Safety glass between passenger and driver and a loaded pistol in the front seat.

Video cameras.

My comment was designed to stimulate further discussion, not to silence it.

Partitions in taxis is a bad idea and I should know, I build auto partitions. The two most frequent, but less important reasons are; it hampers communication and creates an adversarial atmosphere. That is the case in EVERY taxi ride. The two most compelling reasons are; 1) all partitions (other than mine) are illegal and introduce hazards which increase the frequency and severity of injury and the frequency of death in collisions, and 2) It changes the scenario from one where it is like 'two dogs in a cage' to one where it is like 'shooting a fish in a barrel'. Without a partition most robberies (or attacks) are done with a knife, but WITH a partition most robberies (or attacks... are done with a gun. There may be fewer attacks but there are more shootings and more murders. It is senseless to exacerbate injury and death in collisions in order to exacerbate murder rates... and then claim partitions are viable in taxis because there are fewer robberies and fewer non-fatal attacks.

(not included in my comment is the answer to JJ Velasquez’ original question – “What can be done to improve safety in taxis?”)

In response to the original question – I suggest that if firearms are ever a rational tool for survival ANYWHERE then they would be a most rational tool of choice where people are the most likely to be shot at by criminals. That would be in taxis. Cab drivers are 5-10 times more likely to be murdered than those next down on the list… police officers. But, you are in Canada, where only criminals should be expected to have guns.
Relying on partitions and rapid response by armed police officers for survival is what I characterize as ‘the crossed finger’ approach to survival.

My less antagonistic suggestion is to make it known (true or not) that SOME cabs are driven by on-duty police officers, whether in Canada… or the U.S.