Police host anti-street gang presentations

(48) Comments | Print | Report a typo | Contact the Editor
The Greater Sudbury Police are hosting two information sessions called "Gangs Are Here - A Community Action Plan," on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25. Supplied photo.

The Greater Sudbury Police are hosting two information sessions called "Gangs Are Here - A Community Action Plan," on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25. Supplied photo.

Feb 22, 2010- 10:23 AM

By: Sudbury Northern Life Staff

The Greater Sudbury Police are hosting two information sessions called "Gangs Are Here - A Community Action Plan," on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25.

The information sessions are being held to inform community members about the problems of street gangs in urban centres such as New York, Detroit, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Thunder Bay, and what can be done to avoid having these gangs take root in Greater Sudbury.

The session on Feb. 24 is being held at the Sheridan Auditorium at Sudbury Secondary from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The guest speaker is Ron "Cook" Barrett from the Albany Police Department, in New York state. He has been involved with inner-city kids for more than 23 years, and is a specialist in anti-street gang education. Admission is free. There will be pizza and refreshments at 6 p.m. for those who attend.

The second session, on Feb. 25, is a full day work-shop at the Caruso club, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is a $25 registration fee, which covers the lunch provided. The registration form can be downloaded here in PDF format.

Barrett will speak again, as will Clayton Thomas-Muller, from Pukatawagan in northern Manitoba, a specialist in gang activity.

For more information, contact Anna Maria Barsanti, PAVIS education co-ordinator, at 675-9171, or anna.barsanti@police.sudbury.on.ca.

Read More: Home > Police and Court
(48) Comments | Print | Report a typo | Contact the Editor

Reader's Feedback

Editor’s Note:

NorthernLife.ca may contain content submitted by readers, usually in the form of article comments. All reader comments and any opinions, advice, statements or other information contained in any messages posted or transmitted by any third party are the responsibility of the author of that message and not of NorthernLife.ca. The fact that a particular message is posted on or transmitted using this web site does not mean that NorthernLife.ca has endorsed that message in any way or verified the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message. We encourage visitors to NorthernLife.ca to report any objectionable content by using the "report abuse" link found in the comments section of this web site.

48 Comments

  • rightofcentre 2/26/2010 9:35:53 AM - Report Abuse

    contd.

    I don't see the immigrants bending over backwards to respect our culture when they segregate themselves and create mini versions of "home" within our cities.

    As i said previously the "cultural melting pot" should be about give an take until an equilibrium is found.

  • rightofcentre 2/26/2010 9:31:48 AM - Report Abuse

    give it a rest skndstry. The tactic of labeling anyone who has the slightest concern with how our western society and values are heading as a racist or Klansmen adds nothing to the debate.

    So the tensions are all because of the big bad white man are they? I have not once said that immigration is a bad thing and that all immigrants are trouble makers. That is you putting words into my mouth to paint me as some radical right wing hick - but thats how you people win arguments isn't it? Discrediting those that have concerns about unchecked immigration.

    I am not proposing assimilation of other cultures to make immigrants more like "us". If you read my posts without bias you will note that I am sugegsting methods that will ease the transition to a society where people of different ethnic backgrounds can find common ground and become united behind a common set of goals and a national identity.

    I believe that most whites and ethnics are not truly happy with your model of multiculturalism. The cultural "melting pot" is a myth - multicultralism is more like segregation of different ethnic groups in one geographical area which has lead to extreme tension in Europe.

    Its about give and take - eventually an equlibrium will be found between the existing and new ethnic cultures. But only if the levels of immigration are controlled to a reasonable rate allow for that to happen smoothly with minimal disruption.

    What we have today is a dominant culture (mostly of European descent) that is having to bend over backwards to accomodate new ethnic groups and cultures. We're not allowed to say "Merry Christmas", we're not allowed Christmas trees in governemnt buildings, there is an actual debate about allowing Sharia law within our own communities, some parts of north america have directions and information signs in mandarina nd arabic, millions of dollars are spent translating english/french documents into exotic languages... I don&#

  • skndstry 2/25/2010 4:36:02 PM - Report Abuse

    Finally, the "tensions" involved in multiculturalism, as you put it, probably have much more to do with the kind of alienation borne out of ignorant attitudes and suspicions held by people such as yourself, than they do with any inherent desire by immigrants to be trouble makers or "bring their problems" to their new homes.

