Toronto gun violence leaves two dead

jdobbin · October 27, 2008

A tough weekend in Toronto for gun violence.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...l_gam_mostemail

An innocent bystander was gunned down outside a bar and a man was found shot dead in a car after a particularly violent weekend in Toronto.
On Sunday, police issued a murder warrant for the arrest of a Toronto man in the fatal shooting of Bailey Zaveda, 23.

Ms. Zavedra happened to be standing outside the Duke of York tavern on Queen Street East early Saturday when a man fighting with another man opened fire.

She was killed and two other women and two men were hurt and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening gunshot injuries, police said.

Likewise Calgary had a bad weekend.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

A brazen, gangland-style shooting inside a Calgary restaurant early Sunday killed a man and woman who were both in their early twenties, police said.
Two other young men were injured during the shootout, which occurred in a strip mall in the city's northeast end.

One of the injured is in critical, but stable, condition.

Some of the common denominators in some of the gun violence this year according to some of the cops on the scene in Toronto are: gangs, drugs and an increase in handguns.

Some interesting stats:

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sto...65-4ce6530c4b9c

Of the 594 homicides in Canada last year, 117 were gang-related, an increase of 16 over 2006.
The report, released yesterday, also said the number of homicides involving handguns is on the rise.

The Harper government has focused on the police and courts aspect of things but the increase in gang and gun violence increases.

There is a permissiveness about drug use that helps fuel the violence. Even some strong Tory supporters here appear to be users of pot on a fairly regular basis.

Obviously people are asking for something to be done. Maybe the first step would be stop breaking the law even on something as mild pot use.

Either that or maybe decriminalize pot to try and stop homes all across Canada becoming hydroponic outfits supplying Canadians with their homegrown.

Edited October 27, 2008 by jdobbin

Mr.Canada · October 27, 2008

Did the victims check to see if these murderous scum registered the guns first?

jdobbin · October 27, 2008

Did the victims check to see if these murderous scum registered the guns first?

Probably not. They should check if their Conservative voting neighbours have been buying pot so that these gangsters can buy illegal handguns though.

blueblood · October 27, 2008

A tough weekend in Toronto for gun violence.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...l_gam_mostemail

Likewise Calgary had a bad weekend.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Some of the common denominators in some of the gun violence this year according to some of the cops on the scene in Toronto are: gangs, drugs and an increase in handguns.

Some interesting stats:

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sto...65-4ce6530c4b9c

The Harper government has focused on the police and courts aspect of things but the increase in gang and gun violence increases.

There is a permissiveness about drug use that helps fuel the violence. Even some strong Tory supporters here appear to be users of pot on a fairly regular basis.

Obviously people are asking for something to be done. Maybe the first step would be stop breaking the law even on something as mild pot use.

Either that or maybe decriminalize pot to try and stop homes all across Canada becoming hydroponic outfits supplying Canadians with their homegrown.

Shall we decriminlize everything else while we're at it. Maybe keeping some of the repeat offenders behind bars where they belong instead of out on the street might reduce these things. Organized crime exists no matter what, the coddle approach is an abysmal failure.

kengs333 · October 27, 2008

Aren't the top four cities for homicide on a per capita basis Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Saskatoon? The Wild West indeed.

I'm quite content here in my peaceful southern Ontario suburb, thank you very much.

jdobbin · October 27, 2008

Shall we decriminlize everything else while we're at it. Maybe keeping some of the repeat offenders behind bars where they belong instead of out on the street might reduce these things. Organized crime exists no matter what, the coddle approach is an abysmal failure.

Do you use pot? If you have at any time, you probably supported some organized crime group in the country.

blueblood · October 27, 2008

Do you use pot? If you have at any time, you probably supported some organized crime group in the country.

Have you not read any of my posts regarding pot use? I made it quite clear what my views are on that. No I have never supported organized crime in this country. Nice try though.

noahbody · October 27, 2008

Do you use pot? If you have at any time, you probably supported some organized crime group in the country.

Same goes for voting Liberal.

jdobbin · October 27, 2008

Have you not read any of my posts regarding pot use? I made it quite clear what my views are on that. No I have never supported organized crime in this country. Nice try though.

I can't recall what you wrote on pot use because I have never really looked at those threads.

Given the demand of pot in this country there are a lot of people who are directly supporting organized crime.

jdobbin · October 27, 2008

Same goes for voting Liberal.

At least they didn't someone who was married to organized crime figures.

Mr.Canada · October 27, 2008

At least they didn't someone who was married to organized crime figures.

What? You're grasping at straws jdobbin. Trying to create a pet boogeyman. Getting desperate now, wow!

jdobbin · October 27, 2008

Aren't the top four cities for homicide on a per capita basis Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Saskatoon? The Wild West indeed.
I'm quite content here in my peaceful southern Ontario suburb, thank you very much.

