You and Jen are competing for best column of the year on a weekly basis. Thank you, and please continue. The Line is really hitting it's stride.
Guaranteed that a significant number of Canadians will buckle down and arm up in light of what they see (and don't see) in policing. That's not good, but as you eloquently note, quite rational and hardly surprising.
Groupthink within so many of our national institutions seems completely baked in at this point, and I'm not certain there's any way to fix that. Culture change takes a long time. We didn't, overnight, get to the point we are today where the police are throwing up their hands and asking homeowners to cower under the beds silently and make it easier for thieves to steal our stuff so they don't have to rough us up / kill us to get it. That takes institutional rot over decades.
Thanks again for not waiting to write this column.
Sometimes you've just got to let it out before you go insane.
I always used to defend the need for relatively high taxes to my more anti-tax friends and family, pointing out all the things around us they pay for. Even high police budgets were something I defended, despite leaning fairly left-wing on a lot of things, because I think it's a hard job and I was glad people were willing to do it. But apparently, they aren't going to do it! I don't have much to point to anymore.
Between this, our crumbling infrastructure, healthcare, and myriad overpaid contractor scandals - like seriously, what are we actually paying for? If I can't count on the things my taxes are supposed to provide, I might just end up joining those calling for a smaller government and a more libertarian society.
Considering where I started, that's really saying a lot, believe me.
I listen to the podcast so often that I now read both of your columns in your voice.
And I totally agree with Matt here. But what he doesn't mention is that the cops often put in the work and the courts just let the dudes off with a slap on the wrist. That must be very discouraging to the police.
Living in a rural, isolated area, I have always been concerned with personal and property security. Even more so than urban areas the "police are minutes (hours?) away when seconds count". I would rather be convicted and alive than have my family hurt. Property I can replace but the shotgun remains close to hand and will remain so regardless of the civil disarmament agenda of this corrupt, morally bereft government.
"It would be nice if we had a political class that was willing to assert itself over the police forces they are responsible for, instead of hiding behind the convenient fib that politicians can never interfere with policing matters."
But we did let our political class assert itself over the police forces by acquiescing to the naive concept that the very existence of a police force is problematic. That is why a citizen protecting their own home from a violent invasion faces much greater consequences than the offender. Our political class has decided that criminals deserve more consideration than the rest of us.
It doesn't seem surprising that after "we" wanted to defund them and called them every name in the book, that they don't want to stick their collective necks out.
Unfortunately I think your prediction is quite likely accurate Matt; however, rather than moving to enhanced, active policing and prosecution we will instead wind up with more "gun control" pointed at law abiding Canadian gun owners rather than the criminals.
This certainly seems to be the LPC's preferred method to deal with crime?
We need only look south to see how this ends. Politicians and elites alike chronically fail to understand the sociological equivalent of Newton's third law: equal and opposite (over-)reaction. People won't put up with being passive victims and with feeling insecure in their own homes endlessly. There will start to be incidents of intruders being shot. Then homeowners being prosecuted more vigorously than the criminals. Then more people becoming outraged about that. Then political opportunists seeing opportunity. Demands for laws being changed. "Castle" laws. "Stand your ground" laws. It ends with open carry in Walmart and right-wing courts (packed with judges appointed by politicians elected by frightened people) striking down laws prohibiting firearms on college campuses.
Think that's an exaggeration? I lived in the US from the 60s through the early 2000s and watched exactly that happen – from strict gun control to a fearful populace replacing politicians until they got what they wanted: open carry, almost everywhere. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen (as it did to the south) over a generation or so, if our leaders don't start taking the safety of the public seriously.
As far as I can tell, police across North America have been on a “soft strike” or a kind of work-to-rule since summer 2020. To be honest I don’t totally blame them. When you have the top influential figures in culture and politics saying not that policing needs reform, but that the entire institution is “structural racism”, that’s going to have an effect. Either destruction of morale, or a quiet quitting in protest, or both.
I think you're completely correct about the problem here: police are acquiescing to the existence of crime rather than trying to prevent it. Consider what a proactive approach would be here: police identify neighborhoods with a higher incidence of these break-ins. They station extra officers and patrol cars nearby to deter criminals, and they communicate with residents about how to communicate a break-in so the police can execute a rapid response.
The deterrent to criminals is realizing they have a high probability of getting caught and facing consequences. It's much the same with the spate of organized shoplifting. I cannot fathom why the police haven't put plainclothes officers in certain hard-hit areas to catch these shoplifters in action. It turns the assumption of impunity on its head when criminals think there's a good chance that they're suddenly going to get pounced on by cops that they didn't know were there.