    If you are to judge any race or group by those on the fringe, then you would need to judge yourself by the Columbine shooters, Marc Lepine, and indeed, the Ku Klux Klan and any number of white supremicist groups.

    So I can sleep just fine at night knowing that there is no immigrant bogeyman threatening my comfortable home, and that I am not responsible for the actions of disenfranchised members of my cultural group.

    But in judging entire groups on that basis, you go ahead and look in the mirror - do you like what you see?

    I know none of this will sink in, but suffice it to say you have chosen an untenable position.

  • skndstry 2/25/2010 4:20:07 PM - Report Abuse

    Incidentally, your "potential solutions" have all involved assimilating the culture out of immigrants, so your solutions in and of themselves are racist.

    Bringing terrorism into the equation is specious at best, as Spain has dealt with homegrown Basque terrorists for years, and before 9/11 Timothy McVeigh held the dubious title of deadliest terrorist attack ever on U.S. soil.

    You have no idea where I have lived, who I associate with, or what I do or do not know about multiculturalism.

    But you have made your paranoid, racist position quite clear. Calling you on it does not stifle debate - I am debating with a racist. What else should I call you?

  • skndstry 2/25/2010 4:00:36 PM - Report Abuse

    Stick with the argument roc - we are talking about street gangs, not al-Qaeda. That's a different argument.

    Again, I would not suggest that 300 gang members who happen to be immigrants in a metropolitan area of over one MILLION people would indicate a "problem with immigrants" in Ottawa, anymore than I would take the number of white inmates in the Sudbury Jail to be an "obvious" indication of a problem with white people in Sudbury.

    You are a racist idiot. Keep digging.

  • gloria_1 2/25/2010 2:06:54 PM - Report Abuse

    I sure do hope they investigate their own few cops that are corrupt within our own police force, as they are not Kid gang's IT IS CALLED ORGANIZED CRIME GROUP'S. They have been in this so called Great City Of Sudbury for many years and can't s​t​a​n​d​ ​t​h​e​ ​t​h​o​u​g​h​t​ ​o​f​ ​o​u​t​-​s​i​d​e​ ​O​r​g​a​n​i​z​e​d​ ​G​A​N​G​'​S​ ​t​a​k​i​n​g​ ​a​w​a​y​ ​t​h​e​i​r​ ​b​u​s​i​n​e​s​s​,​ ​t​h​a​t​ ​i​s​ ​b​e​i​n​g​ ​d​o​n​e​ ​i​n​ ​s​u​c​h​ ​a​ ​q​u​i​e​t​ ​w​a​y​ ​f​o​r​ ​s​o​ ​m​a​n​y​ ​y​e​a​r​s​.​ ​T​h​i​s​ ​i​s​ ​a​ ​w​e​l​l​ ​k​n​o​w​n​ ​f​a​c​t​ ​a​n​d​ ​g​e​t​ ​o​n​ ​t​h​e​ ​w​r​o​n​g​ ​s​i​d​e​ ​o​f​ ​t​h​e​s​e​ ​g​r​o​u​p​s​ ​a​n​d​ ​y​o​u​ ​j​u​s​t​ ​m​i​g​h​t​ ​f​i​n​d​ ​ ​t​h​e​i​r​ ​ ​b​o​d​y​ ​i​n​ ​t​h​e​ ​b​u​s​h​ ​y​e​a​r​s​ ​d​o​w​n​ ​t​h​e​ ​r​o​a​d​,​ ​o​r​ ​a​ ​u​n​e​x​p​l​a​i​n​e​d​ ​d​e​a​t​h​ ​t​h​a​t​ ​l​o​o​k​'​s​ ​a​c​c​i​d​e​n​t​a​l​ ​o​r​ ​​c​a​n​'​t​ ​b​e​ ​e​x​p​l​a​i​n​e​d​ ​w​h​y​ ​t​h​e​ ​p​e​r​s​o​n​ ​d​i​e​d​ ​o​r​ ​p​e​r​m​a​n​e​n​t​l​y​ ​d​a​m​a​g​e​d​, ​t​r​e​a​t​e​d​ ​a​n​d​ ​h​a​r​a​s​s​e​d​ ​s​o​ ​b​a​d​l​y​ ​t​h​a​t​ ​y​o​u​ ​h​a​v​e​ ​t​o​ ​l​e​a​v​e​ ​t​o​w​n​ ​o​r​ ​M​A​D​E​ ​l​o​o​k​ ​l​i​k​e​ ​y​o​u​ ​a​r​e​ ​c​r​a​z​y​ ​a​n​d​ ​a​ ​l​i​a​r​, ​​f​i​n​d​ ​y​o​u​r​-​s​e​l​f​ ​h​i​t​ ​b​y​ ​a​ ​c​a​r​ ​a​n​d​ ​t​h​e​ ​p​e​r​p​e​t​r​a​t​o​r​ ​w​a​l​k​s​ ​f​r​e​e​ ​a​l​l​o​w​e​d​ ​t​o​ ​d​o​ ​s​o​ ​b​y​ ​o​u​r​ ​S​u​d​b​u​r​y​ ​p​o​l​i​c​e​ ​w​i​t​h​ ​n​o​ ​f​u​r​t​h​e​r​ ​i​n​v​e​s​t​i​g​a​t​i​o​n​, ​s​u​c​h​ ​a​s​ ​l​o​o​k​i​n​g​ ​f​o​r​ ​w​i​t​n​e​s​s​.YOU KNOW AND I KNOW ​i​n​ ​b​u​m​p​e​r​ ​t​o​ ​b​u​m​p​e​r​ ​t​r​a​f​f​i​c​ ​t​h​e​r​e​ ​a​r​e​ ​l​o​t​s​ ​o​f​witnesses.​ ​W​h​e​n​ ​y​o​u​ ​c​a​n​ ​n​o​t​ ​c​o​u​n​t​ ​o​n​ ​y​o​u​r​ ​C​I​T​Y​ ​p​o​l​i​c​e​ ​t​o​ ​p​r​o​t​e​c​t​ ​y​o​u​​ ​a​n​d​ to ​c​h​a​r​g​e​ ​a​l​l​ ​p​e​o​p​l​e​ ​e​q​u​a​l​l​y​,​y​o​u​ ​h​a​v​e​ ​n​o​ ​r​i​g​h​t​s​ ​o​r​ ​p​r​o​t​e​c​t​i​o​n​ ​​a​n​d​ ​t​h​e​s​e​ ​o​l​d​ ​g​a​n​g​ ​g​r​o​u​p​s​ ​h​a​v​e​ ​ c​

