Friday, November 11, 2005

The Jane-Finch Uprising

The residents of Jane-Finch, the most feared intersection in all Toronto, are warning us that under the right set of circumstances, they'll have their own little uprising on T.O.'s mean streets:

"There's a possibility of it happening here," said Razad Khan, an 18-year-old who lives in the San Romanoway complex at Jane Street and Finch Avenue. "That's how we feel about it. It could be a threat."

Margaret Parsons, executive director of the African-Canadian Legal Clinic, said the area is a tinderbox that could explode in violence, just like the Paris suburbs did over the past few weeks.

"It could easily erupt," she said. "We can look at Paris as an example and prevent this from happening [but] I think the sense of despair, I think the sense of hopelessness, the sense of frustration [are all present]."

"There are so many parallels. You have immigrant families with Canadian-born children, high levels of poverty, high levels of unemployment."


And true to form, the Liberals have taken their lessons from the French government's cowardly reaction and announced a pre-emptive bribe even before the riots break out:

On his visit, Mr. Martin promised $50-million in new spending for a national program directed at guns and gangs, as well as $1.9-million for jobs and training opportunities. He also promised to impose mandatory minimum sentences for crimes involving guns.


I am put in mind of Gwynne Dyer's incredibly fatuous comments about the multicultural makeup of the mob sacking Paris as a testament to France's ability to integrate all the peoples of the world into its glorious tradition of violent revolution.

Jane-Finch is largely Jamaican, but it also has its share of Muslims, many of whom no doubt at least sympathize with the call to jihad that has brought the mob out to Paris.

If these two gangs work together to bring down Toronto, no doubt the Star and CBC will find a way to praise their efforts at breaking down cultural barriers by breaking down windows and bodies together.

Source: Globe and Mail

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