If police aren't going to provide the deterrent, they're going to find the public will do it for them and it isn't going to be pretty. I don't keep a gun in the house; I'm not going to shoot an intruder. However, I *do* have a German Shepherd from a protection dog line, and I *am* going to let her do her thing. A German Shepherd's preferred approach in these cases is to leap up and lunge for the throat. And, if somebody starts hurting my dog in my house, I will knock them to the floor and do violence to them until I do not feel threatened. I'm not a violent person, but it's my house and I tend to put my own safety on the line in defense of my wife and kids.
The comment by the cop was intended as a harm reduction strategy. I have to believe there’s a group at TPS tasked with making some arrests of professional car thieves. And when you get the moronic political class of one - Doug Ford- capitalizing on the issue it’s about appointing like minded judges. The head spins.
But what really is out of control is the public mayhem I have seen with the pro- Palestinian supporters who are very sophisticated at manipulating the situation so they appear victimized. They must not be permitted to continue to prevent law abiding citizens from going about their daily lives as was the case at the AGO. Escalation prevention I understand. But this approach is not working. It’s a disgrace and it is vital for the police to be and to be seen to be in control when there is an angry screaming mob traumatizing everyone in the area. This is not the Toronto I know and love. The rule of law is more than a political slogan.
On a brighter note, after paying so much tax to Ottawa, I can only afford 10 year old Fords, which no one wants. Went the same way with a bicycle. After having many of them stolen, I now ride a bike that no one will steal. First World problem? Yeah, but I have decided not to immigrate to the developing world, thank you.
Good food for thought. A better recommendation would be to step down a few pegs and have something in your driveway no self-respecting carbuyer in Nigeria would touch with a bargepole. I sleep fairly well at night as my driveway contains a ten year old Hyundai Sonata on its second engine, as the first one blew up but I got a freebie owing to a class action lawsuit settlement. I was told the new one won't explode but who knows? My neighbour looks even more well rested, as he has a 10-year old Dodge mini van. His driveway has a 3x3 foot black patch of oil and grease owing to a fairly major leak coming from somewhere. So, we're good. The answer may be to have a nice new Lexus kept at a secure location while your driveway hosts an old Chev Biscayne or something similar.
I don't think that I agree with the take that the police are "surrendering", or at least, I don't think that their advice to put your keys by the door is damning evidence that they are. You point out yourself that car thefts are rising, and so too presumably is break-ins by people looking to steal cars. How we got here and what we can do about it is one discussion, but given that we're here, the advice is about how you or I can manage the situation. I agree that the situation is completely absurd and feels like a bit from a sketch comedy show, but it really is analogous to the advice given about what to do if you're being mugged - just give them what they want. This is proactively giving them that thing they want. If the risk of "being mugged" is high enough, then it makes sense.
That said, the situation is absolutely unacceptable and if this is the only "solution" offered, then indeed they're giving up, but it seems like an overreaction to me.
Interesting article however to blame the police for the problem negates the responsibility of the courts.
If you were a police officer today and u look at what happens to those you arrest one couldn’t help but be disillusioned. The fentanyl dealer has a hard upbringing so he or she has no responsibility for selling the drugs that kill our children, the shop lifter has a substance abuse problem so they can’t be held responsible, the car jacker may be a minor or a minority so circumstances dictate they shouldn’t be charged or be held responsible.
The very best that a police officer in Canada can do today is put them into the court system then the justice system does their magic and the perpetrators either walk free or receive a minimum sentence.
However if a police officer dare breach the rights of the criminals how ever petty that breach be, the offender walks free, the officer gets lectured or reprimanded for violating the right of the criminal.
After that happens to you and your colleagues repeatedly it kind of take the interest away from arresting these fine folks.
Our justice system reminds me of that famous Pogo quote “ I have seen the enemy and it is I!”
We are the voters we elect the fine folks that create the laws and appoint the judges so let’s not blame the police ,let’s elect some common sense people that will fix a broken system.
The ability to protect or defend oneself and our family has to be the most basic human right that any person possesses! I am baffled why Canadians accept the utter inability of our national and local police forces to protect Canadians or enforce the law as they choose to, all the while intellectually and legally asserting that only in extreme cases are we able to defend ourselves & families in Canada! Of course in rural Canada police response “for service” can be hours or days away - an alternate is and has been a functional necessity!
