Gansters in training

In the world that some people live in, everything is so simple. Kids are joining gangs ... back lanes need to be fixed ... why not train the kids to fix the back lanes? Badda-bing badda-boom, two problems solved at once! At least that's how it goes in the latest plan of Judy What's Her-Name. (cbc fp)

My first thought was: if you think your backlane is a crumbling piece of crap now, just wait until it is rebuilt by a 16 year old "at-risk" car thief. It sounds like what is being proposed is that we turn our experienced city workers into baby-sitters for kids who would rather be selling drugs or busting car windows, and entrusting our infrastructure to gang-bangers with grade 7 educations.

Certainly programs should be available to help train and integrate troubled youth and young adults into the workforce, but they have to want to change. It is also not clear that there is a shortage of similar programs out there, and Tom Brodbeck questions whether this is even in the domain of City Hall.

As for the cost:

She suggested Ottawa and Manitoba may help out through job-training programs for Aboriginal youths at risk of becoming involved in gangs.

So is Judy saying that all gang members are Aboriginal, or just that only aboriginals will be eligible for these designated union jobs? Sorry white chick and black dude. Go do a drive by shooting or something, you're the wrong colour for this program.

I think this is one of those things that looks good from 10,000 feet, but as soon as you take a closer look it all falls apart. Maybe I'm just being overly negative and pessimistic. I don't know.