TABLE OF CONTENTS Video Summary Related Content Video
TABLE OF CONTENTS Video Summary & Related Content Video Review Before Viewing While Viewing Talk Prompts After Viewing The Story Activity #1: “The Year of the Gun” Photo Essay Activity #2: Take Action to Prevent Gun Violence Sources CREDITS News in Review is produced by CBC NEWS and curio. ca GUIDE Writer: Chris Coates Editor: Sean Dolan VIDEO Host: Michael Serapio Senior Producer: Jordanna Lake Packaging Producer: Marie-Hélène Savard Associate Producer: Francine Laprotte Supervising Manager: Laraine Bone Visit www. curio. ca/newsinreview for an archive of all previous News In Review seasons. As a companion resource, go to www. cbc. ca/news for additional articles. CBC authorizes reproduction of material contained in this guide for educational purposes. Please identify source. News In Review is distributed by: curio. ca | CBC Media Solutions © 2018 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation 3 4 5 6 9 12 15 23 25 27
UNDER THE GUN: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence Video duration – 14: 25 In 2018 Canada’s largest city, Toronto, saw a massive increase in gun violence on its streets. Shootings were frequent and often flagrant, taking place in broad daylight and near children’s playgrounds. The numbers were so high it had people worried that gun deaths in 2018 would surpass that of the so-called “Summer of the Gun” back in 2005. Police, politicians, social advocates and residents all made suggestions on what was needed to decrease the gun violence. But the solutions remain as contentious as the problem. RELATED CONTENT • • • News in Review, January 2006 – Guns and Gangs: Toronto Fights Back News in Review, February 2006 – Gang Wars: Bloodbath in Vancouver News in Review, November 2008 – A Community Fights Gangs and Guns News in Review, April 2013 – U. S. Gun Debate Treating gun violence as a public health issue could save lives Walk Good curio. ca/newsinreview /3
VIDEO REVIEW curio. ca/newsinreview /4
BEFORE VIEWING “Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards. ” - Aldous Huxley As a class or in small groups, consider the following: NOTE TO TEACHERS: The classroom must promote a safe place for students to discuss sensitive issues such as violence and death. Prepare students for the topics that will be discussed. Allow for individual reflective time in addition to small group activities where students can safely process their thoughts and emotions. 1. To what extent do you agree with Huxley’s statement about technology? How can a form of progress (like television or a smartphone) also lead individuals and society in the wrong direction? 2. In Greek mythology, the titan Prometheus (whose name comes from a Greek word for “forethought”) makes humankind from clay and defies the gods by giving them fire. While Prometheus’s gift enables progress and civilization, it also leads to destruction. Thus, this myth serves as a lesson about the duality of technology, which both helps and harms us. Brainstorm a list of important inventions (a minimum of five) and, for each, create a T-chart in which you list their advantages and disadvantages. Share your findings with your classmates. Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview /5
WHILE VIEWING 1. By November 2018, there were more than 350 shootings and 45 gun-related deaths in Toronto. TRUE or FALSE? 2. Toronto Mayor, John Tory, believes the solution to escalating gun violence in the city is: a) More arrests b) Increasing officer numbers and police surveillance cameras c) Increasing spending on police technology d) Changing the racial composition of the city’s prison and rehabilitation staff 3. Zya Brown, founder of Think 2 wice, believes the best way to address gun violence is: a) More arrests b) Increasing officer numbers c) Having former gang members mentor inmates before and after their release from jail d) Redirecting police officers away from non-emergency calls toward patrolling at-risk communities Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview /6
4. TAVIS, the police task force launched in the summer of 2005, was controversial because: a) It relied heavily on police spot checks like “carding” b) It disturbed more affluent neighbourhoods c) It cost $2 million and added 200 officers to the streets d) It violated some citizens’ Charter Rights 5. TAVIS had a clear, positive impact on gun violence in the city of Toronto. TRUE or FALSE? 6. Which of the following locations was a site for gun-related violence in Toronto in 2018? a) The Danforth b) Yorkdale Mall c) Across the street from the CNE d) All of the above 7. Most of the handguns used in violent crimes on Canada’s streets are smuggled across the border from the U. S. TRUE or FALSE? Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview /7
