Panhadler stabs 2 in front of my apartment last night!

[The Chameleon]

So I was coming home from rehearsal last night (after 12am) and I heard some screaming and when I went inside my apartment from outside the window I could see police cruisers, police tape and general rukus. The police had closed down Queen right by Trinity Bellwoods.

Turn out that 2 men where stabbed in a confrontation involving a panhandler. Apparently a panhandler approached a man and a scuffle ensued and the panhandler stabbed two people. One of the victims is now on life support.

My question is what should Toronto do about panhandling? It is a problem and getting worse. They are everywhere downtown and getting more agressive.

I am torn by the whole thing. One the one hand I feel for people down and out that truly need some help and whatever they can get to get by.

On the other hand it is an intrusive practice that is often abused and creates safety issues and makes the city look bad in general.

In my Travels (in developed countries) Toronto has the worst homeless and panhadeling problem I have seen.

What should be done? .......your view?

_________________

Edited August 9, 2007 by Guest

[AD]

john ferguson jr should sign them

[Booche]

Paging Christina Blizzard

[Northern Wish]

A panhandler that was being given $5 each day by a parishioner outside of a church here in Ottawa, felt this past weekend that the $5 was not enough-so the senior was pushed to the sidewalk and had his wallet stolen.

Karma may be a bitch, but she sure seems finicky!

[Freak By Night]

I don't see this as a panhandling issue - most panhandlers are harmless. The real issue is stabbings. This country needs a knife registry, since the gun registry has worked so well to eliminate shootings.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

i thought that was in Vancouver there NW

[paisley]

most panhandlers don't stab people without cause or fear... known lots for years, not far off from being one really (sadly yes, more devil music please)

sounds like a grudge (fake panhandler)... or self defense... or mental illness

all I know is panhandlers ain't the problem... those're just sadder and less pissed off than most of us... bad capitalists (almost bad as me)

crazy can scare me, Booche can scare me, desperate can scare me but down on one's luck isn't scary, just sad, empty, and confusing.. kind that stab themselves before some random (usually, Saddam made it off the streets just fine... but then he read books)

Edited August 9, 2007 by Guest
no

[Northern Wish]

Yep DB, I just checked my source and you are correct. Ms. Blizzard has me in a tizzy trying to prove that Ottawa sucks..........

[Davey Boy 2.0]

you make me tizzy ms. blizzy

[paisley]

no motivation to stab it less I'm paid well or right fuckin pissed

people go wrong all over... nowhere much is pure from humans

[paisley]

blizzies

[bagochips]

Work camps.

[ollie]

My question is what should Toronto do about panhadling? It is a problem and getting worse. They are everywhere downtown and getting more agressive.

Do you have professional panhandlers in Toronto? Over the last year in Ottawa they've sprung up all over the downtown core, peddling donations for the likes of the Red Cross, Greenpeace and Amnesty International. To me they're just another stranger asking for money. That they are allowed to ply their trade this way while our mayor calls the homeless "pigeons" is the height of hypocrisy.

[AD]

people collecting money for non-profits and charities /= homeless

[bradm]

Work camps.

Employ them to police the grounds of the blues festival, ensuring that chairs are restricted to only those areas where they're explicitly allowed. If some kind of small fine ($1, say) were levied for violations (with maybe a first-time waiving of the fine, using an issued ticket or something), they might be able to make enough money to support themselves for most of the rest of the year...

Aloha,

Brad

[Davey Boy 2.0]

genius

[ollie]

people collecting money for non-profits and charities /= homeless

No they're not. But they are pursuing the same activity that seems to be the main stigma around the homeless in the downtown core. i.e. panhandling. Mr. Smartypants.

[AD]

i don't think it's the same activity at all. with the non-profits and charities you're getting knowledgeable people doing a job, talking to people about donating to a cause. with homeless / panhandlers, you get the scruffy sort that can easily intimidate and turn people off. and you have no idea where the money is going, if that is important to you.

i'm not saying one is more important or better than the other

sure the end goal is the same, to hand over money, but i hardly think the activity is the same.

and i'm mr. smartyshorts today, thankyouverymuch

[Freak By Night]

I agree with Ollie on this topic. Those people are nothing more than panhandlers. They dress better and smell nicer, but they're still panhandlers.

It's like when former Ontario premier Mike Harris outlawed squeegie kids, but still allowed firemen to walk in traffic to collect money for charity.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

a custy's a custy I always say

[AD]

i am just a panhandler to my employer, and when i was younger i panhandled my parents for my allowance.

[kookycanooky]

Edited August 9, 2007 by Guest

[ollie]

i don't think it's the same activity at all. with the non-profits and charities you're getting knowledgeable people doing a job, talking to people about donating to a cause. with homeless / panhandlers, you get the scruffy sort that can easily intimidate and turn people off. and you have no idea where the money is going, if that is important to you.

I think this applies to both entities.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

http://web.amnesty.org/pages/donate_index

[AD]

ollie, i am reasonably sure that if you give money to amnesty international or greenpeace, the money goes to amnesty international or greenpeace.