Blame it on COVID: Violence increase in Canada

More than two years of COVID and Government restrictions has changed many things in out lives, from less money in our pockets, meagre job opportunities to social life deprivation. Mixing all shortcomings together, one or the other behavioural change is guaranteed!

According to a recent Ipsos poll, the majority of Canadians think that there may be more violent incidents in the future.

In particular, 58% of Canadians said they believe there has been an uptick in crime in their neighbourhoods since COVID-19 started.

Two-thirds of participants who were asked to explain the reasons for the rise blamed the epidemic for having a bad effect on people’s mental health, and nearly half pointed to economic uncertainties.

Yes, the poll sounds about right, but what the poll can not say is why the violence is on the rise and who is to blame for it! COVID? Well, COVID can not talk nor defend its self, so let’s blame it on COVID right?

Well, maybe COVID is not to blame for everything in our lives!

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Major contributor to Violence and Crimes

According to multiple studies published in Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R), the frequency of violent crime in a neighbourhood is influenced by a number of interconnected factors, such as poverty, inequality, and racial segregation; collective efficacy, disorder, and trust in institutions; job access; immigration; residential instability; high rates of foreclosures and evictions; changes in the neighbourhood; and the location of housing assistance. These traits may both contribute to and result in violent crime.

But isn’t that what we increasingly encountered during Government COVID and post COVID regulations? Less jobs, more poverty, Ontario residents for instance moving out of province due to lack of finances, increased immigration, high cost of living, lack of affordable housing?

PD&R shows that violent crime is more prevalent and tends to be concentrated in areas of deprivation. For instance, numerous studies demonstrate that areas with higher rates of poverty also tend to have higher rates of violent crime. 42 Higher rates of crime, especially violent crime, are correlated with greater total wealth inequality within an area.

Shoplifting and organized retail crime have reportedly increased at the U.S. and Canadian locations, according to Walmart CEO McMillon. “Stealing is a problem. It is now higher than it has ever been”. McMillon reported back in December of 2022. The majority of theft, according to McMillon, involves organized criminals purposefully stealing small or expensive products rather than simple shoplifting.

According to McMillon, Walmart has implemented security measures to deal with the issue at stores that have been particularly heavily struck. He said that in order to handle the situation, “local law enforcement being staffed and being a good partner” is also essential.

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Global economic crisis and COVID measures

COVID and post COVID measures and challenges are not a Canadian phenomenon, rather it is a global anomaly.

According to the most recent McKinsey Global Survey on Economic Conditions, respondents in the majority of regions identified inflation as the primary threat to growth in their home countries for the second quarter. Inflation is the most frequently mentioned threat to respondents’ economy over the next 12 months in all regions, with the exception of Europe and Greater China. The most often mentioned growth threats in Europe are inflation and energy price volatility, with geopolitical unrest or wars coming in third. For the second quarter in a row, nearly half of respondents in Greater China listed the COVID-19 pandemic as the highest reported risk.

But isn’t a pandemic and world economy the outcome of management or mismanagement of world institutions like the UN, WEF and WHO?

In Canada like in majority of governments, the chief science adviser for Canada said in a study released this March that she sees COVID-19 as the “head” of the pandemic and protracted COVID as its “tail” since the illness causes serious harm to people, their families, and possibly the nation’s economy.

Again, blame it on COVID and not on COVID response!

While violence is on the rise, Canadians look up to the government to change the circumstances.