  • rightofcentre 2/25/2010 10:35:04 AM - Report Abuse

    Skndstry - continues to ignore facts because they offend his/her notion of a perfect multicultural society.

    Ottawa's gangs are made up of 50% immigrants. Ottawa's immigrant population is 21%. There is obviously a problem with immigrasnts in Ottawa - what do you sugegst is done about it Skndstry? I've given my opinions on potential solutions, what's yours? Or would you rather go on calling people racists and offering no solutions to the problems our society faces?

    Ask the citizens of London or Madrid how they feel about the al q'aida homegrown terrorists with british and spanish passports who massacred over 300 people between them.

    Multiculturalism is great for you living on your white street in your white city with your white neighbours. You know nothing of the problems and tensions associated with multiculturalism until you've lived it and experienced it.

  • skndstry 2/25/2010 9:58:05 AM - Report Abuse

    If you won't take my word for it, how about you read the new article. Some actual EXPERT, EDUCATED opinion there - go argue with Keetch and Barsanti. I dare you.

  • skndstry 2/24/2010 12:42:22 PM - Report Abuse

    Cont'd...

    And perhaps while you are at it, you'd like to consider the reaction you'd have if someone took a look at all the white people in the Sudbury jail - and proceeded to decide it was representative of all white people.

    Multiculturalism began in this country many, many decades ago with immigrants from Ireland, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, China, Japan, and with emancipated slaves. They did bring along with them some problems of their own, and not everyone welcomed THEM with open arms, but overall we are much richer for it. The overwhelming majority of immigrants do the same for us now whether or not they choose to assimilate.

    Multiculturalism has not failed as an experiment. In your ignorance, suspicion and racism, you have failed as a human being.

  • skndstry 2/24/2010 12:35:00 PM - Report Abuse

    JBender - you have a habit, I have noticed, of weighing in to tell someone they are wrong, but not backing up anything you say. You barely post an opinion. I don't need an urban dictionary to tell me what that makes you.

    ROC - give it a rest. There have been hispanics and blacks in the United States for many years - are you saying slaves are immigrants now? That I don't necessarily equate immigrant too visible minority might be because I know several immigrants who aren't, not because I am brainwashed. That you can't see how an ignorant statement like that only cements the racism inherent in your posts says a lot about you.