8. According to Louis March, founder of Zero Gun Violence Movement, 2018 differs from the “summer of the gun” in 2005 because: a) There have been fewer deaths b) Many gangs in Toronto police’s “high priority” neighborhoods have disbanded c) There are now more guns that are considerably more powerful d) Jobs are now harder to get than guns 9. Which of the following is a proposed solution to this year’s spike in gun violence? a) More officers b) Gun control c) Increased resources for communities and police d) All of the above Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview /8
TALK PROMPTS NEW curio. ca/newsinreview /9
TALK PROMPT #1 Pause the video after John Tory says, “We have to redouble our efforts to make sure we get these gangsters, round them up, get them off the street. ” 1. Who is Tory speaking about? Is it that simple? 2. What are some of the problems with arresting people who possess and use handguns? 3. Does this address the issue of escalating gun violence effectively? TALK PROMPT #2 Pause the video for discussion after Zya Brown says, “The majority of the young people that are in jail are either native Indian or black, but all the staff, the counsellors, the programmes’ officers, the wardens, the management, they’re all white. ” 1. What does Brown suggest is the real issue at play? 2. What does this have to do with the issue of escalating gun violence? Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview / 10
TALK PROMPT #3 Pause the video after Ian Hanomansing says, “Whether Toronto’s strategy was responsible for reducing the gun violence is not clear, but TAVIS was disbanded last year and Ontario’s premier campaigned on a promise to bring it back. ” 1. What are the pros and cons of carding? 2. Is this an effective strategy in combatting gun violence in the city? TALK PROMPT #4 Pause the video after Mike Mc. Cormack, President of the Toronto Police Association (TPA), says, “What I want is meaningful, tangible acts that are going to have a real impact on people going out there, committing murders and using firearms in public places. ” He said this in response to a call for a ban on handguns. 1. Why do you think the President of the TPA would not favour a ban on handguns as a solution to the problem of escalating violence? Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview / 11
AFTER VIEWING Your teacher will tell you that an issue is a complex problem that: • Requires a solution and has many different sides • Involves some dispute • Has become a matter of concern to many people. For example, somebody being shot is a problem; escalating gun violence in Toronto is an issue. Issues arise because of disagreements about people’s aspirations for a more desirable future and they generate a range of feelings, including surprise, shock, concern, anger or anxiety, which is why we have conflict in society. Issues are complex because there are no simple answers. Issues are interrelated because they have many implications. Not least, they are controversial because they divide people based on their personal experience and worldview. TASK 1. Form a group of four and visit Mind. Mup, a digital mind-mapping app, found at: www. mindmup. com Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview / 12
• Create a new mind map and write “Escalating Gun Violence in Toronto” in the text box in the centre of your document. • For each of the following categories, brainstorm three to five (3 -5) impacts stemming from the issue of escalating gun violence in Toronto. Use these definitions to help you: o Political Impacts : Having to do with power and control and involving any organization that designs, administers and makes judgments about rules or control. o Social Impacts : Having to do with interpersonal relationships or relationships among communities o Cultural Impacts : Having to do with beliefs, values, rituals, norms and traditions. o Economic Impacts : Involving the impact on the financial well-being of the location involved. • After you have noted all of your ideas in the document, share your Mind. Mup with your classmates. Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview / 13
It seems to me that the point of jail is just to put them in a cage and have them come out of our hair. The majority of the young people that are in prison are either native Indian or black, but all the staff, the counsellors, the programmes' officers, the wardens, the management, they're all white. – Zya Brown, Founder, Think 2 wice
