Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 1, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A15 Winnipeg free press comment editor wednesday november 1, 2006 Gerald flood 697-7269 and beyond Harper focuses on pleasing Core supporters t he combined opposition has seized control of parliament ? and prime minister Stephen Harper and his conservatives could to be happier. They probably set their opponents up using narrow casting a political strategy right out of . President George w. Bush a playbook. Narrow casting appears counter intuitive to a minority party a Pursuit of a majority govern ment. Instead of moving to the Centre to lure the moderate majority narrow casting tailors its Appeal to the minority party score support to the exclusion of everyone else. The idea is that a solid mobilized and Happy base will influence undecided friends Neighbours and relatives. These swing voters will Start thinking that the government would be Good for them too. Harpers Republican conservatives replicate their soulmates South of the Border. Many of the issues that mobilized republicans for Bush Are now front and Centre in Canada. Take a look at the conservative Agenda the combined Liberal nip and bloc quebecois opposition is blocking. It is stoutly religious the repeal of same sex marriage and failing that a defence of religion act pro gun and militaristic the abolition of the Federal Long gun registry despite its Strong support in Urban Canada the big increase in defence spending and the Extension and expansion of Canadas afghan Mission into outright War anti Equality the elimination of the court challenges program National Day care and women a advocacy initiatives and major cuts to aboriginal programs anti Kyoto Accord the change the subject clean air act which targets smog not greenhouse gases even though smog helps slow global warming by reducing the suns heat staunchly Law and order the plethora of crime legislation including the three strikes Bill with its odious reverse onus provision and economically libertarian the planned destruction of the Canadian wheat Board by any Means Nec Essary including breaking the Law itself and trampling Over democratic norms by disqualifying some voters half Way through Board of director elections these Are All politically incendiary wedge issues. Because they Deal with Peoples Funda mental beliefs and self perceptions they Rele Gate bread and butter issues like the Economy and Broad social policy to the Back seat. Globe and mail political columnist John Ibbitson believes crime and religion Are wedges that could work for Harper. In a column last week the prime he pointed out the conservatives minister need the support of about 35 per is already cent of voters to stay in office and about 40 per cent to form a in full majority government. Then he Campaign asked this question Mode what percentage of the population do you think would like to see tougher sentences for All criminals dangerous offenders locked away indefinitely and religious rights protected for devout political officials the prime minister is already in full Campaign Mode exhibiting rage and indignation at the oppositions Cavalier behaviour describing it As arrogant and he disregards his words As Leader of the official opposition less than a year ago that a minority government must consult and work with the opposition. Instead he issues dire warnings that his rivals will pay a heavy Price for stalling or defeating his Agenda. Greg Lyle former Premier Gary Filmon a Polit ical strategist has worked for the . Social credit party the . Liberals and former Ontario conservative Premier Mike Harris and is now a pollster with innovative research group in Toronto. He described the republicans narrow casting technique to the Hill times Simon Doyle last week. Its a proven Model of Success for electoral support Lyle said. The truth of it is that there Are sort of 30 per cent that Are with the tories no matter what and 50 per cent that will never vote for them and maybe one in five canadians that Are open to them and that Arent solidly with them. You May not be one of the groups that benefits from one of these narrow cast issues but you see people you identify with benefiting and so this says that this is a government and a Leader that could care about people like you Lyle continued. One of the inadvertent benefits of narrow casting is actually a Macro Manitoba conservative Leader Hugh Mcfadyen is doing some narrow casting of his own with his proposal to Fine parents for not supervising their children. He was reacting to news that a 12-year-old girl two 14-year-old girls and a 15-year-old boy had been arrested in connection with a beating death on Spence Street last week. At the end of the Day parents need to be held responsible at one level or another he said. As a lawyer Mcfadyen has to be aware of the dire social problems in Winnipeg sinner City including dysfunctional or virtually non existent families and the devastating Impact of fetal Alco hol syndrome on children. Attempting to Fine parents is worse than useless in this context because it further victimized families who already cannot Cope. Politically however any simplistic crime crackdown is Gold to politicians like Harper and Mcfadyen appealing to their conservative base on two Levels. It avoids the Public investment necessary to attack homelessness unemployment poverty and Urban decay while it fuels the Pursuit of Ever lower taxes. w Ous year. The death of Audrey Cooper ? should be taught Winnipeg witnessed the brutal talk of a female crime wave invariably raises to be accountable for their actions. But perhaps murder of a 34-year-old inner City the Issue of women a liberation As responsible we need to be accountable for ours. Should we aboriginal woman last week. For the supposed increases in girls violence. Not be held accountable for electing govern Audrey Cooper died from injuries girls we Are told Are no longer made of sugar ments More intent on cutting taxes than invest received when she was attacked near her and now equal to boys they Are Demon ing in opportunities for children growing up in Home in the Early morning hours. Four Young Strating this Equality in their use of violence poverty should we not be held accountable for people ? including three girls aged 12, 14 and and aggression. But does this suffice As an tolerating the deeply rooted systemic racism 14 ? have been charged in her death. The explanation can we really say that feminism is that is a part of the everyday experiences of so alleged involvement of teenage girls in Coop to blame when Young girls ? especially those Many inner City youth Are we not repeater a death has yet again raised the Issue of living in Winnipeg sinner City ? lash out or offenders for continuing to do so All the while whether girls Are becom do we need to find our answers elsewhere refusing to accept responsibility