    There has been no mistaking the stench of racist paranoia in your posts. Nobody is "stifling" debate by calling you on it.

    The stats you've quoted, as I have ably indicated, do not support your argument. (That 50% of gang members are immigrants in Ottawa should surprise nobody who knows the demographic makeup of that city. It hardly translates to other urban centres, including ours. You are transparently cherry picking facts to try to suit your argument. It isn't working.)

    You started this debate by saying that as the rate of immigration climbed, there would be a corresponsing increase in the number of street gangs and gang violence. That you think you have somehow justified your opinion by stating you'd welcome immigrants with open arms IF ONLY they'd assimilate and shed their culture just goes to show how clueless you are. That IS racist in and of itself.

    Perhaps instead of trying to extrapolate from the experiences of other cities and nations, you'd like to try looking into our own city's immigrant population, and the extent to which immigrants are involved in crime locally.

    And perhaps while you are at it, you'd like to consider the reaction you'd have if someone took a look at all the white people in the Sudbury jail - and proceeded to decide it was representati

  • rightofcentre 2/24/2010 9:26:46 AM - Report Abuse

    SA - you say "Word spreads fast that, Brampton, a very good example, comprises of many pakistani,hindi,sri lankan etc...families, which makes it much easier for them to integrate into our society."

    I understand your point and I'd be the first to admit that if I was emmigrating to a middle eastern or asian country I would want to be close to other white people. However, in my opinion when you see entire districts with shopping centres and malls containing stores with signs almost exclusively in hindi/punjabi/conatonese/mandarin etc, and when churches have been replaced by mosques, one has to question the immigrants' desire to integrate into canadian society. Those that are willing to adapt to our ways I welcome with open arms - the first wave of black immigrants from the carribean have succesfully integrated into canadian society after 50 years, however if we continue to allow immigrants from countries who's priamry language is not english/french to come here unchecked, without insisting that the integrate rather than segregate we will be facing a legacy of social issues lasting for many generations.

    Remember, this type and level of imigration is unprecedented - our governments are playing a very dangerous scoial experiment (multiculturalism) right under or noses that could potentially destroy our entire way of life.

  • rightofcentre 2/24/2010 9:05:28 AM - Report Abuse

    skndstry - the population of ottawa is somewhat irrelevent. Would you like 600 violent gang members walking around the streets, potentially in contact with your childrena nd loved ones.

    Scaling it down to a city of Sudbury's size that would equate to roughly 160 violent, gang members on our streets. That's one in 1,000 - doesn't sound much on the face of it but sudbury is a small place and 160 people with the potential to sell drugs to you son or rape your daughter is 160 too many. Now imagine that over 80 of those 160 are immigratnts... thats a very visible minority in a town like sudbury. It only takes a few bad apples to ruin it for the rest of us. This is where we're heading if people like you don't wake up to facts and keep suppressing healthy debate about real issues that face our country.

    As for your other point if you can't make the conenction between immigrants and visible minorities then you have been brainwashed beyond reason.

    Again, as I have stated in previous posts I am not saying this is a solely race issue - it's not that "black and white". There are obvious social disadvantatges that non whites and immigrants face in western countries. However, when you go around calling people racists before they ahvea chance to explain their points then you do more of a disservice to immigrants than the white supremacists. If you keep on stifling healthy debate on this subject then you have no one to blame but yourselves when the flawed model of western multiculturalism comes tumbling down around you.

  • second_account 2/23/2010 9:27:13 PM - Report Abuse

    r.o.c. - i'll totally agree with you on the self-segregating issue. But, as was pointed out in previous posts, when 'new' Canadians don't feel welcome by the general population, who do they turn to? Naturally, they tend to turn to each other. Word spreads fast that, Brampton, a very good example, comprises of many pakistani,hindi,sri lankan etc...families, which makes it much easier for them to integrate into our society. People from these countries waiting to get in already know that they'll have a welcoming network in certain communities once they set foot on Canadian soil.
    If no 'white' people want to live in Longlac or Kapuskasing, why on earth would any immigrant choose these places as their new home?

    There is no easy solution, but anyhow, back on topic - gang activity should be nipped in the bud and i believe this is a good start. NorthernWhiteman has the right idea as far as i'm concerned. A 'paddlin' sure got the message across when we were young, i see no reason why discipline needs to change. A few seasons at Burwash would do wonders for some of the misguided youth. Too bad the gubmint decided a self sustaining prison wasn't a good idea.

