By N. Invictus (an anonymous Canadian teacher)
It used to be sensible advice that if you are confronted with an armed thief, it is best not to engage in any altercation and simply hand over your wallet to save your life. Paying the ransom upfront was often suggested. However, the Toronto Police have taken this further and publicly advised residents to leave their car keys and fobs readily accessible on a tray in the foyer for the criminals who have the luxury of breaking in, taking what they want, and escaping without any real consequence! I kid you not! Such announcements carry a much deeper underlying message of surrender. The police are raising a white flag and accepting defeat. Now, it's out and in the open: our city (even our country) has fallen into the hands of criminals, whether they wear masks while breaking into homes or remain unmasked while violating the values and the charter of rights of our homeland. Go figure!
While this advice originates from the good intention of saving lives, it is evident how far our country has fallen – not that we needed more evidence! Anyone with even the slightest sense knows that safe neighborhoods are a thing of the past. Law enforcement is not able to enforce the laws (and the laws are not in our favor anymore). And yet, our city's elected officials insist that residents show compassion and understand the supposed underlying reasons for some of these crimes – the historical wrongdoings that may have caused intergenerational trauma to such an extent that now, we, the people who came to this country in part for its safe environment and worked hard to build lives in neighbourhoods who were known for their relative safety, have to tolerate these occurrences and treat them as the norm.
Regardless of the intentions, hearing such statements from law enforcement is not what any sane person desires. Rightfully, we expect those to whom we pay taxes to take charge and fulfill their duties of serving and protecting. We want our elected officials and our public servants to be competent and perform their obligations as expected. We want laws that prevent and deter bad actors—even those who identify as historically traumatized people—from committing crimes, not laws and announcements that encourage them. However, increasingly, as my friend John reminds me, not only are we burdened with high taxes in order to support a bloated government, but we also have to dedicate many hours volunteering in various capacities and attending numerous meetings to ensure our elected officials actually do their jobs. Then, we are compelled to hold them accountable for their shortcomings and challenge their decisions through the judicial system, requiring further time and money, which leads to planning and organizing fundraisings etc. And the cycle continues.
In a conversation, John said: “There used to be an unspoken social contract between the government and the people: we pay our taxes, and you run the country in a way that makes sense. However, that deal no longer exists. Now, it's about not only paying taxes but also investing time to ensure the government is running the country sensibly. So, what's the point of paying taxes if we have to get intimately involved with the work? If you’re paying someone for a service (and that's what it's called - public service) by giving up a certain percentage of your income via taxes (which is the same as giving up a percentage of your time), why do we still need to find additional time and money to ensure they're doing their job right? The job we pay them to do?” My response was: “I get it. But at this point, what is the alternative? Not fighting back? Not spending more time? We either sacrifice now to defend our country and build a better future, or we sacrifice the future of our children. Either way, making a sacrifice is inevitable.”
During a ward meeting held towards the end of Jan 2024 purportedly aimed at addressing parents' safety concerns regarding drug use in the area, the presence of needles in parks, and the proposed construction of a harm reduction centre near two schools and a seniors' residence, the constable's response to a concerned mother was to instruct her child not to touch needles in the playground!
In the last week of February 2024, not for the first time, I attended a Neighborhood Safety Town Hall meeting organized and hosted by our city councillor. We've had several of such meetings in recent times, largely due to the increase in break-ins and robberies in an area that was previously considered safe. The Town Hall was scheduled for 2 hours; however, this one began with various organizations affiliated with the City presenting their efforts to address systemic barriers, mental health issues, historical disadvantages, etc. While these topics may have their own merit, they do not justify crime, though it seemed they were implying as much. They were laying the groundwork to garner sympathy for those committing the crimes. After one hour and 45 minutes, I finally approached our councillor and asked when the meeting would truly begin, as none of us had any opportunity to ask questions or discuss anything. Only the last presenter (a police constable) provided us with information that was more relevant to the topic and our concerns. Overall, the meeting came across as yet another attempt not only to normalize bad behaviour but also to induce sympathy for those who commit crimes, painting them as victims—a trend that seems to be occurring too frequently and across a broad spectrum of areas.
Crime rates have increased, and while some may find blaming the economy, the pandemic, and the wars around the globe desirable, the fact remains that these crimes are not solely driven by the need to feed a hungry child. These criminals are not modern-day Jean Valjeans. Wondering why? Check out the two bills passed in the Parliament of Canada that may have an implicit role in the rise of crimes. Critics argue that Bill C-75 passed in 2019 may weaken the criminal justice system's ability to hold offenders accountable. Bill C-5 (2022) makes amendments to the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. These amendments include the repeal of certain mandatory minimum penalties, the expansion of the use of conditional sentences, and the establishment of diversion measures for simple drug possession offences. The goal is to address issues related to sentencing, particularly in cases involving drug offences, by providing more flexibility in sentencing options and focusing on diversion and rehabilitation rather than strict punitive measures.
