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Home , Dawson College shooting, The White Ribbon

A GUNMAN ATTACKS STUDENTS IN YV Introduction “The sound of gunfire on a September Kimveer Gill appeared to be a frus- Focus afternoon crackling through a bustling trated loner who was full of hate. He The eager buzz of downtown Canadian college campus, lived a violent fantasy life online at a students heading teeming with thousands of exuberant site called vampirefreaks.com. His for class at was shat- teenage students at the beginning of parents and friends seemed to know tered September what many undoubtedly believed was to little of what was going on inside his 13, 2006, by the be the most exciting year of their lives. tortured mind. sounds of bullets What can be more frightening?” — The victim was Anastasia De Sousa, ringing out. The Tony Burman (CBC News In Depth, an attractive, intelligent 18-year-old background causes, actions, and results September 14, 2006) who appeared to enjoy a host of friends of this terrible and had clear career and life goals. Her event will linger for Canadians were horrified to hear of the shattered family did not talk directly a long time in attack on students at Montreal’s with the media. At her funeral, most Montreal and Dawson College in September 2006. attendees wore pink (her favourite across Canada. The first wave of confused reports colour). The anguish of her friends and Warning: Some of this material may suggested several shooters and many family moved a nation. be too graphic and dead. Some wondered whether this was It took several days before the shat- troubling for some some sort of terrorist attack. Fear was tered Dawson College students could students. highest in Montreal as parents return to their school. School staff scrambled to find out whether their prepared for their return with special children were casualties. Older Canadi- crisis counsellors and programs to help Further Research ans and Montrealers remembered a students handle the trauma of returning To learn more similar attack in 1989 at École to the murder scene. about Dawson College, you may Polytechnique. Many people questioned why this wish to visit the As more reports arrived, it became type of murderous rampage happened in official Web site at clear that one shooter, Kimveer Gill, Montreal once again. This was the third http://dept.dawson had entered the school heavily armed in Montreal in 17 years. college.qc.ca/news/. and had begun shooting in a random but The memories of the 1989 slaughter of deadly manner. He had entered the female engineering students in the YV school dressed in a long black trench classes and corridors of the École Sections coat and army boots and had multiple Polytechnique were still fresh for some marked with this symbol indicate piercings and a Mohawk haircut. It Montrealers. Revisiting those horrible content suitable for appeared that his victims included one events raised uncomfortable questions. younger viewers. dead and 18 wounded. Eight students Was there something in society were critically wounded, with five that caused this? Were gun-control laws rushed into surgery at Montreal General ineffective? What could be done to Hospital. The first reports indicated that identify violent people much earlier? Gill had been shot by police; later it Surprisingly, all the weapons Gill was revealed that he had only been used during his shooting spree were wounded but then had taken his own owned legally and registered with the life. national gun registry. The Harper The killer and his murder victim were government, which earlier announced soon profiled in detail in the media. its intention to scrap or curtail the gun

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 6 registry, noted that it was useless in tion were being drawn once again. The Update protecting Canadians from attacks by lingering questions of why these trag- As of late Septem- ber, two shooting such sick human beings. The newly edies seem to be so prevalent in the victims were still in returned House of Commons was soon United States and increasingly in hospital: a 22-year- in an uproar, with supporters of the Canada remained unanswered and old man in critical registry vowing to defeat any attempts troubling. What should have been such but stable condi- to weaken it. a happy start to a new academic year tion with a bullet in his brain and an 18- So as Montreal and Dawson College left Dawson College students in particu- year-old woman slowly returned to a more normal, lar and Canadians in general uneasy and who suffered productive and peaceful state, the battle confused. wounds to the lines over gun ownership and registra- chest and abdomen. To Consider Update 1. Describe the scene at Dawson College on September 13, 2006. As this story was being prepared, two other school shootings took place.

In Colorado, on 2. What painful memories did the Dawson tragedy invoke? September 27, 2006, located not far from the same place as the Columbine killings, one incident re- 3. In your view, what impact will this event have on the gun-control debate sulted in one in Canada? student murdered and the shooter’s . The shooter had separated male and female stu- dents and had taken only females 4. In your opinion can schools be protected and prepared for this type of as hostages. random attack? Explain. Then, on October 1, a man took over an Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania and separated male and female students 5. How safe do you feel in your own school environment? Explain fully. before killing and wounding the female students. He then killed himself.

