More community supports needed to combat gangs, Justin Trudeau and John Tory say
(The Star Environment)

More community supports are needed to help combat Toronto gun violence, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mayor John Tory agreed Tuesday, but neither leader offered money or specific solutions.Their chat at city hall — at Tory’s invitation in advance of this fall’s federal election — came one day after the municipal, provincial and federal governments announced a $4.5-million boost in policing amid a prolonged spike in gunfire in Canada’s biggest city.Tory lauded Trudeau’s Liberal government as a great partner for Toronto, noting investments in transit and public housing plus the new police money. But the mayor said he told the prime minister during a closed-door meeting he’s “not satisfied with what has been done to date (with) the need to invest in kids and families and neighbourhoods.“These are areas where there is much to be done and at a time of increased anxiety and troubling criminal activity in our city I’ve asked the prime minister to consider doing more,” Tory told reporters at a joint news conference.Trudeau agreed that “we need to make sure we’re investing in kids and families,” and suggested he’ll have more to say during the federal election campaign. But he also added that “we respect provincial jurisdictions” when it comes to funding programs.The prime minister then attacked Premier Doug Ford, repeatedly citing the Progressive Conservative government’s decision to back out of a $14-million pledge by Ontario’s previous Liberal government for a new community centre in Lawrence Heights.“What Ontarians have lived through in terms of the cuts to services and the tax cuts for the wealthy by Doug Ford is an example of the approach conservative politicians have when it comes to governing,” said Trudeau, who has been trying to tie the policies of the unpopular Ford to those of federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer.“Conserv ...