Shootings need to be Stopped
I live outside Toronto and it seems that every week there are more incidents - usually gang related. It is time to act.
This is where we really DO share a problem with the USA. Politicians talk a good story but still do nothing. The laws to acquire, own, and transport a gun are very strict - laws to carry even more so. So why are there so many brazen shootings? Last week kids at a birthday were hit by bullets - one in the head.
For the most part young people are involved. It is time to act. A retired police officer with whom I coffee every day gets enraged at the situation, especially Toronto's spin talk mayor and our PM.
Police used to be able to stop anyone at will and check for guns. Now they can't for fear of insulting minorities. Well guess what. The majority of videos we see involving young people - usually many on one - shooting at each other are from minorities. Yes - those are non-white minorities.
The biggest problem is gangbangers. There are also lots of good old fashioned robberies.
I can understand someone who has never carried a gun and never will who also happens to belong to a minority being very upset if they are stopped only because of dress or skin colour. Now I have to say - too bad.
Police should be authorized to stop AND search any vehicle, any time. They can stop you in Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere programs (RIDE) and we tolerate it. In these stops - often at night - they can't see who is driving the vehicle. With dark glass in most vehicles, they also can't see the driver in advance in daylight either. They should have a similar program to find guns. There could be a contest to come up with the best acronym.
As far as pedestrians go, the same should be permitted. I suggest more dog patrols with canines that can sniff out ammunition. They could patrol crowded streets everywhere and also help with the car stops. Then if the dog is alerted to a person, blame the dog! They will seldom be wrong and are unbiased. If a gun is found the stop will be justified.
The USA is falling apart. Guns played a big role. Let's save Canada while we still can.
One thing Toronto's mayor said recently is bang on. No private citizen has a legitimate reason to be carrying around a gun. If it is a kid who is a minor, go after the parent. If a court can't legally charge the kid, at least prescribe a suitable punishment like being confined to home after school and make the parent enforce it. If this does not work, it is time for youth non-criminal boot camps. Make them pick up garbage or shovel snow under guard. Let all their colleagues see them knowing the same will happen to them.
For adults it is more simple: jail time. It might not cure them but it will protect us. To those who say punishment does not work? What a load of crap. It is lack of punishment that got us here.
#thebrewsterblock