Updated: Tue Jan. 03 2006 11:26:45 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

A coalition of African-Canadian groups called on the Canadian governments Tuesday to deal with the high number of deaths caused by guns in Toronto.

The coalition questioned whether all three levels of government would have responded as quickly last week if a black person was killed instead of 15-year-old Jane Creba.

The girl was shot on Boxing Day while shopping on Yonge Street.

"We have been calling for a summit for the past three months. We've had over 40 black youths die as a result of gun violence and we have not seen our governments reacting in such an immediate and strong way," Sandra Carnegie-Douglas of the Jamaican-Canadian Association said.

The coalition called on all three levels of government to take action immediately to deal with the deaths caused by gun shootings.

"We're not accusing the government of being racist. We're saying when it's time to act, irrespectable of what the people look like, act," Dave Mitchell, of the Association of Black Law Enforcers, said.

However, Prime Minister Paul Martin said he's been concerned about the issue for some time and has previously met with Toronto's black community leaders to discuss gun violence.

Premier Dalton McGuinty's office refused to comment on the issue and Mayor David Miller was unavailable to respond.

The accusation by the coalition comes on the eve of Wednesday's meeting between the three governments to discuss strategies to reduce gun violence.

Miller said the meeting will include discussion on legal changes needed to improve the justice system. These changes include "reverse-onus bail", which would force people charged with gun crimes to prove why they should be released on bail while charges are pending.

The coalition also accused Miller, provincial and federal politicians of posturing and not implementing solutions to reduce the number of gun crimes. They don't believe getting tough on such crimes and legislative changes to bail conditions will help.

"People who are accused of possessing firearms will be released on bail because it's a constitutional right," Selwyn Pieters, a lawyer, said.

The coalition said the high level of gun violence is a complex problem requiring complex solutions in the neighbourhoods troubled by the violence.

They also said community programs and job programs for youth in these neighbourhoods are needed as a first step to addressing the problem.