Preville on Politics
David Miller and the politics of YouTube
Posted on April 8, 2008 by Philip Preville
David Miller has taken his campaign for a Canada-wide handgun ban to YouTube. He is asking people from across Canada to sign a petition that he will personally deliver to Parliament Hill. It’s a fine and worthy objective. It’s also nice to see someone other than John Tory take the lead on the issue of gun violence in the city. Still, I can’t help but notice that our mayor is full of bold initiatives for governments other than his own.
According to Miller, Ottawa should ban handguns and give cities a share of the GST. Queen’s Park should upload social-service costs and give his office more power. And he is never more vocal and more public than when it comes to other governments’ affairs. It’s too bad he hadn’t discovered the power of YouTube back during the land transfer tax debate, when he spent many months hiding under a rock.
In any event, YouTube strikes me as a curious choice for a political forum, given that it’s essentially a pop-culture clearing house that prizes whimsy and goofiness over earnest pleas. Politically speaking, its best clips are of politicians not being politicians. Miller’s own best YouTube clip is probably his turn as a mariachi singer, or maybe his convincing dramatic performance as a biker—because those are the kinds of moments we expect YouTube to deliver. As far as Toronto’s top all-time YouTube moments, neither can hold a candle to a belligerent Ashlee Simpson at McDonald’s or even to Vesa Toskala’s fumble on Long Island, which—Holy Mackinaw!—has been posted over and over again by Leafs-obsessed YouTubers.
So here’s what I suggest: go sign the mayor’s petition if you are so moved, then come back here and send me a comment telling me your favourite Toronto YouTube clip. It can be about Toronto or merely filmed in Toronto, even if Toronto is standing in for Baltimore.
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Philip Preville
Veteran freelance writer Philip Preville lived much of his life in Montreal and Edmonton before he was lured, like so many Torontonians before him, by the promise of more work and a better living. A National Magazine Award winner and former Canadian Journalism Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Massey College, Preville writes Toronto Life’s politics column. He lives with his wife and one-year-old son in Riverdale, just close enough to the Don Valley Parkway that he can hear it when he steps outside his house—but just far enough away that it doesn’t keep him awake at night. On his office wall hangs a 1938–39 press pass belonging to his grandfather, Elias Gannon, who wrote for the Montreal Star.
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Comments
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Paul April 8, 2008 at 2:54 p.m.
Millers ban call is riddled with lies and convenient "truths"
With comment sections disabled to stifle debate and face book group created to support the call for ban openly admitting banning anyone not supporting the call does not seem democratic to me.
Other countries tried bans and failed miserably the crime went up.
What I don't understand is how will the ban affect people who use guns in illegal manner. Simple possession of unregistered / unlicensed firearm is a prohibited yet it does not stop them?
Miller Time April 8, 2008 at 7:34 p.m.
It's amazing that David Miller was so quick to plead for the public help by signing a petition, but did not let anyone reply to his drivel by disabling the comments and ratings for his youtube video. What is he afraid of? A whole bunch of people disagreeing with him? And why stop at banning handguns? Why don't we also ban murder, robbery and rape while we're at it? I also have a problem with people who drive too slow, and don't signal when they turn.. maybe we can ban that as well.
The problem with taking things away from law abiding citizens is that the criminals still have them. For some reason I doubt that if such a ban came into force the criminals would be lining up to turn over their guns. Call me crazy, but I just don't see it happening. So in the end what would be accomplished? A politician tries to look good by making it seem like he cares, yet doing nothing to address the real problem.
When the number of people drinking and driving went up some years ago, did Miller beg for a ban on cars, alcohol, or drinking establishments? No. Stiffer penalties were introduced, more R.I.D.E spot checks, and advertising advising the public to call 911 from cell phones if they see a drunk driver on the road went into effect. So why the sudden change in logic when it comes to gun violence? The answer is simple. Money.
Why isn't Miller pleading for stiffer prison sentences, or a new squad that would just target illegal firearms, or to build more jails to keep criminals in jail longer. Yup, it's money folks. Mr. Miller figures (wrongly) that by only calling for a ban on handguns, he will look like a hero by simply throwing up a video on the Internet and setting up an online petition. You can't get any cheaper then that considering he even used youtube to host the video for free! Ask Miller why he doesn't look at the other alternatives including the ones listed above and he will either sidestep the issue, or complain that the city is flat broke. Yes, so broke that city managers saw above-inflation pay increases for 2007, and a week ago I read a story in the Toronto Sun about a TTC ticket taker who made over $100,000 last year. Times are tough indeed.
Carter April 8, 2008 at 8:07 p.m.
Do your job, Miller. Crack down on gang violence.
Shawn Micallef April 9, 2008 at 1:55 a.m.
He isn't?
Hasn't there been some major busts in the last few years, Carter? Whatever happened to the Galloway Boys? All busted up but the TPS, under Miller.
Shawn Micallef April 9, 2008 at 1:57 a.m.
All busted up "by" the TPS, under Miller, that is.
Even though Toronto Life is good enough to make you proofread your own stuff with that "preview" thing, it don't always work.
Will April 9, 2008 at 5:15 a.m.
Hey, but isn't is your own reporting, Phil, that informs the mayor that his hands are tied and he cannot acheive anything meaningful with Toronto City Hall. Miller's reelection as Mayor looks impossible, anyway, so why not do some soap-boxing on big issues. The mayor is likely testing waters for some other political pursuits...and since no one of note is criticizing the NATO mission in Afghanistan, i think he should take that one on, too.
Perspective April 9, 2008 at 11:31 a.m.
The mayor is not positioning his call for a ban on handguns as the one and only solution to ending gun violence. His efforts have also included:
-Endorsing minimum mandatory sentences for people who possess illegal firearms or commit a crime that involves a gun
-Endorsing reverse onus bail conditions to make it harder for those accused of gun-related crimes from getting out on bail
-Endorsing calls to enhance border security to stem the tide of illegal guns entering Canada from the United States
-Securing provincial funding for the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Squad (TAVIS), which has conducted the many gang raids Shawn Micallef referenced
-Bringing business, labour, community and social service agencies together to create jobs and programs for youth in the 13 poorest and least serviced neighbourhoods in the city (the ones that are disproportionately affected by violence)
-Investing $1 million in each of the 13 priority neighbourhoods for capital investment
Clearly anyone who claims that Miller isn't doing anything about gun violence has their own agenda.
Pat Duck April 16, 2008 at 10:57 a.m.
The Mayor quest for a ban on all handguns all over Canada has come to a very quiet end.
Is this because the truth is OTTAWA does NOT accept online
petitions?
What a joke!
Perspective April 18, 2008 at 2:39 p.m.
It doesn't matter what Ottawa accepts. Miller's petition had 16,000 names on it within a week. That's enough for anyone to take note.
Pat Duck April 28, 2008 at 1:57 p.m.
People with illegal handguns are doing the majority of crimes.
Why punish ALL legal handgun owners for criminals behavior?
Pat Duck April 28, 2008 at 2 p.m.
Prespective
16,000 names is nothing with a country with millions of Canadians living in it!