THE STORY Minds On 1. Locate and print a story from 2018 involving gun violence in Toronto. Ensure the report is from a reputable source (consult your teacher if you are unsure about what constitutes a reputable source). This could include reporting on an actual crime, the aftermath of the event, or the political response to gun violence in general. one under “What I Think. ” 2. Post your article on the classroom walls in the designated areas set up by your teacher. Each area will have a sheet of paper with two columns labelled “What I Notice” and “What I Think. ” 3. Walk around the classroom and observe the gallery of reports. For five of the articles, record a minimum of two observations, one under “What I Notice” and Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence * Make sure you are not commenting on the article you selected. curio. ca/newsinreview / 15
The year of the gun When Sheldon Eriya, Tarrick Rhoden, and T’Quan Robertson recklessly pumped 10 bullets into a playground full of children — injuring two sisters! — it was mid-June and there had already been 200 shootings in Toronto. A month later, the city mourned its first -ever mass shooting after Faisal Hussain brought a semiautomatic pistol into the Danforth restaurant district during dinnertime, killing two and hitting 13 more. The gun violence continued — at a rate unprecedented since 2005’s “summer of the gun” — and by mid-November 2018, there had been 360 incidents, claiming 492 victims and 45 lives. Some Torontonians want more police surveillance on the streets. Others wants a full-on federal ban on firearms. Still others want adult-youth mentorship programs at the community level to address the problem at its root. Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence By mid-November, there had been 360 incidents of gun violence, claiming 492 victims and 45 lives — a figure that was 70 per cent higher than in 2017 and 16 per cent higher than in 2016. curio. ca/newsinreview / 16
Meanwhile, the gun problem grows as the city’s leadership remains divided on how exactly to address it. Zero tolerance According to current Canadian law, a handgun can only be obtained through a special license held by registered target shooters, collectors, and those who need a pistol for work purposes. However, the argument that the federal government should outlaw handguns altogether is gaining force. The Danforth shooting prompted a near-unanimous vote in Toronto City Council to lobby the Trudeau Government to ban the sale of handguns and ammunition in urban areas. “Why does anyone in this city need to have a gun at all? ” wondered Mayor John Tory in the wake of the massacre. Almost 70 per cent of Canadians support this sentiment, according to recent polling data by Ekos Research Associates. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence “Why does anyone in this city need to have a gun at all? ” – Toronto Mayor John Tory confirmed government plans this August to study the prohibition of handguns and assault weapons in Canada. Such a legislative change could reduce the number of guns acquired for use in violent crime. It makes sense that if civilians are able to purchase firearms legally, there is potential that they could enter curio. ca/newsinreview / 17
the illegal market. According to Jooyoung Lee, an associate professor at the University of Toronto who specializes in gun violence, studies show many guns used to commit crimes in Canada in recent years have originated from within this country. Before 2012 almost 75 per cent of the firearms were smuggled into Canada from the United States. By 2017 about half had been bought domestically in what has become lucrative business. Toronto detectives say some Canadians are buying weapons legally only to sell them illegally for a handsome profit. Those same detectives report tracking more than 40 major illegal private weapon sales, with one seller moving 47 legally purchased guns for more Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence than $100, 000 over a fivemonth period. Missing the mark Making handguns illegal seems like an obvious solution, but not everyone agrees it will hit its target. Head of the Toronto Police Association, Mike Mc. Cormick, calls it a “nominal gesture” that fails to understand the psyche of gun users. “There’s no way in my world, or any world I know, that this would have an impact on somebody who’s going to go curio. ca/newsinreview / 18
out and buy an illegal gun and use it to kill another person or shoot another person, ” says Mc. Cormick, who spent the bulk of his career policing Toronto’s Regent Park district. He argues that someone willing to sell, steal, or use guns illegally has already shown that the considerable punishments for breaking the law are not enough to discourage their actions, so one more law would have little impact. Increased surveillance While we await the findings of the federal government’s study on a potential gun prohibition, some city leaders are shooting from the hip. This summer, then-Peel Police Chief Jennifer Evans blamed the surge of gunplay on restrictions around the controversial practice of carding, a process whereby citizens can be randomly stopped, questioned, and documented by authorities. Historically, residents of “high Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence crime” Toronto neighbourhoods like Rexdale, Lawrence Heights, and Jane and Finch have seen some of the highest rates of this kind of profiling. However, since the province banned carding in 2017, gun violence has actually gone down by 40 per cent in these neighbourhoods. (Note: shootings in 52 Division – the area that includes Kensington, Spadina, Richmond, and University – are up 250 per cent over the same timeframe). curio. ca/newsinreview / 19
