Mayor Keith Hobbs entered office on a platform to rid the city of crime.
On Tuesday night he admitted it’s been a failure.
Perhaps Mr. Hobbs was a bit optimistic when he first entered the political race, donning the rose-coloured glasses most politicians sport.
Change is necessary, most certain. But it’s not change that can happen over night.
Make no mistake.?As much as some people would like to pin the crime in Thunder?Bay on a particular ethnic group, crime spans all races and all neighbourhoods.
At the root of the problem are a vast array of social problems, ranging from inherent poverty to drug and alcohol addiction. There is also work needed to help First Nations people adjust to life in the big city.
It will take time and money, and even in tough times, it’s dollars that must be spent. Otherwise the cycle of poverty and substance abuse will continue unabated, and so will the crime.
Some will cry personal responsibility, which in a perfect world would be a great solution.?But we all know that’s not possible.
It’s also time for the Crime Prevention Committee, much ballyhooed when it was founded, to provide an update on where they’re at, what steps they’ve taken to turn things around and a step-by-step plan for the future.
