A successful bid to allow the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show back at Exhibition Place reignited the fiery debate around how to combat gun violence in the city.
Council voted Wednesday night 22 to 10 to exempt the popular hunting, fishing and outdoor event from a city policy that forbids the promotion of guns on municipal property.
The show had been forced out of its home for 62 years, and down the street to the provincially owned Metro Toronto Convention Centre, after council enacted a number of measures in 2008 to try to combat the scourge of gun violence.
Show organizers and Exhibition Place, which makes $750,000 to $800,000 for hosting the event, sought to bring it back, with the support of councillors Mark Grimes and Josh Colle.
Mr. Colle said the rancour over the issue is cold comfort to people who live in Toronto’s troubled neighbourhoods.
“They see this as a debate that makes downtown, I hate to say it, white people feel better that they’ve done something, when they’re suffering from this gun violence day after day,” Mr. Colle said.
His comments about downtown residents prompted Councillor Gord Perks to tell his colleague to f— off. Mr. Perks later withdrew the remark.
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Toronto Sportsmen
Council voted Wednesday night 22 to 10 to exempt the popular hunting, fishing and outdoor event from a city policy that forbids the promotion of guns on municipal property.
The show had been forced out of its home for 62 years, and down the street to the provincially owned Metro Toronto Convention Centre, after council enacted a number of measures in 2008 to try to combat the scourge of gun violence.
Show organizers and Exhibition Place, which makes $750,000 to $800,000 for hosting the event, sought to bring it back, with the support of councillors Mark Grimes and Josh Colle.
Mr. Colle said the rancour over the issue is cold comfort to people who live in Toronto’s troubled neighbourhoods.
“They see this as a debate that makes downtown, I hate to say it, white people feel better that they’ve done something, when they’re suffering from this gun violence day after day,” Mr. Colle said.
His comments about downtown residents prompted Councillor Gord Perks to tell his colleague to f— off. Mr. Perks later withdrew the remark.
more city hall fun
Toronto Sportsmen