Squeegee kids head down the 401

Over the past two weeks, Toronto police have arrested over 20 squeegee kids for causing disturbances--and many of those arrested have come from Montreal. "It's difficult to gauge how many [are from Montreal] but, of the ones arrested, some of them were obviously from Quebec... they had distinctive French Canadian accents," explained Sgt. Jim Muscat of the Toronto police. "There have been a number of arrests over the last few days, well over 20 since last week. The type of arrests had to do with them blocking entrances to restaurants and five or six of them surrounded a car and demanded money--they were charged with mischief."

Toronto police are handling the situation in the same manner as the MUC.

"Right now, there is no legislation, so the Toronto police chief has asked the province to see if they could create something to assist us in dealing with the squeegee kids. That way, they may continue moving on."

Ever since the MUC police began their crackdown on street solicitation, the squeegee population of Montreal has been forced to consider moving on down the 401.

"If the cops know you, or you get fined, then you have to go somewhere else so you can continue [working]," confirms a young, pierced Montreal entrepreneur, while servicing a windshield and scoring a loonie for his efforts. "But it's a good way to make money, so no one is going to stop."

As for paying the fine, "We can just go somewhere else... Ever since [the bar] Loonies is gone, it's boring here anyways! I know some people who already left."--Carl Amabili