Is your home in Caledonia? Isn't the murder rate in Peel reaching all time highs?

Sir Bandelot · October 27, 2008

Do you use pot? If you have at any time, you probably supported some organized crime group in the country.

The same applied to alcohol prohibition in the 1920's, it empowered gangs who made huge profits in rum-running.

"By the end of the decade Capone controlled all 10,000 speakeasies in Chicago and ruled the bootlegging business from Canada to Florida. Numerous other crimes, including theft and murder, were directly linked to criminal activities in Chicago and elsewhere in violation of prohibition."

"At the end of Prohibition some supporters openly admitted its failure. A quote from a letter, written in 1932 by wealthy industrialist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., states:

When Prohibition was introduced, I hoped that it would be widely supported by public opinion and the day would soon come when the evil effects of alcohol would be recognized. I have slowly and reluctantly come to believe that this has not been the result. Instead, drinking has generally increased; the speakeasy has replaced the saloon; a vast army of lawbreakers has appeared; many of our best citizens have openly ignored Prohibition; respect for the law has been greatly lessened; and crime has increased to a level never seen before."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_i...e_United_States

Familiar, all too familiar.

jdobbin · October 27, 2008

What? You're grasping at straws jdobbin. Trying to create a pet boogeyman. Getting desperate now, wow!

That Bernier dated someone married to organized crime figures? I think what was desperate was how the Tories dismissed it as a problem even though security experts thought it was no joking matter.

kengs333 · October 27, 2008

Is your home in Caledonia? Isn't the murder rate in Peel reaching all time highs?

Caledonia isn't in Peel.

On a per capita basis, though, the homicide rate in Peel isn't that high. I think a few years ago there was only one murder.

Mr.Canada · October 27, 2008

Caledonia isn't in Peel.
On a per capita basis, though, the homicide rate in Peel isn't that high. I think a few years ago there was only one murder.

Funny what a few years of unchecked and wide open immigration can do eh?

Go Liberals Go!

jdobbin · October 27, 2008

Caledonia isn't in Peel.

True, but with 35,000 people entering the area each year things in Peel have reached a new high when it comes to violent crime.

On a per capita basis, though, the homicide rate in Peel isn't that high. I think a few years ago there was only one murder.

On a percentage increase, it must be quite an increase in violent crime. I believe the Peel Regional police said historic highs.

jdobbin · October 27, 2008

Funny what a few years of unchecked and wide open immigration can do eh?
Go Liberals Go!

That immigration has increased under the Tories. Go Tories go!

wulf42 · October 27, 2008

Funny what a few years of unchecked and wide open immigration can do eh?
Go Liberals Go!

so true..................Immigration will destroy Canada...it is happening right in front of us.... Yet the Liberals thought it would be good for this country to let anyone in............now we will watch the destruction of our country unfold and there is nothing we can do about it.......sad really Canada was a great country once.........now it is on its downfall!

Smallc · October 27, 2008

so true..................Immigration will destroy Canada...it is happening right in front of us.... Yet the Liberals thought it would be good for this country to let anyone in............now we will watch the destruction of our country unfold and there is nothing we can do about it.......sad really Canada was a great country once.........now it is on its downfall!

Ah conservatism. If you can't hate or blame something, you might as well give up.

scribblet · October 27, 2008

Never mind, the gangstas can all turn their guns in for cameras now.... gives a whole new meaning to point and shot huh :rolleyes:

Argus · October 27, 2008

Aren't the top four cities for homicide on a per capita basis Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Saskatoon? The Wild West indeed.

It's funny you should use that term. Violence in those cities can be described with one word: Natives.

kengs333 · October 27, 2008

True, but with 35,000 people entering the area each year things in Peel have reached a new high when it comes to violent crime.
On a percentage increase, it must be quite an increase in violent crime. I believe the Peel Regional police said historic highs.

Well, whatever... that doesn't change the fact that Winnipeg has one of the highest rates of homicide per capita in the country. Sorry.

kengs333 · October 27, 2008

It's funny you should use that term. Violence in those cities can be described with one word: Natives.

Well, in Calgary, at least, it has to do with gangs; are these "Native" gangs?

jdobbin · October 27, 2008

Well, whatever... that doesn't change the fact that Winnipeg has one of the highest rates of homicide per capita in the country. Sorry.

I don't disagree. I can't recall making the argument that one community is better than another. I simply said it was a bad weekend in two of our largest cities. You made the point that you felt safe in your area but I remembered just a few weeks ago the alarm that was taking place in Peel about the rapid escalation in violent crime.

Edited October 27, 2008 by jdobbin