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 7 A GUNMAN ATTACKS STUDENTS IN MONTREAL YV Video Review

1. How many students attend Dawson College in Montreal? ______Answer the ques- tions as you view 2. What evidence is there that there was much confusion on the day of the the video. Note shooting? that you may find some of the scenes very disturbing.

Did you know . . . One lucky survivor of the Dawson 3. According to police, how quickly did they arrive on the scene? ______shooting, who was in the same corri- 4. How many casualties were reported at the scene of the shooting? dor as Kimveer Gill, had been in Beirut in July 2006 when 5. What is known about the killer? fighting erupted between Hezbollah and the Israeli army. Two weeks␣ before the shooting,␣ she had also survived a house fire in Mon- 6. What was Quebec Premier ’s view of the gun registry pro- treal. gram?

Did you know . . . All the weapons in Kimveer Gill’s 7. What has been revealed about school shootings according to reporter possession were Ioanna Roumeliotis? legally owned and registered with the Canadian gun registry. He also had a legal re- stricted-class fire- arms licence. 8. Do you agree with Barbara Coloroso’s claim that shooters such as those at Colombine and Dawson are not monsters but are severely troubled human beings? Explain.

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 8 9. How did the response of police and paramedics differ from the situation in 1989 at Montreal’s École Polytechnique?

10. How did Kimveer Gill leave clues to his troubled mind on the Internet?

11. Outline your reaction to Paul Gillespie’s (Internet crime consultant) claim that the Internet should be monitored for people like Kimveer Gill.

12. Outline your views on the issue of gun control. Why do you think it did not prevent the tragedy at Dawson College?

13. How would you suggest stopping violent shootings like the one at Dawson College? Be specific.

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 9 A GUNMAN ATTACKS STUDENTS IN MONTREAL YV Shooter and Victim

Two people perished in the shootings at What He Wrote Further Research Dawson College: the shooter, Kimveer “Society disgusts me.” To explore the Gill, and his innocent victim, Anastasia whole issue of “Lived fast, died young. Left a mangled De Sousa. These brief profiles of young violent video corpse.” games, see the lives so tragically entwined on Septem- News in Review ber 13, 2006, may offer some under- “Taste my steel” (while holding up a story “Video standing of how one troubled young large knife). Games: Can Some person with a bleak outlook destroyed “My Loyalties: I pledge Allegiance to Cause Violence?” the life of a girl with a bright future. from October 2004. Marilyn Manson; I pledge Allegiance to The video and Most Canadians had never heard of Goth; I pledge Allegiance to anarchy; I resource guide Kimveer Gill before his bloody attack pledge Allegiance to Black Metal.” should be available on students at Dawson College on in your school September 13, 2006. However, he had “Work sucks . . . School sucks . . . Life library, or you can posted his frightening and troubled sucks . . . What else can I say?” go online to www.cbc.ca/ thoughts in an online diary on a Web “F*** THE WORLD. You’re all ani- newsinreview/ site that had over 600 000 registered mals. I can see through you. When I oct04/index.html. members. He referred to himself with a look in your eyes, I can see your battery of different names such as thoughts. You’re nothing at all. Just “Trench,” “Angel of Death,” “Fatality animals.” Definition 666.” He appeared to be full of hate for “Metal and Goth kick ass. Life is like a Going postal is a the world and most people in it. While video game, you gotta die sometime.” slang term that parents and friends were shocked by his means to go ber- bloody attack on the innocent students serk and wreak Source: All quotes are from Gill’s diary terrible vengeance at Dawson College, his online diary on vampirefreaks.com but have since on innocent peo- clearly revealed a troubled and angry been removed from the site ple, especially young man. (www.cbc.ca/news/background/dawson- workmates. It is Gill indicated that he liked to play college/) based on an inci- violent video games such as Postal, dent in 1986 that Profile of the Victim where players are forced to endure resulted in the “She was a very nice girl. She was an slights and insults without “going deaths of 14 post- attractive girl. She was tall, slim, had office employees at postal” and erupting in a violent out- long blond hair, and was very fashion the hands of a burst. He was also a fan of Super Col- conscious. She had a dazzling personal- fellow worker. umbine Massacre RPG (Role Playing ity and she was always dressed in Since that time Game), a particularly brutal online several more pink.” — Cathy Schreiber, guidance game based on the Columbine massa- examples of this counselor ( Star, September 15, cre. When the inventor of the game kind of rage have 2006) happened in the found out about the Dawson tragedy Anastasia De Sousa was a popular United States. and Gill’s affection for the game he and accomplished student. She was created he threw up. Gill’s attraction to well-travelled and spoke three lan- violent video games has re-opened the guages. She had done well at her high debate about the lasting effects of these school, St. Pius X, and looked forward types of games on players, particularly to life at Dawson College. She was as the young.

