Mike Layton represents University Rosedale (Ward 11) at Toronto Council and was one of eight Councillors who voted recently for a ten percent reallocation of money from the $1.2 billion Toronto Police Service budget in 2020. The motion was defeated eight to sixteen with one member absent. Mr. Layton’s diverse constituency stretches from Moore Park in the far northeast to Ossington Ave. more than three kilometres west of Yonge St. He was asked by The Bulldog to comment on this summer’s “defund the police” phenomenon.
Public discourse surrounding defunding the police has been top of mind recently, but it is important to note that the conversation is not new. We know that racism manifests in poverty, housing discrimination, cuts to social and community programs, and in health outcomes, especially as being observed through the current pandemic.
In the Toronto context, what I mean by defunding the police is that we must reallocate resources away from the police budget and put them into services that we can create, or that are currently in existence, to provide safety and support for oppressed communities that recognize systemic racism toward Black, Indigenous, and people of colour. We need to stop looking to the police as the first response to all emergency calls, and to look at alternative front line models that work better for situations of mental health crises, homelessness, and gender-based violence for example.
Toronto’s highest budget cost is our police budget, because it reflects the long-held idea that enforcement is the only way to keep everyone safe. Studies over many years have proven that this is not true – and in many cases show the opposite effect. We must take action to reinvest our limited resources to address the inequities that form the roots of violence and poverty in our city. It starts with properly funding education, youth-based programming and mental health supports.
People don’t need more surveillance, they need opportunity and a more intelligent approach to supporting individuals in our community who are dealing with mental health issues. Although this has been in conversation for many years, we still seem to be in the beginning stages. The City works to apply an equity lens on every budget decision it makes, which is a good first step, but more must be done. Going forward, meaningful consultation with Black, Indigenous and other racialized communities must become standard to ensure that funding decisions ultimately reflect their voices. Our City budget demonstrates our governance priorities, and there has been an overwhelming and historical refusal to acknowledge the harm created by ignoring these communities. We are overdue for change.