for the Conse ing More violent. We know that a Strong correlation exists quenches of our actions concerns about an Between inner City poverty and crime and Vio this Issue is about the poverty and racism increase in violence by Lence. A 2004 study done by the Canadian Cen that have been allowed to fester and grow in girls is an Issue that has tre for Justice statistics found conclusively Winnipeg sinner City for so Many decades. Why periodically figured that the closer one gets to the Sociol economical do we continue to be surprised when terrible prominently in the Media by disadvantaged geographic Centre of win offences Are committed Why do we continue to especially some 10 years Nipes the higher is the incidence of crime. Commit the equally terrible offences of neglect ago with the death of 14 Manitoba has the second highest child Pover and ignorance year old Reena Virk in Elizabeth to rate in the country. One in five Manitoba we need to mourn the death of Audrey Coop Victoria . Reena had children Are living in poverty. Half of All offer. At the same time we need to think Long and Comack been beaten by a group of Reserve aboriginal children in Manitoba were hard about what it will take to make sure such a seven girls and one boy. Living in poverty in 2001. The province also has tragedy does not happen again. To do so will one of the girls and the boy were held criminal the highest percentage 47 per cent of child involve confronting the harsh reality that too by responsible for her death. At that time food Bank clients in Canada. Winnipeg Harvest Many kids ? both girls and boys ? in win Media pundits were proclaiming the age of the now provides emergency food to 18,126 Chil Nipes s inner City have for far too Long been Nasty girl and Reena a death was interpreted Dren each month. Ten years ago that figure was denied Hope for a better future. As a sign that girls Are becoming More violent. 5,512. As a society we All need to be held account then ? As now ? such tragic acts Are not the poverty is especially concentrated in win Able. That Means demanding that governments tip of the iceberg an indication of a female Nipges inner City communities where Well paid invest in the Many solutions that work in win crime wave. According to Winnipeg police ser jobs Are scarce housing is frequently invade Nipges inner City ? solutions built by inner City vice statistics girls made up 31 per cent 302 quate and opportunities for youth Are few. People themselves but sorely under funded by of youths charged with a violent crime in 2005. Trapped in poverty ignored by governments a society and by governments that have lost like charges for violent crime generally most intent upon cutting Public expenditures rather their vision of a better future for All of us. Of these Are for common or level 1 assaults. Than creating opportunities inner City youth and this figure is not much different from pre can be forgiven when in some cases they lose Vious years. In 2001, for example girls made up Hope for a better future. For Many a culture of Elizabeth Comack is a professor of sociology at 30 per cent 283 of youths charged with crimes despair has emerged ? a culture beyond the the University of Manitoba and a research Asso against the person. An increase of 19 girls experience of More Well to do canadians. In cite with the Canadian Centre for policy alter charged with a violent offence Over a five year this context should we be surprised when some natives Manitoba. She is the co author of a period does not make for a crime wave. In fact kids lash out in the form of crime and violence report on safety and Security issues in Winnipeg a there were actually 88 fewer girls charged with children ? and we need to remember that inner City communities to be released by the a violent offence in 2005 compared to the Previ these Are children who have been charged in Capa my at the end of november. Young offenders must be held accountable children from committing crimes. It Means does the opposite because an Opportunity is l Ike most Manitoban recent reports of making them aware of the responsibility and missed to begin to reinforce the notion that serious crimes involving children As restrictions that the courts May have placed on Young As 10 years old left me both their Young children. Parental responsibility is shocked and saddened. As a father of two More than parents paying. It is also about Par rating to More serious crimes. Meaningful but Young children i know i a not alone when i ends participating in helping Young people measured action must follow every crime so try to understand what motivates anyone Par improve their chances at a successful future. That the message is Clear that crime has Conse titular by a youth to com As All parents know there Are Many Chal quenches. Mit such violent crimes. Lenges in raising children. Young people today while Early intervention provides the Best As with most difficult Chance to prevent Young people from commit Ting More serious crimes there must be an action in a number of already difficult Job of parenting. The govern areas. While parents Are ment has an important role to play in providing it is not acceptable to victims or to society As in the Best position to pro Manitoba families with the tools they need to a whole to allow serious youth crimes to occur vide guidance and set Lim overcome these challenges. This Means simple without serious consequences. This requires a its for their children they menting a Long term strategy aimed at decrease broader Range of sentencing options and a Are Only one part of the Hugh ing poverty increasing Access to education and greater ability for police to Monitor offenders. Solution. Parents extend getting kids off the Street away from drugs and these Are the responsibility of the provincial gangs. We must get gangs and drugs out of the government and they have failed to address ensure children have a Chance to succeed ? not be attracted to criminal activity. Port for children when there is no parental suggesting greater deterrence provisions with Many Manitoban have said parents should authority in place. In this act. In addition to parents the Justice system last week in response to the shocking crimes must be part of the solution to youth crime. Of violence committed by youth in Manitoba Manitoba progressive conservatives believe the Premier and the minister of Justice made up that not All children have the Benefit of parental the Justice system needs to respond a Propri excuses for seven years of weakness and inac lately when children become involved in crime Tion. Manitoban deserve action. As Leader of it is easy to focus on levelling fines against parents. However this Only represents a Small Young people who commit less serious crimes. And the Justice system we can help keep our in reality giving Young people a break often streets Safe and give Hope to Young people ;