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 10 happy and contented as Kimveer Gill Later, when the police had killed Gill Quote was hateful and disturbed. She seemed and seized control of the murder scene, “My good-bye to to enjoy school and had plans to build a it was several hours before her body high school is over. I love you guys, so career in international business. The was moved from the school. Mean- party hard and eldest child in her family, she appeared while, her parents were frantically have a blast! Good to be the centre of her family’s life. In searching for her in local hospitals and luck in life!” — many ways, she was, perhaps, every- calling her cell phone, which lay next to from Anastasia De thing that her murderer was not. her at Dawson College. Sadly, it was Sousa’s high-school When she arrived at Dawson College not until almost 10:00 p.m. that her yearbook, written a few months before on September 13, it appears she was distraught family discovered their her arrival at one of Kimveer Gill’s first victims. It daughter had been killed. Dawson College has been reported that another student A few days later, on September 19, tried to help her as she lay wounded and Anastasia De Sousa’s brief life was asked Gill if he could take her outside commemorated in a ceremony attended Quote for treatment. Gill allegedly fired again by numerous family, friends, and fellow “Forgive my son. I and declared that she wouldn’t need any students. Kimveer Gill was laid to rest apologize to every- help anymore. in a small and quiet funeral. body at Dawson College, whoever suffered and got Responding injured, especially 1. In your view, what would be the hardest part for a parent or friend of a De Sousa’s parents student at Dawson College on the day of the shootings? and the family.” — Parvinder Sandhu, the mother of shooter Kimveer Gill (www.cbc.ca/ canada/montreal/ story/2006/09/25/ dawson- 2. Do you think that the families of Kimveer Gill and Anastasia De Sousa will interviews.html) ever be able to get over this terrible event? Explain fully.

3. Do you think video games or the Internet can be used to explain Kimveer Gill’s actions? Why? Why not?

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 11 A GUNMAN ATTACKS STUDENTS IN MONTREAL YV Eyewitness Reaction

One of the hardest parts of reporting “He had a laser gun or something, a big this tough story was the quickly chang- rifle, and he just started shooting at ing nature of the information being people. We all ran upstairs. There were released about the event. At various cops firing. It was so crazy. I was terri- times, multiple shooters were reported. fied. The guy was shooting at people Some claimed that the police shot randomly. He didn’t care he was just Kimveer Gill, others that he had shot shooting at everybody.” — Devansh Shri himself. The number of casualties Vastava (, September 14, ranged from a few to dozens. It was not 2006) until later that day and early the next “I didn’t spot the gunman right away, but that the true story was known. as soon as I turned my head, about four Getting the details right is an impor- or five feet away from me, there’s a guy tant part of the media’s job. In times of in a black trench coat and a Mohawk. violent crisis, it can be very difficult. When I saw his face, he looked really Review these eyewitness quotes to get mad. He wasn’t smiling. He was really some idea of the panic and confusion on into shooting. . . . He looked like he that difficult day. Complete the activity really wanted to kill people. . . . It was that follows the quotations. like, bullet after bullet. It was like a burst —like at least six shots in two seconds.” “He said nothing. He had a stone cold — Mathieu Dominique, student (Toronto face, there was nothing on his face, he Star, September 14, 2006) didn’t say anything, he didn’t yell out any slogans or anything. He just started “We were sitting having a cigarette and opening fire. He was a cold-blooded then there was a guy walking with a killer.” — Soher Marous, student huge black trench coat and huge black (Toronto Star, September 14, 2006) boots with this retarded haircut, okay, and he had a huge machine gun. He was “We ran out of the building as a SWAT walking down in broad daylight with the team was coming in. . . .They were gun, no one said anything to him. And screaming ‘Where is he? Where is he?’ then he started shooting at Alexis Nihon. And when you have 20 police running It was a machine gun. And he shot the at you with guns you really know that people right next to us, so we were all your life is in danger.” —Michel Boyer, running, we were hiding in the bushes, student (www.cbc.ca/story/canada/ and there was debris flying from the national/2006/09/13/montreal- bullet shots right next to us. Like, we witness.html) saw all kinds of people getting shot outside and then he walked in the school “We ran out of the school and there was and started shooting everyone else.” — a huge crowd outside. There was a guy unidentified young woman (News in sitting on the curb and he was bleeding Review video, October 2006) from the stomach and some police were helping him out. The look on his face “We were in English class and they was just shocked.” — Ryan, CTV inter- looked outside the window and saw view (Toronto Star, September 14, 2006) someone get shot. And some guy next to

