[URBAN NOTE] "Giorgio Mammoliti calls Parkdale Toronto’s ‘pedophile district’"

[rfmcdonald]

Canada.com's William Wolfe-Wylie notes the latest stupid thing that Toronto city councillor Giorgio Mammoliti has done. The Toronto neighbourhood of Parkdale, it seems, is Toronto's pedophile district.

In a stunning addition to a city debate on all-ages dance parties, [Toronto City Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti] called an entire neighourhood the “pedophile district” and used that as a reason to shut down electronic music dance parties (the commoners call them “raves,” but we’re using city hall speak here).

In context: City Hall in Toronto has been debating for several weeks whether all-ages electronic dance parties should be hosted on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition. Concerns have included illicit drug use, alcohol consumption, access to emergency services and the control of access to alcohol for minors. The debate falls to city council as the building is owned by the city.

But rather than having a mature conversation about the issues, one city councillor decided to call the entire neighbourhood that sits adjacent to the exhibition grounds the “pedophile district.”

“Given the many issues surrounding children relating to these events, there should be great concern over the fact that the neighbouring Parkdale area is home to one of the highest concentrations of registered sex offenders, including pedophiles, living in the City of Toronto. With ‘all-ages’ parties being held next to a pedophile district we are simply encouraging the continued abuse of our children.”

The data for where registered sex offenders live comes from a Global News investigation by investigative reporter Patrick Cain. That data shows that of the 35,320 people who live in the area, 56 are registered sex offenders. The data simply does not list whether they are pedophiles.

Gord Perks, the city councillor responsible for Parkdale-High Park, said the “slur” is highly unfortunate.

“You may have heard the awful slur one of my colleagues has made against our wonderful neighbourhood,” he wrote on his website. “I want to say how saddened I am that Parkdale has been attacked this way.”