Gloucester-Southgate candidates focus on crime

The candidates for Gloucester-Southgatefocused on fighting crime in the south Ottawa community during a Wednesday night debate, where one candidate said there needs to be a focus on youth of Arab descent.

Robert Swaita, who said his father immigrated to Canada from Lebanon in the 1950s, said he was best positioned to address crime related to thecommunity.

"I know I mentioned that there is a lot of Arab youth that are involved in crime. I know it's sensitive, but we need to address the issue on how the issue is," Swaitatold CBCNews after the debate.

"What we need is people who understand how they've grown up and how they feel. And for me, having a background of Arab descent but born in this country, I feel that I can reach out to them in ways that other people cannot."

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Incumbent Diane Deans said she has fought to increasepolicing resources and create youth programs for people of all backgrounds.

"It is not in the community's interest to negatively stereotype any ethnic group. My commitment is to work with every group and every young person that needs help to lift them up," Deans said.

Deans was first elected to represent the area in 1994 in the pre-amalgamation City of Ottawa and is now seeking her seventh consecutive term.

Swaita, a restaurant owner and businessman in the area, is one of her four challengers. AlekGolijanin, who has worked in the field of international development, and SamSoucy, who has background working on Parliament Hill, also attended the debate hosted by the Hunt Club Park Community Association.

PerrySabourindid not attend.

The candidates at the debate generallyagreed that Ottawa police needed to return to the community policing model, that youth programs were needed to keep young people from entering a life of crime and there needed to be more community engagement on the issue.

Gloucester-Southgateand neighbouring Alta Vista ward have beentrying to deal withgun violence in and around Walkley Road.

You can read CBCreporter Matthew Kupfer'sTwitter coverage of the debate below.