Read between the lines, infer what you wish, and make comparisons with what goes on around you. We are living in times where bad behaviour is not only justified but also encouraged, promoted, and rewarded. I would argue that this phenomenon is occurring across many, if not all, levels of our society. For instance, students who neglect to study and fail to complete their homework often receive more attention; in fact, teachers are instructed to not only prioritize them but change our schedules to provide them with more time, sometimes at the expense of others. There's a saying that those who do well will continue to excel on their own. However, I argue that those who perform well have the potential to achieve even greater success and deserve just as much attention from teachers as their peers. Moreover, if this strategy truly worked, it would result in a transformation of behaviour, fostering character, and resilience, and guiding these students toward autonomy and agency. Instead, it seems to "affirm" their dependency and “identify” them as individuals who will always rely on others to effect change in the world for them so they can just be.
The person who commits a crime, breaks the law, or fails to adhere to their responsibilities makes a decision and should be held accountable for their actions. Humans, by instinct, have always punished bad behaviour and rewarded good behaviour. Throughout history and across cultures, we have all shared this understanding because it made sense and it worked! Any parent or kindergarten teacher (who has not been indoctrinated) would attest to this. However, the current trend of disregarding boundaries and promoting victimhood has superseded sanity, common sense, proven practices, and even our instincts, let alone the basic lessons of Psychology 101!
In our mad times, licensed professionals who uphold honesty, engage in constructive dialogue, and strive towards goals that enhance people’s well-being—attributes that truly elevate our nation—find themselves subjected to investigations. Their professional licences are put at risk, while our provincial government conveniently absolves itself of addressing such matters through the professional colleges it established, claiming they have no jurisdiction over them! Meanwhile, individuals who diligently work, pay taxes, actively contribute to society, ensure their children behave and excel academically, and abide by regulations—parents who advocate for transparency— and those who love and respect their country and stand up for it, are unfairly penalised, labelled, censored, gradually silenced or worse numbed under the guise of compassion for hypothetical victims.
While I may sound like a broken record, and at times feel like I'm screaming into the void, I am still compelled to shout out loud: The enemy is within, the invasion happened decades ago. The Western Civilization we once knew and came here for is barely recognizable. As I told John: “We either sacrifice now to defend our country and build a better future, or we sacrifice the future of our children. Either way, making a sacrifice is inevitable!”
What will it take for people to wake up and take a stand?
___
Thanks for reading. For more from this author, read I am a NIMBY
BREAKING NEWS:
A new long-form essay by Dr. M - Fulcrum and Pivot: The New Left Remaking of Toronto School Policy
James Pew has contributed a chapter to the new book Grave Error: How The Media Misled us (And the Truth about Residential Schools). You can read about it here - The Rise of Independent Canadian Researchers
Also, for more evidence of the ideological indoctrination in Canadian education, read Yes, schools are indoctrinating kids! And also, Yes, The University is an Indoctrination Camp!
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Absolutely an outstanding article and I could not agree more with the accuracy of everything stated. I recently watched the live broadcast by rebel news on the near riot caused by the Palestinian protest during our P.M.,s visit to a meeting in Toronto and I wish to make a comment on that but first my background which i feel is important for others to form an opinion.
I served with Police Departments for 13 years but also worked in law enforcement field for 14 more while engaged with the Police I worked street crime. During that time I charged 11 people for armed holdups laid hundreds of charges for drug,s and narcotics and indeed there are few charges in the criminal code that I have not laid. I have a 99% conviction rate.
As mentioned I watched that entire fiasco regarding the false arrest of that Rebel news reporter and it pains me to point fault at the Police Officers involved including the Sergeant at the scene a person in authority who should have done HIS job and stopped that arrest from proceeding.
My background includes crowd control in fact I worked as a Uniformed Officer at one of Toronto,s largest strike,s the Artistic Woodworking strike where I arrested their lawyer for Obstructing Police, I have arrested several others for obstructing Police as well and in fact I believe I could testify as an expert in crowd control.
I should perhaps note that I later found out that the man I arrested had not passed the bar so was perhaps just caught up in his own importance so I dropped the charge as I would not wish to destroy a mans life over a single stupid action.
I watched that live coverage and unless there was some other action committed prior to that recording then there was absolutely no justification for his arrest. What I did see was direct threats and threatening behavior towards a recognized news reporter simply doing his job peacefully.
I have been involved in several investigations that resulted in some quite serious charges laid against Police Officers in my career so I can state without doubt that I am not prejudiced against anyone, I have given testimony in many cases involving very high profile lawyers from the Toronto area all of whom I have shown the greatest respect but I say let the chips fall regardless. Justice should be done and it needs to be seen to be done in order to keep a just society for us all.
Furthermore on a parting note why have there been so very few arrests of any of these protesters who support genocide with the Hamas again I mention the live tape and there were several very obvious personal threats by actions and otherwise that should have led to the arrest of at the very least two other individuals.
This is a great article. The vast and silent majority agree with you. Consider doing some public speaking on this topic.