  • JBender 2/23/2010 7:34:23 PM - Report Abuse

    Just more ignoranting from you skndstry.Look the word up on the Urban Dictionary because it describes your posts to a tee.

  • skndstry 2/23/2010 5:47:52 PM - Report Abuse

    Re: the RCMP study.

    So, is the study of one city where they say a little over 50% of gang members are immigrants supposed to prove your point? Do you know how many people are in Ottawa? Do you know what portion of the population 600 represents? Do you know what socio-economic factors or cultural differences might lead to a higher degree of involvement by immigrants than by non-immigrants? I'll tell you one thing - when idiots like you spew your opinions about immigrants, it makes them feel like they need to stick to their own. You can't expect your stupid "assimilate at all costs for the gift of acceptance" to fall on kind ears.

    It would seem our home grown crooks just prefer not to identify themselves in that way. Unless they form a bike gang - or just a white supremacist group. Those aren't usually recognized in gangs - and it sounds like you may be well familiar with how they work. (I won't even open a website called usillegalaliens.)

  • skndstry 2/23/2010 5:41:08 PM - Report Abuse

    So rightofcentre, tell me - of the 47% of hispanics and 34% of blacks who are in gangs, how many are immigrants? Or is it just their colour that makes them the "other" in your estimation?

  • skndstry 2/23/2010 5:38:32 PM - Report Abuse

    Actually JBender, you make it easy to look like a know it all.

    I never said immigrant gangs don't exist - just that it isn't only immigrants who form gangs, and they aren't the only problem - closing our doors to immigration won't stop crime. In fact, you can go ahead and blather on all you want, but immigrants are actually under-represented in our jails.

    A racist is a racist - you want to talk race, then own it.

  • JBender 2/23/2010 3:12:54 PM - Report Abuse

    The Liberals can't see the forest for the trees.Since when is it racist to state the obvious when there are reports to back up the statistics?
    You talk like immigrant gangs don't exist skndstry and that it's almost a taboo subject to discuss without you wanting to hurl that dreaded racist comment about.
    You only see what you want to see and nobody elses posts hold water but your own.It must be tough being a know-it all.

  • rightofcentre 2/23/2010 2:35:17 PM - Report Abuse

    http://www.rightsidenews.com/200810012094/homeland-security/study-immigration-law-enforcement-helps-check-criminal-street-gangs.html

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangs_in_the_United_States

    (only 13% of gang members in the US are white)

    http://www.usillegalaliens.com/impacts_of_illegal_immigration_gangs.html]

    http://www.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Youth_Gang_Report.pdf

    http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/gazette/vol70n2/panel-eng.htm

  • NorthernWhiteman 2/23/2010 2:31:25 PM - Report Abuse

    We need to open a big can of whoop ass!!!! If thees kids want to live outside the law that is fine, but they should not be protected by the laws & get what they deserve. I don't care if your black, blue or green, if you steal from me, I will hunt you down & kick your a$$. If I see them giving a elderly person a hard time I will kick their a$$. What this city needs is a back bone!!! That's the problem with big cites, people just don't give a sh*t unless it personally affects them. We need to stand proud of who we are & fight for our city. Don't rely on the cops, because our justice system is a joke & thees kids are better protected by the laws then what we are!!! Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire, not turn a blind eye to the problem & hope that someone will do something about it. It all up to us!!!

  • skndstry 2/23/2010 1:57:13 PM - Report Abuse

    Cont'd...

    You are correct - your opinion is racist, nothing more, nothing less, until you actually back it up. If you are so familiar with these "facts and statistics", how about you offer up some that have legitimate references - and I don't mean from the Heritage Front website.

    You WOULD rather live in the past, and it is quite clear that you are.

  • skndstry 2/23/2010 1:52:24 PM - Report Abuse

    "My ex wife is an immigrant and i lived in montreal" - oh, so you word is golden because your EX-wife is an immigrant. I see - and nobody has ever been bitter with their ex, eh woriedfather?

    rightofcentre - you are clearly misnamed. In fact, you would likely vote on the far right for some fringe nationalist parties if our country had one. And some of the biggest red neck racist idiots I've ever known were immigrants, so that means nothing.

    "Liberalism" - yeah, that's a real problem. Our society would have had precisely ZERO social advancements - from the emancipation of slaves, to womens' right to vote, to universal health care, if it weren't for the "problem" of liberalism. Gangs cross political boundaries and trends because they don't care about conservative or liberal. They are generally disadvantaged - and almost always far more so when conservatives are in power.