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 12 the window said, ‘There’s someone a guy lying on the floor with, like, a bleeding outside.’ So we all crowded sheet over him, and I saw all his friends around the window and we were freak- were like holding him and there was ing out, and the next thing you know, blood everywhere.” — second unidenti- there’s people passing by the door of the fied young woman (News in Review classroom, and this girl opens the door video, October 2006) and says, ‘Guys, there’s no alarm, but you have to leave the building. “He shot right at us. And when he shot at Everyone’s evacuating.’ So we run us, we jumped and ran the other way.” outside the building, and outside of it, — Ali Hussein, student (Toronto Star, there’s police cars and . . . to my right, September 14, 2006) there’s police cars and an ambulance and

Activity 1. How are these quotations similar?

2. What differences do you notice when reviewing the quotations?

3. Why might these comments be reliable? Why might they also be unreli- able?

4. Assume that you are CBC journalist and are about to be put on air as an on-the-scene reporter. Write a brief report that you will give when the CBC news desk calls for your take on the ongoing crisis at Dawson College. Remember, as a reporter you are supposed to be as accurate as possible. You will also need to be very sensitive to your viewers who may be learn- ing of the crisis for the first time.

My Report: Good afternoon, this is ______(your name) reporting from Dawson College in Montreal. . . .

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 13 A GUNMAN ATTACKS STUDENTS IN MONTREAL Remembering École Polytechnique

For many in Montreal—and Canadians abused, rejected by the Canadian Definition everywhere—the shootings at Dawson Forces, and unfairly denied admission Feminist is a vola- College raised memories of 1989 and into Montreal’s École Polytechnique tile and often misunderstood and the cold-blooded killing by Marc engineering school. All his rage was misused term. It Lépine of 14 women at Montreal’s focused on the “feminists” who he can be presented as École Polytechnique engineering believed had destroyed his life. a negative com- school. The similarities are chilling. When the shooting was over, 14 mentary and Both massacres took place in Montreal. bright young women were dead and 13 suggest aggressive Both happened in institutions of higher injured. For many Canadians, a certain women somehow getting something learning. Both involved multiple casual- innocence was lost too. For many they do not deserve ties. Both were carried out by angry women across the country, the violent at the expense of young men with access to powerful outburst was a sign of increasing rage innocent men. In weapons. Both shooters had trouble against women in general in Canadian fact, feminist refers finding work and had been frustrated in society. Some felt that the growing to a person (male or female) who attempts to join the Canadian Forces. equality for women was being paid for advocates the full One major difference was that Marc by growing violence against women. equality of the Lépine carefully separated women from sexes. In Canada, men, screamed at his victims, and shot A New Police Strategy this has meant the only women, while Kimveer Gill was After the shootings at École establishment of laws such as the completely random in his shootings and Polytechnique, Quebec coroner Teresa Canadian Charter said very little as he went about his Z. Sourour suggested in her report that of Rights and deadly mission. police could have done more. On that Freedoms. “I want the women, I hate feminists.” terrible night, police forces on the scene — Marc Lépine (Toronto Star, Septem- did not enter the building but instead ber 14, 2006) focused on setting up a security perim- Archives It was on December 6, 1989, when eter. Officers were ordered not to enter To view an audio- Marc Lépine, a frustrated 25-year-old the building and were only given the visual summary of this terrible event, loner stormed into the school and signal to go in 24 seconds after the go to www.cbc.ca/ started shooting only women. He announcement came that Lépine had archives and ex- claimed they were “feminists” who had shot himself. plore the file titled caused lost jobs and his failed entrance The coroner noted that Lépine had 60 “The Montreal to the respected engineering school. bullets left that he could have used Massacre.” If you speak French, Lépine stalked the corridors, rooms, and because “no police assault was under- consider a visit to cafeteria of the school, separating male way or evidently under consideration.” Les Archives de and female students and ruthlessly In the Dawson College shooting, police Radio-Canada, at shooting at the women. Before he had been trained in a new approach to www.archives.radio- finally shot himself, his bloody rage had this kind of crisis. They entered the canada.ca and view resulted in the deaths of 14 promising building immediately to isolate the the file ‘C’était le 6 décembre 1989 à young female students and the wound- gunman, evacuate the students, and l’école ing of 13 others. neutralize the shooter. It is quite possible polytechnique. Later, police found a in that the quick and effective police action which Lépine claimed to have been at Dawson College saved many lives.

