Once known for its tranquility, Montreal is witnessing rampant crime.
The violent demonstration last Friday is an example. But there is more. In 2023, crimes against the person and those against property jumped by 13% and 11% respectively.
Instead of confronting the problem with the rigor that it requires, the response of the mayor and the police authorities oscillates between weakness and tacit complicity.
They look the other way or appease the thugs with conciliatory speeches. If this posture fits perfectly into the woke ideology dear to the Plante administration, it nevertheless constitutes a resignation in the face of its responsibilities.
Courage
However, it is possible to give Montrealers the peace and quiet they deserve. But you still have to have the courage.
Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, could serve as an inspiration. In 2015, the country recorded 103 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. Today, this rate is estimated at 1.9. Bukele has proven that with strong political will, it is possible to bring security back to a country once ravaged by gang violence.
Certainly, Bukele is criticized for violating the rights of criminals. But, without completely imitating it, it is undoubtedly possible to reconcile the security of citizens and respect for the fundamental rights of individuals.
So, what is M waiting for?me Plant to crack down? Doesn’t she know that saving the wolf means killing the sheep? And doesn’t she know that acting now means avoiding chaos tomorrow?
Montrealers deserve a city where they can live without fear, where their children can play without risk, and where laws apply to everyone. We must therefore not wait until the situation becomes catastrophic to make courageous decisions.
Intolerable
A tolerant society does not have to tolerate the intolerable.
However, the current complacency of Mme Plante is a betrayal of the fundamental promise of every elected official: to protect its citizens!
