Liberal Government made Toronto into Wild West

It began as a close call for a Toronto police officer. It’s continuing as a question about the justice system. The case of a man accused of firing a shot at a cop has sparked new controversy about the effectiveness of court orders and the bartering that often goes on at sentencing. The story started late Saturday night, when a victim robbed at an ATM near King and Jordan Sts. flagged down police. They quickly caught up to the alleged robbers and gave chase, as the pair scattered in different directions.But when one of the suspects pulled a gun and fired at his pursuer, both cops went after him and chased him down. Twenty-three year-old Sirvon Edwards now faces a slew of charges including armed robbery and assault with a weapon. The officer wasn’t hit. Edwards appeared in court on Sunday, but it wasn’t his first time before a judge. The accused had previously pled guilty to four other weapons charges in a Newmarket courtroom almost a year ago to the day of the recent crime. Edwards had been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a 21-year-old at Canada’s Wonderland in 2003. But while a second man was sentenced to life in prison in that case, a plea bargain reduced Edwards’ charges to the lesser weapons offenses plea, and he served just 12 months of a four-year-plus sentence.That still outrages the victim’s father, Marcel Lamondie, who can’t understand how the justice system failed his son. "Go to jail!” he screams, still furious years later. “You did this crime. You've got a gun in your hand. You're going to use it on somebody. And killing people, you're killing people and they're letting you go. I don't get it."As a condition of his release, Edwards wasn’t supposed to own any more firearms, but cops contend he’s the one who shot at them on the weekend. “The guy dropped the gun during the struggle and the officers were able to safely bring him into custody,” relates Chief Bill Blair. “The individual that was apprehended has a serious criminal record. I think it begs the question as to why he was out on our streets and why he was carrying a gun.”Lamondie shares the Chief’s concern and wonders why the exit of the justice system always seem to have a revolving door. “This guy should never have got out,” he moans. “This guy was charged with first-degree murder and he got a slap on the wrist, because … it's my feeling, that the Crown and the judge [said] who cared? It's another kid. Let's not worry about it. Just throw it away and let it go.”