Take a walk in a few places on the edges of downtown Toronto.  There are a number of areas within a 30 min walk of Yonge and Dundas where a middle class white dude is definitely unwelcome even during the daytime.  You don't have to go to the US to find unsafe areas.  Trust me.  I can read the signs fairly well in places I've been in Florida and New England, as well.  I'm not a huge fan of having handguns everywhere, but I can see the use for having one in my pocket at times.  We have to settle for a pocketknife and harsh language up here.