    They cross race and national boundaries. I know this for a fact, from experiences within my own WASP family. Most street gang members in Toronto are born here, and yes, some will be 1st generation Canadians - but the majority are not.

    You've been reading to many paranoid accounts of Chinese Triads, Russian Mafia, and Jamaican gangs. Most street gangs are comprised of underprivileged teens who share a geographic location, not a racial background. Scarborough is a perfect example of this.

    Like Bulshoy, I have had some up close and personal experiences with very shady characters - not ONE of them was an immigrant, and around here, most of them are white as can be.

    If you insist on playing the race card, it IS true that there are a few fast-growing and ruthless gangs comprised of Aboriginal youth - but this only speaks to their socio-economic issues, not some ingrained bent to belong to a street gang.

    rightofcentre - if you represent the "Canadian Dream", then it isn't a dream worth having. You are correct - y

  • rightofcentre 2/23/2010 12:58:10 PM - Report Abuse

    if getting with the times means blindly ignoring facts and statistics for fear of being dubbed a "racist" then I'm afraid I'd rather live in the past.

    I don't believe I'm being ignorant in the slightest. There is a clear social problem in the urban centres of this country which in my opinion is just the beginning - look at the frequent race riots in France, Holland, Britain. We don't have the same tension here because of two reasons:

    1. Space - we have more of it so there is less pressure.
    2. Liberalism - the white majority are conditioned to not speak out on race issues.

    There is no easy solution to the problem and it will get a lot worse before it gets better. We are seeing the tip of the iceberg with organized crime and underground terrorist cells in our own cities. The scariest thing about it is most of these troublemakers are Canadian citizens - some may even have been born here.

    There needs to be social reform to integrate immigrants better - discourage them from segregating themselves in areas such as Brampton, locate them to more northern communities - if you're serious about coming to Canada then live like real canadians for 2-3 yrs instead of living in cities within cities. Better social programs are required to give immigrants emaningful work - if there's no meaningful work then why are we accepting immigrants? We could introduce a points system to accept only the immigrants that will benefit Canada - if you don't have a qualification we need then go elsewhere. In the same breath we need to stop having immigrant doctors, engineers and scientists working as taxi drivers or pizza delivery boys/girls - fastrack their accreditation so they can do meaningful work and participate in the canadian dream with the rest of us.

    Compulsary national service for both canadians and immigrants under the age of 18.

    These are just some ideas that could help. But what do i know I'm just a racist right Bulshoy?

  • second_account 2/23/2010 12:21:44 PM - Report Abuse

    To those who put the blame squarely on the children of immigrants, what is the answer? Should we shut the borders? Ship 'them' out, like our resident viking would like to see?
    Stereotyping according to ethnic ties, or to some here who think this is a joke, union affiliation, shows the type of ignorance holding our community back.

    Get with the times, people of all color have rotten apples among them.

  • Seamus 2/23/2010 8:54:52 AM - Report Abuse

    A bit late for that now.
    They should have attended to the problem before they became members of the USWA.

  • rightofcentre 2/23/2010 8:10:31 AM - Report Abuse

    Oh and Bulshoy, if you must know I am also an immigrant so maybe I have a bit more of an insight into what I'm saying.

  • woriedfather 2/23/2010 7:22:33 AM - Report Abuse

    My ex wife is an immigrant and i lived in montreal, and i'm sorry to say this bulshoy but this countr's gang problem is from children of immigrants, These kids leave violent country's with there scared parents and come to this spineless country and take advantage of the situation. You might not see it but the scared people of this city and country feel it, and no not all immigrants are in street gangs just those who have brought there kids in the last 10 to 20 years, from country's like haity and china and afganistan all the more opressed country's.

  • jlaurin 2/22/2010 8:45:43 PM - Report Abuse

    I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read this article. It's completely ridiculous. It's almost akin to getting funding to warn youth about zombie attacks. Seriously, Sudbury has greater things to worry about. So, I wrote a blog article about it entitled "Oh noes!! Gangs in Sudbury! OMGWTFBBQSAUCE!". http://julielaurin.com/?p=820

  • 99gt 2/22/2010 5:25:21 PM - Report Abuse

    "The Greater Sudbury Police are hosting two information sessions called "Gangs Are Here - They wear balaclavas and generally act like idiots"."