Another polarizing solution is Toronto City Council’s confirmed commitment of $4 million through 2020 to purchase Shot. Spotter technology, an aggressive surveillance system that would see gunshot-detecting sensors and microphones installed in public places where gun crime is common. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has fired back at both carding and the incoming surveillance technology, claiming the measures infringe on the Charter Rights of groups already over-represented in the criminal justice system. In a letter to John Tory about Shot. Spotter, CCLA executive director Michael Bryant called the initiative “an unconstitutional sucker punch to racialized communities of Toronto. ” in law enforcement have actually traumatized communities. “Oppression brings violence, period, ” she observes. Following the “summer of the gun, ” Brown founded Think 2 wice, a grassroots correspondence program that pairs at-risk Healing from the inside out Rexdale resident and community volunteer Zya Brown agrees with the CCLA and suggests some practices Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence Zya Brown curio. ca/newsinreview / 20
youth with reformed members of the community who were once in their shoes. She believes services like hers are the best way to stop gun violence before it starts, saying “…every neighbourhood and every youth in the neighbourhood will only listen to the role models who they can identify with and relate to. ” One-time gang member, former convict, and Think 2 wice volunteer-mentor Darue Ramsay says programs like Brown’s work because the leadership have lived the street life, been to prison and know what it like to live the lifestyle of an at-risk youth. He says, “I feel like (our youth) can learn something from me, and if they see that I can change, anybody can change. ” Government response As bullets ripped through Toronto in 2018, organizations like Think 2 wice continued to operate at the community level with limited resources at their disposal. Ontario Premier Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence Doug Ford shot down new funding for projects like Think 2 wice, instead promising $18 million to Toronto police for digital and investigative technologies and $7. 6 million to a legal team devoted to denying bail to those charged with gun crimes. Meanwhile, the Trudeau government introduced Bill C-71 aimed at better monitoring the movement of handguns in the country. The legislation proposes enhanced background checks on curio. ca/newsinreview / 21
prospective gun buyers and mandatory inventory and transfer record keeping by businesses for non-restricted firearms so police can track the weapons more efficiently. Be it more officers, new technology, community service, stringent policy, or stiffer punishments, residents of the city long for peace and a meaningful and permanent solution to 2018’s gun war. Until then, they duck in the crossfire. TO CONSIDER 1. The majority of Canadians favour prohibiting handguns entirely. To what extent might a handgun ban reduce gun violence? surveillance measures, such as carding and Shot. Spotting technology, controversial? What impacts might they have on society? 2. How might making handguns illegal affect the number of instances of gun violence? How might a ban NOT help the situation? 3. Why are increased Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview / 22
ACTIVITY #1 : “The Year of the Gun” Photo Essay What are the important events that defined the rising gun violence in Toronto in 2018? Find two or three credible news articles that reflect the crisis. Post these articles on one of the walls of your classroom. (Note: For a more in-depth version of this exercise, complete the Minds On activity in The Story section of this News in Review guide. ) • Individually or with a partner, reflect on the articles your peers posted on the classroom walls. Which stood out to you and why? • Conduct some follow-up research online, determine the key incidents, and locate visuals that tell the story of Toronto’s struggle with gun violence. • Use the free photo essay application Exposure at www. exposure. co/ and Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence upload the six (6) photos that you feel best represent this narrative. Be sure to caption and cite your sources in MLA format for curio. ca/newsinreview / 23
