait to see him go.

While I don't think Miller is a flake, I do agree that he is a tax and spend socialist.

The province has a point when it says that Toronto does not have its financial house in order. Toronto needs to to a top to bottom rationalization of where the money is being spent.

The first thing that comes to my mind is to stop financing the special interest groups. All of them. The city should be concentrating on the basics - Water, streets, bridges, TTC, libraries, parks, solid waste management (mind you, garbage collection should be contracted out to private haulers) etc.

The second thing that comes to mind is to curtail social programs for people who just make it a lifestyle.

The third thing is something Miller has been bitching about (and Lastman before him) is that this city is getting screwed by the province and the feds. The idea that the city should somehow be responsible for welfare and social housing is a bad joke.