    LOL - sad but true.

  • Nobody Special 2/22/2010 4:40:40 PM - Report Abuse

    The Greater Sudbury Police are hosting two information sessions called "Gangs Are Here - They wear balaclavas and generally act like idiots".

  • rightofcentre 2/22/2010 4:03:25 PM - Report Abuse

    organized crime and gangs come hand in hand Motorboat. It's often the street gangs that run the distribution networks for underground or organized crime.

    In the big urban cities of North America organized crime and street gangs are defined by ethnic lines. With the exception of Italians and maybe Irish you don't hear many incidents of White gangs. But I wasn't the one who made this a race issue - people like Bulshoy and yourself jumped on the racism bandwagon.

    All I am stating is that the majority of gang related crime/violence is undertaken by immigrants or visible minorities. I challenge you to find any statistics to counter this statement.

    I agree with you on one count - what we have in sudbury is not a street gang crisis. We have lots of youths who are into the gang culture through music and fashion and they tend to hang around downtown. This in itself is harmless. Until we start seeing knife and gun crime increasing, murder rates amongst the youth increasing then we do not have a gang problem in sudbury.

  • Informed 2/22/2010 3:53:55 PM - Report Abuse

    I think it's a good idea that the police are doing this. Street gangs are VERY different from organized crime...and children can get pulled into these gangs very easily. I'm not saying that all the kids involved in these gangs are bad...I'm just saying that good kids can get involved with a bad crowd. Thunder Bay and Toronto are good examples of what can happen. And Motorboat is right, most of these kids just need something to do. They will target anyone and everyone just 'because' and are usually involved in low key criminal activity (like Motorboat said, stabbing's , fights, and some drug activity).

    However, I do think it's a great idea that the police are doing something about it before it does become a problem. Educate parents and adults about street gangs, and what to look for. Work with the community in an effort to give these kids what they need in order to avoid gangs in the first place.

  • Motorboat 2/22/2010 3:43:11 PM - Report Abuse

    rightofcentre

    you are pointing out cases of organized crime networks. This article about the police presentation is referring to street gang activity. There is a huge fundamental difference. For instance with organized crime it doesnt affect everyone in the community, only those who involve themseves in it. These people intentionally try to stay under the radar so they dont get caught. Street gang crimes involve the whole community because anyone can be targeted at any time by their stupidity.

    See the difference? And in regards to it being immigrants this means absolutely nothing, these people were out of towners who seen an opportunity here because they knew they would be under the radar. The hells angels( who are mostly white) have been operating here for years.

    Take your racist garbage elsewhere. When it comes to people of different races there are idiots in every group, whites are not exempt from this.

  • Motorboat 2/22/2010 3:34:42 PM - Report Abuse

    The police want us to believe there is gang activity so they can get more funding for their operations an more public support.

    The idea behind policing is that in order for the police to exist, so must the problem. If the police removed every drug dealer from the street all the time do you think there would be an increased need for police services? The answer is no.

    Dont tell me the cops have no idea who these people are, because all the residents in certain neighborhoods know where the crackhouses and trouble spots are, you cant tell me the cops dont know as well. They allow these places to operate and then make a few arrests from time to time to say they are doing something but it seems these places never get shut down.

    Our police service in Sudbury is extremely under funded and understaffed, the police are obviously trying to inflate an issue to get more funding.

    Dont be sucked in by this because you seen the words "D-block" spraypainted around the donovan, or because a sinister looking group of kids were hanging out at the downtown timmies.

    YEs some kids have come together as a group and done a few bad things like drug dealing, stabbings, muggings and break and enters but this does not mean it is gang activity, it just means that there is such thing as group stupidity.

  • rightofcentre 2/22/2010 3:30:12 PM - Report Abuse

    Hey bulshoy - what about the vietnamese dope growers (falconbridge), The French African dope runers from Montreal to Sudbury, the Chinese mafia in Vancouver...

    Sudbury has gone under the radar with respect to gangs but the crime wave is coming - more and more Toronto and Montreal drug cartels are heading north, the vast majority of which are run by immigrants and "visible minorities".

    Yes, there is a link to poverty and lack of opportunities for the thousands and thousands of young immigrant males. These are facts of demographics in the western world bulshoy as come on says "opn your eyes", think for yourself rather than having the liberals think for you.

  • bulshoy_62 2/22/2010 3:22:58 PM - Report Abuse

    That's exactly what i'm telling you come on.

