Gang Situation in Winnipeg
Life in Winnipeg is not as smooth as one would imagine. The Capital of Manitoba comprises of a larger population of Aboriginals who have been exposed to discrimination both by the government and the other Canadians. Survival for the Aboriginal is challenging, and opportunities are not allowed to pass without giving a try. Violent gangs have taken advantage of the difficult living conditions to make a killing in terms of recruitment and gaining support on the streets. Individuals are lured by the promise of belonging as well as material possessions upon joining the various gangs. “Warriors Off The Res: Aboriginal Gangs in Winnipeg” addresses the real situation in Winnipeg and leads to concerns of the efforts needed to save the city from turning into a violence den where the law is not recognized at all.
The interviews contacted on several gang members reveal worrying details about the city. First, the gang members are comfortable in the gangs and do not appear remorseful for anything they have done (Voice Newsn, 2014). The comfort comes from the fulfillment of the promises made by the gang before recruitment. For example, members of the various gangs are promised to receive material possessions and to get a sense of belonging. The society of Winnipeg is used to discrimination, and thus residents seek to have a feeling of belonging. Also, making a living in the city is difficult, and poverty levels are high; thus, a chance that involves making one rich is not to be ignored. Moreover, the video brings a different perception concerning Winnipeg from the one holding of a peaceful city in a developed country.
Winnipeg reflects the results of discrimination of people by a government that is expected to be offering protection and livelihood to the people. The understanding from the clip is that the government is solely responsible for the state of Winnipeg City (Voice Newsn, 2014). The massive discrimination and attempts to eliminate the Indian nature from the people did not bear the expected fruits, and instead, a group of bitter residents was developed with the option of choosing whatever lives that gives them what the government has denied them. Although most of the gangs have been using false promises, the residents have preferred a life that gives them a more free world and a feeling of belonging. Therefore, the government of Canada should solely be blamed for the situation facing Winnipeg. Moreover, the attempts to save Winnipeg from crime should consider the root of the problem.
Dealing with crime in Winnipeg may not be an easy task. Strategies are needed to come up with a long-lasting solution. First, a larger percentage of the population has chosen crime as a way of life, and if arrests are to be made, the cells and prisons will flood. However, the residents can be engaged in a better way, and discrimination by the government stopped. Employment in the city can be addressed to give the residents better ways of life. Also, sensitization can be done on the residents to make them value peace over violence.
In sum, the clip brings out the real picture of Winnipeg. The government has discriminated against the Aboriginals for a long time, forcing them to come up with strategies to survive. The move to save the city should involve efficient methods that involve the residents to avoid resistance.
Reference
Voice News. (2014). Warriors Off The Res: Aboriginal Gangs in Winnipeg [Motion Picture].