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 14 Gun Control The Harper Government Did you know . . . Almost immediately after the Montreal Ironically, the Dawson tragedy hap- Since the night of the Montreal Massacre, there were voices in Canada pened a few weeks before the govern- massacre, not one calling for more stringent laws on the ment of was poised to Quebec MP has possession of guns. Prime Minister repeal the federal gun registry, a key ever voted against Brian Mulroney began the process of campaign promise of the newly elected any piece of federal restrictions on gun ownership and minority government. In the months gun control legisla- tion. launched a bitter debate between those ahead, gun control will continue to be a for gun control and those vehemently hotly debated and divisive issue across opposed. Over the years, Canadian Canada. It is likely that the controver- Further Research authorities have steadily increased sial plan will be met with the full fury To investigate the restrictions on weapons in Canada. of the opposition parties that do not issue of gun control However, it was the government of want the gun registry to be repealed. more carefully Jean Chrétien that passed legislation in If Harper decides to press ahead with consider a visit to 1995 creating the Canadian his plans, then a defeat in Parliament on the Canadian Firearms Centre, a Registry and made the registration of such a major issue may launch an division of the weapons compulsory. It also banned or unexpected and early election cam- RCMP, at www.cfc- restricted certain types of weapons, paign. In particular, the gun registry has ccaf.gc.ca. To find particularly the large-clip-capacity type almost unanimous support in the prov- out how Canada’s of weapon that Lépine used during his ince of Quebec. Quebec represents an political parties bloody rampage. important political battleground for view the issue, visit their Web sites: Ever since the creation of the Cana- Harper’s Conservatives. Recent gains in Conservative Party dian Firearms Registry, it has been the province helped the party to achieve (www.conservative.ca), surrounded by conflict and concern. a minority government, and there was Liberal Urban Canadians generally supported much expectation of further gains in the (www.liberal.ca), the program while rural Canadians did next election. Failure to respond to the NDP (www.ndp.ca), Bloc Québécois not. Huge bureaucratic errors and red concerns of Quebecers may crush any (www.blocquebecois.org) tape resulted in confusion and anger, chances of a Harper resurgence and and Green Party while cost overruns dismayed even majority government. Kimveer Gill’s (www.greenparty.ca). supporters of the legislation. Banning assault in Dawson College may yet the registry was a key plank in the produce political casualties in the Conservative election program of 2006. House of Commons. Did you know . . . A the time of the Montreal Massacre Canadians owned Response 16 million unregis- 1. Briefly explain the major differences and similarities in the attacks at École tered rifles and Polytechnique and Dawson College. shotguns, and 1 400 people a year 2. How did the Montreal massacre impact the debate on gun control in died from gun Canada? injuries. Since Parliament passed 3. Why is gun control a dangerous political issue for the Harper government? Bill C-17 (1991) and Bill C-68 (1995), 4. What are your personal views on gun control? Explain fully. Canada has had the lowest rate of gun deaths in 30 years.

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 15 A GUNMAN ATTACKS STUDENTS IN MONTREAL YV The White Ribbon Campaign