  • come on_1 2/22/2010 3:18:53 PM - Report Abuse

    well let me tell you first hand knolwedge is golden?????

  • bulshoy_62 2/22/2010 3:15:55 PM - Report Abuse

    At least Motorboat seems to have a grip on reality.

  • come on_1 2/22/2010 3:15:05 PM - Report Abuse

    open your eyes fella look closer

  • Motorboat 2/22/2010 3:11:41 PM - Report Abuse

    I said there are no ESTABLISHED gangs. The gourps of kids that you call "gangs" are just that, groups of kids who think they are gangsters. Real gangs run sophisticated drug networks, prostitution rings and run neighborhoods. All we have here are groups of kids who think they are badass and stab people from time to time and get into fights.

    We are far from having REAL gang activity in Sudbury so far but if we dont do something soon (like provide entertainment, jobs and hope for the future) we will be thriving with it soon.

    Oh and btw a drug operation does not necessarily mean that it is gang activity.

    Gangs are a form of organized crime. A gang needs income and turf in order to maintain gang status.

    Trust me ive lived in bad neighborhoods, know people who still do, and unfortunately even know some junkies and other types of morons and i can tell you that THERE are NO REAL GANGS in Sudbury.

  • bulshoy_62 2/22/2010 3:09:20 PM - Report Abuse

    Oh and "come on;" I really don't think you have any clue what you're talking about. In the days where I associated with Sudbury's seedy underbelly, I can honestly say that NOT ONCE did I EVER encounter a visible minority in my "travels." All of the unscrupulous characters were born-and-bred 100% Canadian citizens (NOT visible minorities either).

  • bulshoy_62 2/22/2010 3:03:50 PM - Report Abuse

    "If you stepped outside your perfect PC world and took off your PC tinted glasses you would know that statistics prove what I said."

    Save it for the cross burning, Adolf.

    You're telling me the Asian guy who runs the convenience store is plotting to found a gang? How about the superb chef from Libya who runs a (very good) local restaurant? How about the owners of any of Sudbury's fine Indian restaurants? One of these guys took me into the kitchen to show me how to use a Tandoor oven - how many "non-immigrant" business owners would have granted me this?

    How about the thousands of people who left Italy and other Eastern European countries to come and pretty much BUILD this city and work in the mines? The Finns? The Ukrainians? The Jamaicans? Are all these people hell-bent on corrupting our society?

    People are people no matter where they come from. If you want to greet immigrants with disrespect and racism, that's your perogative, but don't be surprised when people (rightly) put you in your (racist) place.

  • come on_1 2/22/2010 3:01:51 PM - Report Abuse

    MOTORBOAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! you have to be kidding me break out of your shell and look around... trust me look really hard

  • Motorboat 2/22/2010 2:43:59 PM - Report Abuse

    Give me a break. Other than the Hells Angels there are NO established gangs in Sudbury period. No crips, no bloods, no anything, just a bunch of kids with nothing to do.

    What we need to be doing up here is bring more jobs up here that are primed for youth employment, created more youth oriented entertainment (concerts, arcades, pool halls, etc) and do more to get drugs like crack off the streets. The answer has always been simple unfortunately our council has always been blind.

  • rightofcentre 2/22/2010 1:14:39 PM - Report Abuse

    thats nice bulshoy. If you stepped outside your perfect PC world and took off your PC tinted glasses you would know that statistics prove what I said.

  • bulshoy_62 2/22/2010 12:40:51 PM - Report Abuse

    Sorry rightofcenter, but this whole town is comprised of immigrants or the children of immigrants (myself included).

    Not cool painting all immigrants with the same brush.

  • rightofcentre 2/22/2010 12:23:46 PM - Report Abuse

    As the number of immigrants increases to Sudbury so will the number street gangs and incidents of gang related violence.

    At least the Hell's Angels keep themselves to themselves for the most part.

  • working stiff_1 2/22/2010 12:14:37 PM - Report Abuse

    N.L. staff writes "The information sessions are being held to inform community members about the problems of street gangs in urban centres such as New York, Detroit, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Thunder Bay, and what can be done to avoid having these gangs take root in Greater Sudbury." The public knows exactly what should be done but our judges,lawyers and Lieberals are not on the same page as those that are paying their salaries. Without crime, the above would not be enjoying the standard of living that they now enjoy.
FacebookTwitterRSSVideophotoNewsletterMobile