You and Jen are competing for best column of the year on a weekly basis. Thank you, and please continue. The Line is really hitting it's stride.
Guaranteed that a significant number of Canadians will buckle down and arm up in light of what they see (and don't see) in policing. That's not good, but as you eloquently note, quite rational and hardly surprising.
Groupthink within so many of our national institutions seems completely baked in at this point, and I'm not certain there's any way to fix that. Culture change takes a long time. We didn't, overnight, get to the point we are today where the police are throwing up their hands and asking homeowners to cower under the beds silently and make it easier for thieves to steal our stuff so they don't have to rough us up / kill us to get it. That takes institutional rot over decades.
Thanks again for not waiting to write this column.
Sometimes you've just got to let it out before you go insane.
I always used to defend the need for relatively high taxes to my more anti-tax friends and family, pointing out all the things around us they pay for. Even high police budgets were something I defended, despite leaning fairly left-wing on a lot of things, because I think it's a hard job and I was glad people were willing to do it. But apparently, they aren't going to do it! I don't have much to point to anymore.
Between this, our crumbling infrastructure, healthcare, and myriad overpaid contractor scandals - like seriously, what are we actually paying for? If I can't count on the things my taxes are supposed to provide, I might just end up joining those calling for a smaller government and a more libertarian society.
Considering where I started, that's really saying a lot, believe me.
I listen to the podcast so often that I now read both of your columns in your voice.
And I totally agree with Matt here. But what he doesn't mention is that the cops often put in the work and the courts just let the dudes off with a slap on the wrist. That must be very discouraging to the police.
Living in a rural, isolated area, I have always been concerned with personal and property security. Even more so than urban areas the "police are minutes (hours?) away when seconds count". I would rather be convicted and alive than have my family hurt. Property I can replace but the shotgun remains close to hand and will remain so regardless of the civil disarmament agenda of this corrupt, morally bereft government.
"It would be nice if we had a political class that was willing to assert itself over the police forces they are responsible for, instead of hiding behind the convenient fib that politicians can never interfere with policing matters."
But we did let our political class assert itself over the police forces by acquiescing to the naive concept that the very existence of a police force is problematic. That is why a citizen protecting their own home from a violent invasion faces much greater consequences than the offender. Our political class has decided that criminals deserve more consideration than the rest of us.
It doesn't seem surprising that after "we" wanted to defund them and called them every name in the book, that they don't want to stick their collective necks out.
Unfortunately I think your prediction is quite likely accurate Matt; however, rather than moving to enhanced, active policing and prosecution we will instead wind up with more "gun control" pointed at law abiding Canadian gun owners rather than the criminals.
This certainly seems to be the LPC's preferred method to deal with crime?
We need only look south to see how this ends. Politicians and elites alike chronically fail to understand the sociological equivalent of Newton's third law: equal and opposite (over-)reaction. People won't put up with being passive victims and with feeling insecure in their own homes endlessly. There will start to be incidents of intruders being shot. Then homeowners being prosecuted more vigorously than the criminals. Then more people becoming outraged about that. Then political opportunists seeing opportunity. Demands for laws being changed. "Castle" laws. "Stand your ground" laws. It ends with open carry in Walmart and right-wing courts (packed with judges appointed by politicians elected by frightened people) striking down laws prohibiting firearms on college campuses.
Think that's an exaggeration? I lived in the US from the 60s through the early 2000s and watched exactly that happen – from strict gun control to a fearful populace replacing politicians until they got what they wanted: open carry, almost everywhere. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen (as it did to the south) over a generation or so, if our leaders don't start taking the safety of the public seriously.
As far as I can tell, police across North America have been on a “soft strike” or a kind of work-to-rule since summer 2020. To be honest I don’t totally blame them. When you have the top influential figures in culture and politics saying not that policing needs reform, but that the entire institution is “structural racism”, that’s going to have an effect. Either destruction of morale, or a quiet quitting in protest, or both.
I think you're completely correct about the problem here: police are acquiescing to the existence of crime rather than trying to prevent it. Consider what a proactive approach would be here: police identify neighborhoods with a higher incidence of these break-ins. They station extra officers and patrol cars nearby to deter criminals, and they communicate with residents about how to communicate a break-in so the police can execute a rapid response.
The deterrent to criminals is realizing they have a high probability of getting caught and facing consequences. It's much the same with the spate of organized shoplifting. I cannot fathom why the police haven't put plainclothes officers in certain hard-hit areas to catch these shoplifters in action. It turns the assumption of impunity on its head when criminals think there's a good chance that they're suddenly going to get pounced on by cops that they didn't know were there.