One direct and lasting result of the Violence Against Women. (In Canada Did you know . . . infamous Montreal Massacre is the we wear ribbons until December 6, A Statistics Canada White Ribbon campaign. This move- Canada’s National Day of Remem- study conducted in 2000 found that ment was founded by a group of Cana- brance and Action on Violence Against violence inflicted dian men who wanted to show support Women.) by men (to women for women and clearly oppose men-on- or other men) women violence. Review this informa- What are the goals of the WRC and how requires medical tion sheet—reprinted with permission do your volunteers accomplish these attention five times from the official Web site at objectives? as often as violence inflicted by women www.whiteribbon.com. We are an educational organization to (to other women or encourage reflection and discussion that men). Also, women What is the White Ribbon Campaign leads to personal and collective action are nearly four (WRC)? among men. Throughout the year, we times more likely to The WRC represents the largest effort encourage men be murdered by their spouses than in the world of men working to end • to do educational work in schools, men are. men’s violence against women. It relies workplaces, and communities on volunteer support and financial • to support local women’s groups contributions from individuals and • to raise money for the international organizations. educational efforts of the WRC How did the WRC get started? We distribute Education and Action kits In 1991, a handful of men in Canada to schools and we maintain a Web site. decided we had a responsibility to urge We speak out on issues of public men to speak out against violence policy. against women. We decided that wear- ing a white ribbon would be a symbol What happens during White Ribbon of men’s opposition to men’s violence Days? against women. After only six weeks We urge men and boys to wear a rib- preparation, as many as 100 000 men bon, including one on their coat so the across Canada wore a white ribbon. ribbon will be visible while they’re Many others were drawn into discus- outdoors. (In Nova Scotia we encourage sion and debate on the issue of men’s men to support the purple ribbon cam- violence. paign.) We encourage men to talk in schools, workplaces, and places of Goals and Focus: What does it mean to worship about the problem of violence. wear a white ribbon? Wearing a white ribbon is a personal What happens on December 6? pledge never to commit, condone, nor December 6, the anniversary of the remain silent about violence against Montreal Massacre, is Canada’s Na- women. Each year, we urge men and tional Day of Remembrance and Action boys to wear a ribbon for one or two on Violence Against Women. We weeks, starting on November 25, the encourage men to wear a white ribbon International Day for the Eradication of and to participate in commemorative events open to men. But the WRC does

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 16 not organize events on December 6, nor tional kits to schools; these can be used Further Research do we make public statements unless throughout the year. Students and teachers may wish requested by women’s groups. Why? Some local groups organize events to visit the White Because we think it should be a day for around Father’s Day to talk about Ribbon Campaign men to step back and listen to the positive roles for men and about the Web site voices of women. importance of men being caregivers and (www.whiteribbon.com) Does the White Ribbon Campaign nurturers. Some groups organize to order materials for their school or exist only for one week a year? Just as Valentine’s Day dances to spread a find more informa- men’s violence against women is a message about building healthy rela- tion on this difficult year-round problem, our work requires tionships. topic. a year-round effort. We provide educa-

Questions 1. Does your school or community participate in the White Ribbon Cam- paign?

2. Outline your personal impression of the White Ribbon Campaign.

3. How effective do you think actions like those suggested by the White Ribbon Campaign are likely to be in combating violence against women in Canada? Explain.

4. Would you participate in the White Ribbon Campaign if you had the opportunity? Why? Why not?

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 17 A GUNMAN ATTACKS STUDENTS IN MONTREAL YV Activity: Monitoring the Web

Many people were shocked to learn that Kimveer Gill had used a Web site, Quote vampirefreaks.com (a site linked to several recent violent crimes by young “We’ve been trying people), to reveal so much of his inner turmoil and rage. He was pictured with to predict violent weapons and revealed some of his deepest frustrations. Yet, friends, behaviour for the neighbours, and family were unaware of this raging inferno who regularly last century and we posted on a Web site with over 600 000 registered members. Perhaps if a close just can’t do it, friend or family member had known how he was feeling some sort of positive mainly because it is intervention might have been made. so infrequent.” — Dr. David Wolfe of Some observers have suggested that these sites, regularly used by teens and the Centre for young adults, should be monitored by the same methods used to track people Addiction and using the Web to discuss acts of terrorism. Web monitoring was used in the Mental Health recent case of the youths allegedly plotting to blow up the CN Tower and other (www.camh.net), (Toronto Star, targets in Toronto. September 15, 2006) The suggestion is not to arrest or harass people like Kimveer Gill but to identify them and offer support and treatment. If a family itself is unaware of how its children are behaving and feeling, it is no wonder that these unhappy, frus- trated youth may come to explode—with tragic and somewhat predictable results.

Gather in small “buzz groups” to analyze and discuss the possibility of using Web monitoring of teen- and youth-oriented sites to help identify young people who may be prone to violent outbursts. There are a range of personal and societal issues to consider. What price do we pay for privacy and what price should we pay for prevention? Use the organizer below to prepare your ideas and then discuss your findings and conclusions with your peers. Monitoring the Web

Arguments For Arguments Against

CBC News in Review • October 2006 • Page 18