Wamback site has backing of 4,000 Canadians
Wamback site has backing of 4,000 Canadians - The Markham Economist & Sun - August 26, 1999
by Doug Devine
Its unscientific, it's premature, and its based on incomplete information.
But that doesn't make it any less compelling that the 4,000 people who have visited the Jonathan Wamback website over the past
four days are all but unanimous in their condemnation of Canada's Young Offenders Act.
Jonathan was, by all accounts, a well-adjusted, well-behaved, well-liked and talented 15-year old - the kind of kid every
parent dreams of raising.
Then, in the space of a few minutes, Jonathan's near-perfect life was destroyed.
He was viciously beaten and kicked in the head by a gang of thugs in a quiet Newmarket park in broad daylight on June 29 -
possibly a premeditated retaliation for police helping arrest a vandal.
Two months later, doctors are still unsure when, or if, he will recover.
His devastated parents have channelled some of their emotions into correcting the grave injustice our society has dealt their
family.
While their only child lies comatose in a hospital room, the three teenagers (ages 16 and 17) accused of trying to kill their
son are free on bail. This glaring inequity is clearly outrageous.
But the much greater injustice the Wambacks and their 4,000 supporters fear is what happens if they are convicted.
Unless the Crown can convince a judge to move the case to adult court, the most these three will face is three years in jail -
which could be served in a youth detention centre, a halfway house or even open custody.
If the case is moved to adult court, they face a minimum of life in prison, with no chance of parole for at least 4 years.
If that's how this case plays out, then the Young Offenders Act will have done its job - which is to give teenage criminals a
chance to straighten their lives out, while still protecting society from violent thugs.
But, as 4,00 Canadians have stated emphatically, it's the if that is no longer acceptable. Violent criminals must be treated
as violent criminals , no matter what their age, and no judge should have the right to let them walk away with a slap on the
wrist.
If our federal politicians are paying attention to public sentiment and remove the if, then we'll all be a little bit safer
from violent crime - and we can thank Jonathan Wamback and his parents.
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