Statement from the Official Opposition on guns and gang violence

MPP Faisal Hassan, the NDP’s Youth Engagement critic, and MPP Kevin Yarde, the NDP’s Community Safety and Correctional Services critic, released the following statement in response to Doug Ford’s plan to add closed circuit television cameras to tackle gun and gang violence:

“We were disappointed that Doug Ford’s announcement on gun violence again included only tools that could help after a shooting. Mr. Ford has cancelled the Focus on Youth after school program, scrapped student jobs for hundreds of kids, ended the Speak Up program, cancelled the Sistema program for at-risk youth and is taking thousands of teachers out of the classroom, giving each young person less guidance and attention. He has taken millions of dollars away from the efforts to put at-risk young people on a better path. The real work of stopping gun and gang violence starts before kids join gangs, not after heart-breaking and devastating shootings tear families apart and take lives.”