Toronto MPs Olivia Chow and Andrew Cash are calling on the federal government to take a bigger role in combating gun crime in the city.
The NDP members held a news conference Thursday afternoon, calling on the Conservative government to rethink recent cuts to the Canada Border Services Agency — a move Cash believes could have an impact on firearms smuggling.
“Unfortunately, while the Conservatives’ crime agenda could cost billions, it hasn’t made Toronto’s streets and communities any safer,” Cash said.
Chow wants Ottawa to direct more money into youth programming in an effort to curb the growing numbers of young people involved in gangs. There are an estimated 11,000 street gang members in Canada, Chow said.
The two MPs said they plan to spend the summer talking with Torontonians to get their ideas on how to solve the problem.
“We’re going to ask [Torontonians] whether they think extending the Canada Youth Employment Program to make it a year-round program, does it make sense? What about after-school activities? Should we not have more?” Chow said. “There are many strategies out there — many of them work. We want a comprehensive, long-term, stable, anti-gang funding strategy.”