each photo (for information on proper citation, visit https: //owl. purdue. edu/ow l/research_and_citation/ml a_style/mla_formatting_an d_style_guide/mla_formatti ng_and_style_guide. html). • Write an artist gloss of approximately 150 words that explains why you selected the images you did, how they were sequenced, and what emotional effect you were Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence striving to convey. • Share your photo essays with your class. curio. ca/newsinreview / 24
ACTIVITY #2 : Take Action to Prevent Gun Violence A public service announcement (PSA) is a message about a social issue, delivered free and in the public interest, with the endgoal of promoting awareness and influencing people’s perception. You have now seen and read that the issue of firearm violence in Toronto is increasingly pressing, yet there is division among citizens and leadership at the local, provincial, and national levels as to how to address this complex problem. In groups of three, select ONE solution you believe to be most effective in solving gun violence and design a 45 -90 second PSA that persuades the viewer toward your solution. Your PSA should include the following: • The Significance of Issue to the Public: What is the proposed issue? Why is it Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence important to the public? Are there any statistics involved that might be useful? • The Target Audience: To whom are you speaking? Are there any barriers to understanding the message? • The Message: What is your proposed message? What do you want the person who is watching this to understand? curio. ca/newsinreview / 25
-An Action Step: What is the call to action? What do you want people to do? What can an individual do in the home or community? How will the action solve the problem? When you are finished, write a statement of intent for your PSA of approximately 250 -350 words, in which you address the significance of the issue to the public (supported by research), the target audience, the message, and the action step. Present your PSA and statement of intent to your class. Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview / 26
SOURCES Bowden, Olivia. (July 24, 2018) “Illegal guns sourced in Canada are surging, compared to those smuggled from the U. S. ” National Post. Retrieved from: www. nationalpost. com/news/illegal-guns-sourced-in-canada-surge-compared-to-those-smuggled-from-u-s. D’Amore, Rachael. (June 21, 2018). “Accused in Scarborough playground shooting will plead not guilty, lawyer says. ” CTV News. Retrieved from: www. toronto. ctvnews. ca/accused-in-scarborough-playground-shooting-will-plead-not-guilty-lawyer-says-1. 3983554 Gillis, Wendy. (July 23, 2018). “Civil rights oganization urges city hall to delay purchase of gunshot-location technology. ” Toronto Star. Retrieved from: www. thestar. com/news/gta/2018/07/23/ccla-urges-toronto-city-hall-to-delay-purchase-of-gunshot-locationtechnology. html. Giovannetti, Justin. (August 10, 2018). “Ford opposes handgun ban as he pledges funds to fight gun violence. ” The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from: www. theglobeandmail. com/canada/article-ontarios-ford-objects-to-handgun-ban-in-favour-of-more-funding-for/ Harris, Kathleen. (August 29, 2018). “Liberals to look at ‘full ban’ on handguns, assault weapons. ” CBC News. Retrieved from: www. cbc. ca/news/politics/liberals-handguns-firears-1. 4801700. Levitz, Stephanie. (December 3, 2017). “Most Canadians back total ban on guns in urban areas, poll suggests. ” The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from: www. theglobeandmail. com/news/national/most-canadians-back-total-ban-on-guns-in-urban-areas-pollsuggests/article 37171638/. Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview / 27
SOURCES, continued Robins-Early, Nick. (July 26, 2018). “Toronto’s mayor did what no U. S. leader has done after a mass shooting. ” Huff. Post Canada. Retrieved from: www. huffingtonpost. ca/2018/07/25/john-tory-toronto-shooting-gun-control-us_a_23489571/. Scheel, Elise von. (September 3, 2018) “Toronto police union head says handgun ban would have ‘no impact’” CBC News. Retrieved from: www. cbc. ca/news/politics/handgun-ban-blair-toronto-police-union-1. 4807778. Wilmot, Claire. (July 30, 2018). “Analysis of Toronto gun shooting stats will surprise you. ” Toronto Star. Retrieved from: www. thestar. com/opinion/contributors/2018/07/30/analysis-of-toronto-gun-shooting-states-will-surprise-you. html. Under the Gun: Toronto's War Against Firearm Violence curio. ca/newsinreview / 28
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