Toronto Danforth Green Party of Canada

December 29, 2005 15:13 ET

Green Party Candidate Offers Informed Solutions to Gang Violence

Attention: City Editor, Media Editor, News Editor, Government/Political Affairs Editor TORONTO, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - Dec. 29, 2005) - TORONTO The recent flurry of gang-related shootings requires a sober but urgent response says Al Hart, the Green Party candidate for Toronto-Danforth. Mr. Hart has direct experience with gang-related crime both as defence counsel and Crown Attorney. His work on one of the original gang-busting projects in Toronto gives him an insider's perspective both on what the problems really are, and what the solution has to be.

"Random shooting of innocent victims seems to be peculiar to this city", Hart says. "Toronto police have been successful in breaking up the more established street gangs. But now the guns are in the hands of younger, undisciplined crews, clearly influenced by gangster-glorifying music videos and unconcerned with the fundamental conventions of society."

Mr. Hart believes that the many of the ideas expressed by the other parties - such as the ban on handguns proposed by Paul Martin - may be well-intentioned but still miss the mark. "This is an emergency, requiring an immediate, forceful and well-resourced intervention", he says. "More police on the ground can only be part of the solution. Dedicated gang-busting projects require extensive - and very expensive - surveillance and wiretapping activities, and draw on criminological expertise from across North America."

Mr. Hart noted how governmental inaction on pollution parallels its approach to the crime problem. "In both cases, nothing happened until public safety was compromised. The cross-border contacts between Toronto and U.S. gangs makes this a federal issue, and the lack of a long-term strategy has resulted in the current crisis. The federal government must show leadership in supplying the needed financial and human resources, while also addressing the root causes of gang violence - poverty, unemployment, and substance abuse."
/For further information: Rebecca Smit
Media Relations
Al Hart Campaign
Green Party of Canada, Toronto-Danforth
Tel: (416) 466-2676
Cell: (416) 575-0457
/ IN: JUSTICE, POLITICS