Is Toronto's Homelessness Crisis Out of Control?

11/12/24 • 31 min

Are Toronto’s homeless encampments pushing the city to its breaking point?
Gavin and Stephen sit down with Dana McKiel, former sports broadcaster and founder of Toronto's Downtown Concerned Citizen Coalition (DCCO).
McKiel offers a firsthand look at the challenges faced by Toronto's downtown residents, highlighting the rise of homelessness, makeshift camps, and their significant impact on the community.
They discuss the city’s evolving response, from controversial "homeless hotels" to facilitated public encampments, questioning the effectiveness of current policies.
Listen for:
04:42 Homeless Hotels & Pricey Contracts
10:18 Explosions & Danger in Public Parks
19:21 Encampment “Whack-a-Mole”
24:29 Tourists & Homeless in the Same Hotel?
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Connect with guest: DANA MCKIEL, Founder Downtown Concerned Citizen Coalition
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Criminally Charged for Shooting Her Neighbour… With a Water Gun

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What happens when a water gun incident lands someone in court?
Gavin and Stephen dive into the bizarre case of a 63-year-old woman charged with assault for spraying her neighbour with a water gun.
What initially appears to be a ridiculous legal issue turns out to have deeper, darker undertones involving allegations of racism and long-standing neighbourhood animosity.
The unintended consequences of being criminally charged, from legal fees to job suspension, to the use of valuable court resources on trivial disputes.
Listen For:
02:36 Assault with a weapon... or a joke gone too far?
09:02 What makes an act criminal? Legal definitions explained
16:15 Legal aftermath: What happens if the charges are dropped?
21:02 Good fences make good neighbors... or do they?
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Gardiner Roberts website | Gavin email | Stephen email

Next Episode

Legal Bodychecks: Navigating Criminal and Civil Liability in Hockey

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Gavin and Stephen discuss the intersection of law and sports, specifically focusing on incidents in hockey where players have been criminally charged or sued for their actions on the ice.

There have been high-profile cases, such as those involving NHL players Dino Ciccarelli, Marty McSorley, and Todd Bertuzzi, who were all charged with assault for their actions during games. They also discuss a recent case in England where a player was charged with involuntary manslaughter after his skate blade cut another player's throat, resulting in his death.

There is potential for both criminal and civil liability in sports. Players need to understand the potential consequences of their actions. And there are also challenges in determining damages in such cases, particularly when a player's professional career is ended due to an injury.

Listen For

5:45 Consent and Liability in Sports

8:03 Incidents Leading to Criminal Charges in Sports

11:29 Civil Liability and Damages in Sports Injuries

20:18 Legal Implications of Sports Regulations and Player Conduct

Contact Us

Gardiner Roberts website | Gavin email | Stephen email

Beneath the Law - Is Toronto's Homelessness Crisis Out of Control?

Transcript

Dana McKiel (00:00):

We saw everything from stolen bicycles to stolen dogs. We saw firearms. We didn't know firearms were there, including an AR 10 assault rifle until Toronto Police senior command officers from 51 division sat in on one of our Zoom calls, we saw all kinds of property damag