If police aren't going to provide the deterrent, they're going to find the public will do it for them and it isn't going to be pretty. I don't keep a gun in the house; I'm not going to shoot an intruder. However, I *do* have a German Shepherd from a protection dog line, and I *am* going to let her do her thing. A German Shepherd's preferred approach in these cases is to leap up and lunge for the throat. And, if somebody starts hurting my dog in my house, I will knock them to the floor and do violence to them until I do not feel threatened. I'm not a violent person, but it's my house and I tend to put my own safety on the line in defense of my wife and kids.
The comment by the cop was intended as a harm reduction strategy. I have to believe there’s a group at TPS tasked with making some arrests of professional car thieves. And when you get the moronic political class of one - Doug Ford- capitalizing on the issue it’s about appointing like minded judges. The head spins.
But what really is out of control is the public mayhem I have seen with the pro- Palestinian supporters who are very sophisticated at manipulating the situation so they appear victimized. They must not be permitted to continue to prevent law abiding citizens from going about their daily lives as was the case at the AGO. Escalation prevention I understand. But this approach is not working. It’s a disgrace and it is vital for the police to be and to be seen to be in control when there is an angry screaming mob traumatizing everyone in the area. This is not the Toronto I know and love. The rule of law is more than a political slogan.
On a brighter note, after paying so much tax to Ottawa, I can only afford 10 year old Fords, which no one wants. Went the same way with a bicycle. After having many of them stolen, I now ride a bike that no one will steal. First World problem? Yeah, but I have decided not to immigrate to the developing world, thank you.
Good food for thought. A better recommendation would be to step down a few pegs and have something in your driveway no self-respecting carbuyer in Nigeria would touch with a bargepole. I sleep fairly well at night as my driveway contains a ten year old Hyundai Sonata on its second engine, as the first one blew up but I got a freebie owing to a class action lawsuit settlement. I was told the new one won't explode but who knows? My neighbour looks even more well rested, as he has a 10-year old Dodge mini van. His driveway has a 3x3 foot black patch of oil and grease owing to a fairly major leak coming from somewhere. So, we're good. The answer may be to have a nice new Lexus kept at a secure location while your driveway hosts an old Chev Biscayne or something similar.
I don't think that I agree with the take that the police are "surrendering", or at least, I don't think that their advice to put your keys by the door is damning evidence that they are. You point out yourself that car thefts are rising, and so too presumably is break-ins by people looking to steal cars. How we got here and what we can do about it is one discussion, but given that we're here, the advice is about how you or I can manage the situation. I agree that the situation is completely absurd and feels like a bit from a sketch comedy show, but it really is analogous to the advice given about what to do if you're being mugged - just give them what they want. This is proactively giving them that thing they want. If the risk of "being mugged" is high enough, then it makes sense.
That said, the situation is absolutely unacceptable and if this is the only "solution" offered, then indeed they're giving up, but it seems like an overreaction to me.
Interesting article however to blame the police for the problem negates the responsibility of the courts.
If you were a police officer today and u look at what happens to those you arrest one couldn’t help but be disillusioned. The fentanyl dealer has a hard upbringing so he or she has no responsibility for selling the drugs that kill our children, the shop lifter has a substance abuse problem so they can’t be held responsible, the car jacker may be a minor or a minority so circumstances dictate they shouldn’t be charged or be held responsible.
The very best that a police officer in Canada can do today is put them into the court system then the justice system does their magic and the perpetrators either walk free or receive a minimum sentence.
However if a police officer dare breach the rights of the criminals how ever petty that breach be, the offender walks free, the officer gets lectured or reprimanded for violating the right of the criminal.
After that happens to you and your colleagues repeatedly it kind of take the interest away from arresting these fine folks.
Our justice system reminds me of that famous Pogo quote “ I have seen the enemy and it is I!”
We are the voters we elect the fine folks that create the laws and appoint the judges so let’s not blame the police ,let’s elect some common sense people that will fix a broken system.
The ability to protect or defend oneself and our family has to be the most basic human right that any person possesses! I am baffled why Canadians accept the utter inability of our national and local police forces to protect Canadians or enforce the law as they choose to, all the while intellectually and legally asserting that only in extreme cases are we able to defend ourselves & families in Canada! Of course in rural Canada police response “for service” can be hours or days away - an alternate is and has been a functional necessity!