Youth Violence Review

The McGuinty government has made great strides in combating gun and gang violence since announcing a $51 million package of initiatives in January 2006. The government has expanded the Guns and Gangs Task Force, hired more police officers, more Crown attorneys, more victim services staff and more probation and parole officers, opened the Operations Centre to provide coordinated investigation and prosecution of gun and gang crimes, unveiled a major crimes court and expanded the OPP led Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit. ...

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Gun-violence Reduction Initiatives:

• Call for Reverse Onus Bail — In December 2005, Premier Dalton McGuinty wrote to the leaders of the four main federal political parties, asking, among other things, for their commitment to move as quickly as possible under a new Parliament to amend the Criminal Code to impose reverse onus bail for all gun crimes. This would mean that the accused would have to prove to the court during a bail hearing that they are not a danger to the public or a flight risk.
  
• Working with the Federal Government on a Tougher Criminal Code To Deal With Gun Crimes — The McGuinty government continues to spearhead discussions with federal leaders about amending the Criminal Code to ban handguns, impose a mandatory minimum sentence of four years for illegal possession of a handgun, impose increased mandatory minimum sentences for all gun crimes, create two new Criminal Code offences with mandatory minimum sentences for robbery with intent to steal a gun and for breaking and entering with intent to steal a gun, and set more severe penalties for any breach of bail conditions.

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• Domestic Violence Action Plan — The government is investing $66 million over four years in programs and services related to addressing domestic violence, including education and training, more money for supports for shelters and second-stage housing, counselling, prevention and strengthening the justice system response.
  
• Investing in Sport and Recreation — In 2004 the government launched ACTIVE2010 Ontario's Strategy for Sport and Physical Activity. Funding components include: $12 million in funding to provincial and community sport and $5 million for the Communities in Action Fund, which supports physical activity, local sport and recreation initiatives . These programs also help remove barriers that prevent people, such as low income children, from participating in sport and recreation programs. In addition, a $1 million youth sports campaign known as "Pause to Play" was launched in November 2004 to encourage children and youth to "pause" their video games etc. and go out and play.

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Press Releases on Crime Prevention and Public Safety

• June 13 - McGunity Government Launches Review of Roots of Youth Violence
• November 14 – Ontario Holds Groundbreaking Conference on Guns and Gangs Cases
• October 19 - McGuinty Government Improves Access to the Justice System
• Sept 22 - Fight against organized crime - Québec, Ontario and Manitoba Sign Inter-Provincial Agreement to Fight Organized Crime
• August 14 – McGuinty Government Announces Second Major Crime Court
• July 27 - McGuinty Government Expands Youth Justice Committees to Improve Community Safety
• June 27 – Toronto Police Service Recognized for Victim Assistance Program
• May 24 - Attorney General Taking Steps to Help Prevent Wrongful Convictions
• May 23 – McGuinty Government Expands the Fight Against Gun Violence
• May 4 – Ontario’s Fight for Tougher Gun Laws
• March 21 – McGuinty Government Upholds the Ideals of the international Day to Eliminate Racial Discrimination
• January 05 - McGuinty Government Committed to Get Guns off our Streets
• November 16 - Stamping Out Bullying in Ontario Schools
• November 08 - McGuinty Government Working to Make Communities Safer
• November 04 - Toronto Police Service Launch Gun Amnesty
• August 12 - McGuinty Government Starts Program to Hire 1,000 Officers
• December 10 - McGuinty Government Introduces New Legislation to make Ontarians Safer
• July 13 - McGuinty Government to Provide Summer Jobs For Youth at Risk
• May 06 - Sergio Fights for Community Safety