Toronto Gun Violence Strategy - Update and Next Steps

Excerpted from an email from Sylvia Searles, Special Assistant to the Mayor of Toronto; to Greg Stokes et al

Hello Everyone

City Council has overwhelmingly endorsed the handgun ban. The vote was 39 to 3 (the 3 were Councillors Holyday, Ootes & Thompson). Because of your efforts and courage, Council is now on record in support of the handgun ban.

Below is the link to the Mayor's speech to Council on the handgun ban:
Mayor David Miller's speech. The speech is also posted on the City's website at: Toronto Handgun Ban. I'm also excited to tell you that in just 3 weeks, the online petition is over 44,000!!

Many of you have been in touch with me, asking about the next steps. Here are some suggested next steps:

1. Increase signatures on the on-line petition.
As you know, the Mayor has agreed to take the petitions to Ottawa in June. 44,000 is amazing, but we want to keep up the momentum and make it clear to the federal government that the Canadian public wants change and that this more than a Toronto issue.

If you haven't done so already, please send the link to the on-line petition, to your email mailing list: Toronto Handgun Ban.

Below are the Facebook and YouTube links:
Facebook Group
YouTube

2. Increase hard copy petitions
As you know, a pdf of the petition can be downloaded. Some of you may belong to organizations or groups that don't have access to the internet. Please provide them with hard copies of the petition and encourage them to get the signatures of their friends and neighbours. In one community, a couple of residents are planning to go door-to-door to get everyone to sign.

3. Letters to MPs
As individuals and as organizations, you should let your MPs know where you stand on this issue and your expectation that they will advocate for and support a handgun ban.

4. Networking
We have a growing network of support.
The Mayor of St. John's Newfoundland, has written a letter of endorsement. Mayor Kelly of Halifax, took forward the petition to the Atlantic Mayor Congress. The Congress has endorsed the handgun ban and the petition. Attorney General Bentley has also expressed his support. Durham Region Council has also passed a motion endorsing the handgun ban.

The Canadian Harm Reduction Network and Rock The Vote are both encouraging people to sign the petition.

And support continues to grow from organizations and individuals across the country.

We have also connected with Verdon Brown, who started a handgun ban petition in Newfoundland, following the murder of his nephew, Ephraim, here in Toronto. Verdon has asked to be linked with other individuals and organizations who are working on this issue. His email address is: verdonbrown@hotmail.com. For more information about Verdon's work, please see this (CBC.ca article).

Greg Stokes, Jordan Manner's uncle; has also started a website: Soldiers Of Change. Greg is actively involved in advocating for change in the Jane-Finch community and increased opportunities for young people.

We've also connected with the Black Action Defense Committee. As you know, Dudley Laws and BADC have been tirelessly raising this issue and putting a face to young men and women whose lives have been lost to senseless gun violence. BADC offers youth programs designed to build entrepreneurial and otherskills, as well as gang exit strategies. Email: innercityconflict@bellnet.ca.

I recently attended the Summit of U.S. Mayors Against Illegal Handguns in Washington, D.C. Mayor Miller is a member of this organization, but was unable to attend, as he was in China. Although the U.S. legislative environment is very different from ours and their focus is only on illegal handguns, I learned a lot and made useful connections with several municipalities and non-profit organizations working on these issues. There was a lot of support for the work we're doing here in Toronto.

We've met with a number of representatives of the Health Care Community, as a result of the efforts of Dr. Lee Ford-Jones, the Pediatrician who spoke at Executive Committee. They have agreed to work on garnering support within the Health Care community for a handgun ban and exploring other ways in which we can work together to improve the life chances of children and youth.