A few dozen people demonstrated against gun violence in Laval on Saturday. In particular, they called for more prevention resources from the different levels of government.
Posted at 3:37pm
Frederik Xavier Duhamel The press
For Rodney Dorvelus of the Place Saint-Martin Working Committee, who organized the demonstration, it was important to denounce armed violence and send a message to elected officials. The march, titled “Together for Peace,” is a response to the many shootings that have taken place in the area recently.
Of course, Mr. Dorvelus would like more repression, but also, and above all, more prevention. He would like more money to be invested in local infrastructure and “projects for youth development”.
The protesters gathered at the Raymond-Fortin Community Center to the rhythm of the Terrato Group’s percussion before marching onto Le Corbusier Boulevard and Saint-Martin Boulevard. They carried slogans like “Laval says no to violence” and “Am I the next victim?”. “.
Photo Catherine Lefebvre, THE PRESS
The march is called “Together for Peace”
Local Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) member Saul Polo, who was present at the demonstration, welcomed the government’s creation of Operation CENTAURE, but also stressed the importance of prevention. “For every dollar invested in supporting police resources, the same amount of money should be invested in crime prevention and supporting community organizations,” he said.
The MP also described the “nationwide ceasefire” announced by the federal government this week as a “step in the right direction”. “But that doesn’t solve the whole problem, he added, because very often there are armed incidents involving weapons illegally imported into Canada,” which he would like to see more vigorously combated.
Mr Polo also called for “exemplary punishment” for crimes related to possession and use of illegal weapons. Does this mean he wants the use of mandatory minimum sentences, which the federal government’s C-5 bill removes for certain offenses? “I’ll let the federal government decide how best to deal with it.”