Food for Thought
I was reading about Shaquan Cadougan's mother Suzette suing the Toronto Community Housing Corporation for 4 million dollars for not preventing the shooting of her son during "The Summer of the Gun" (2005) here in Toronto.
"...his mother has sued the city for four million dollars, accusing Toronto Housing of closing security offices in the area to save money. "Toronto Community Housing Corporation decided to ... place the residents at risk," explains lawyer Courtney Betty. 'What we're seeking now is damages from T.C.H.C. in the same manner any other individual or landlord within the city of Toronto would have knowingly placed their tenants at risk. They are legally responsible.'"
At first I thought that a comment from one of the talking heads on this issue had merit. He said that we'd be setting a dangerous precedent.
Afterall, people are hurt and killed regularly during incidents of crime in this city, and there have been complaints by members of the community that the Cadougan's live in that it was "over-policed" and that security forces consistently "harrassed" residents.
Besides, who is to say that T.C.H.C. security could have prevented this terrible thing from happening anyway?
T.C.H.C. cut back their forces from 190 to 80 in 2004.
I was under the impression that the main purpose of T.C.H.C. security was to protect property.
After all, my municipality doesn't have extra private security forces patrolling my neighbouhood. Does yours?
Granted, my neighbourhood doesn't need it either...but then I read about the labour issues that the housing security forces have had with their employer.
In the document it states:
"One in 20 Toronto citizens is a Housing Authority resident. The 190 security staff at the municipally-funded MTHA include dispatchers, parking enforcement officers, fire safety officers and about 165 uniformed Community Patrol Officers who protect 125,000 tenants in 110 complexes across the city. MTHA security staff are first on the scene at over 90,000 reportable incidents every year, responding to reports of disputes, assaults, lost children, thefts, fires, and deaths. About one in four Toronto murders occurs on MTHA premises."
That clearly says to me that their services are more than just property protection.
Too bad Louise Russo didn't live in Ontario Housing.
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