MARTIN: Calgary’s mean streets in dire need of some attention

Article content

It may not match the mean streets of Detroit or New York, but Calgary is no longer a place where residents can feel safe in most circumstances.

Article content

Whether it’s a hangover from the pandemic, when many citizens simply stayed home for the most part and the marginalized in society took over public places such as the downtown core and CTrain stations, or some other factor, Calgary no longer feels as secure a place as it once was.

Article content

Two court cases this month illustrate just how people can be victimized by random violence, which seems to be on the increase in this city.

Jacob Bitternose is now serving a four-year sentence for his role in a brutal Dec. 5, 2021, attack on a retired bull rider who had tried to calm down the offender and his buddies while they were unruly on a train.

When Maurice Daoust departed the train at the City Hall LRT station, Bitternose attacked.

A short time earlier, Daoust had tried to get the group to behave on the train by telling them: “Don’t mess with an old cowboy, or I’ll get you shot.”

Article content

Article content

When Daoust departed the train at City Hall he was followed, with one of the males saying something to the effect of “where’s your gun now, cowboy?” according to a statement of agreed facts put before the court by Crown prosecutor William Tran.

Bitternose then struck Daoust repeatedly with either a piece of rebar or a baton, inflicting multiple fractures and a concussion on the then-65-year-old victim.

Justice Sharon Van de Veen accepted a joint submission earlier this month by Tran and defence counsel Shaun Leochko to sentence Bitternose to a four-year penitentiary term on a charge of aggravated assault.

Last week, another act of random violence on the public transit system was before the courts.

In that instance, Jordan Steinhauer was handed a 15-month jail term for repeatedly striking another CTrain passenger who was simply minding his own business.

Article content

Steinhauer, who was so drunk he didn’t even remember the attack, but acknowledged his guilt after being shown security video of the assault, approached Donovan Miller, who was seated on a northbound CTrain, and repeatedly punched him, kneed him at least once and stomped him as the victim slumped from his seat.

Miller suffered broken ribs and a brain bleed that kept him in hospital for 24 hours.

After assaulting Miller, Steinhauer approached another stranger, Daxesh Patel, who was standing on the Brentwood LRT Station platform and punched him in the head from behind.

Justice Peter Barley said if not for Steinhauer’s tragic upbringing on the Saddle Lake Cree First Nation, he would have acceded to the submission of Crown prosecutor Jack Kelly for a 30-month prison term.

Article content

Kelly had argued that a severe sentence was warranted for the attack last March 18, because the transit system is so crucial to the lives of so many Calgarians.

“There are policy considerations … with respect to the safety and security of passengers,” he said.

“A significant number of Calgarians rely on this transit system,” Kelly said.

“The importance of encouraging the use of mass transit requires that these offences be denounced and deterrence be one of the most important aspects in sentences for attacking passengers.”

There’s no doubt the authorities have taken steps to address some of the safety concerns by increasing police patrols and earlier this year temporarily adding 12 provincial sheriffs to assist, but these measures seem to be no more than window dressing.

It should be noted the attacks on Miller and Patel occurred after those sheriffs were added.

Much more significant measures need to be implemented going forward if citizens of the city are going to feel safe.

Otherwise, Calgary’s streets will end up no safer than other dangerous municipalities’.

KMartin@postmedia.com

X: @KMartinCourts

Article content