The Brantford Expositor vs. Macleans Magazine

The Brantford Expositor has taken strong exception to Macleans Magazine's ranking of Brantford as the most dangerous city in Ontario and the 11th most dangerous city in Canada. In fact the Expositor has gone so far as to brand the magazine's editors as liars. They have stated that this survey is the worst possible lie but then produce no proof that the magazine is lying. The Expositor points out that this survey was done for 2006 (what year would the prefer 1950?) and there were several murders early in that year. There has also been a murder early in 2008 as well, so what's the point? They claim that Brantford has improved record keeping and has an environment that encourages the reporting of assaults particularly of a sexual nature. But they offer no proof that other communities have artificially low numbers either or that Macleans used false numbers. Maybe Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg the top three cities on this list could offer similar excuses as well and put Brantford even higher up on this list. The Expositor has pointed out that as gang activity has been forced out of communities such as Toronto and Hamilton and some of it has located in Brantford. How does that make Macleans liars?

The Expositor has also gone out of it's way to show that Brantford residents are not living in fear and for the most part feel that the city is safe. This is probably true especially give that Brantford has not experienced the gun violence of the major cities particularly Toronto. But Brantford is certainly not crime-free either. The Expositor weakens its own case by publishing David Judd's eyewitness account of an assault on a female across from the Expositor on the same day that they were calling Macleans liars. And there have been articles recently about the theft of a snowblower and a girl's hockey equipment, not to mention the regular list of house and car break-ins and thefts. Cars in Brantford are broken into so regularly that many go unreported because police are reluctant to even take down details.

When the Casino was first discussed opponents warned that crime would increase but were assured that some of the money would go to extra policing. Well crime has risen but money has been treated as "found money" and diverted for the most part to the downtown.

The Macleans article may be somewhat misleading in the use of the term "dangerous" to describe Brantford. But until they can prove otherwise the Expositor should apologize to Macleans for characterizing them as liars.