More stories from the 'hood

Chilling story in Saturday's Globe by Joe Friesen (Canada's Toughest Neighbourhood), where he paints a graphic picture of life and death in the Jane-Finch area.

Possibly one of the most frightening aspects of the story is where Friesen explains the gang boundaries, which even the city planners have been forced to understand and incorporate into how they deliver social programs:

In their planning sessions, community workers refer solemnly to “boundary issues” that impede program delivery. When the police hold consultations with youth, they have meetings in each distinct area to prevent rival gangs from mingling.

It's as though the kids have redrawn the neighbourhood map and forced the adults to adapt. As a result, the teens from Palisades, who often complain of having nothing to do, don't use the well-equipped community centre that's a block away in Crips territory.

The Sun's Lorrie Goldstein has an excellent column today that relates the unimaginable fear and terror that must exist living in this area. He explains the reason for the "No snitch rule" as being one of survival:

True, there are ways to tell the police what you know anonymously, but are you willing to bet your life, or your spouse's life, on them? Has there never been an instance where information that was supposed to be confidential somehow got out?

Goldstein then goes on to advocate for strengthening of the witness protection program.



Sitting in our safe little houses in the suburbs, it's so easy to chastise others for seeming to take so little responsibility for their own misfortunes.

All in the Family

A couple of disturbing stories have emerged following the massive police takedown of the Driftwood Crips earlier this week.

The Globe reports that Jordan Manner's sister was one of those arrested and charged with possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition.


Also, we learn in today's Sun that a member of the Toronto Police force allegedly tipped off a family member who was then able to avoid the Wednesday morning raids, but was later found and arrested.

The officer's lawyer says his client is being used as a scapegoat, and that he is a good cop.

All this lends credence to the view that gang culture is often enable by familial relations.

(Link to great article available here at Fri Jun 15, 05:09:00 PM EDT. Record links on the main post site do not work very well with Blogger).


How do we address this kind of willful blindness right in the family? No wonder government appears powerless to deal with it.

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More opinion on root causes here, from someone who's lived and worked in the 'hood. Note that Gary Pieters refers to "ineffective elder influence", in his list of possible problem areas. I would suggest that it may be much worse than merely "ineffective".


BTW, this post has been picked up by Jack's Newswatch - Daily Blogger. I feel quite honoured to have been included in this category on a number of occasions. The traffic doesn't hurt either.

Thanks, Jack.

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Related: More Canadians believe minorities should change their ways - Poll.

But who are those "rest of Canadians" that they're supposed to try to be like?

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Sunday Update: Absolutely awesome column by Lorrie Goldstein today - Helping out Jane-Finch.

This is one of his best!

Harsh Reality

Lorrie Goldstein treats us to a very politically incorrect POV today - "No worries - We're studying it".

Much of the violence involves black people killing each other -- which the left claims is racist to mention and the right claims nobody ever mentions ... every time they mention it.

(Well, somebody has to say it, Lorrie.)

And does anyone know why Ottawa brings so many people into Canada who can't speak English, provides almost no help to teach them, and then wonders why some turn to crime? Gee, hard to see that one coming, eh?

Finally, black men who father babies and abandon the mothers increase the chances their male sons will become gangsters, and black women who have these children, knowing the man won't be around, do themselves, their child and society no favours.

But according to our lib/left politicians (mayor, premier, etc.) we shouldn't discuss that.

Yep. Nobody wants to talk about that stuff.


On the plus side, in another editorial Lorrie points out that gang raids seem to work, but asks if the courts will do their part.

I'm not optimistic.

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Update: Wow. Jordan Manner's sister was one of the ones arrested. Via SDA.

Gang crackdown

I hope to comment further on this later, but apparently Toronto police are cracking down on gangs.

Just saw a clip on Global news. Poverty blamed.

Video at the Star.

More here regarding Montreal gang recruitment.

Then there's this idea.

And Lemon wonders if racial profiling is the answer.

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Well, I've given this a lot of thought, and I don't have any answers. I'm quite sure that we will never solve this problem, because human nature being what it is, there will always be crime.

Hopefully we will somehow be able to protect our children from the worst of it.