Victoria Buzz is reporting that "Anger around Victoria’s tent city is growing and several residents living in the area say they’re not going to take it anymore and have formed a new group called, 'Mad as Hell'. Stephen Hammond, one of the group organizers and a resident living near Mount Edwards, says he is fed up with tent city disrupting the community and the ongoing thefts in the area." It's about time the silent majority spoke up against the belligerent minority. Homelessness and public drug use are two different things. Housing is good, crime and addiction is bad.
And just where does Mr. Hammond and his associates want the homeless to go? They have to be some where. Now Mr. Hammond and his friends might want to ask themselves how do they feel about paying more in taxes to provide adequate housing, food, medical treatment for those living in the "homeless camps". It'd suggest they don't want to pay anything. Of course the government pays hundreds of millions to film companies, tech companies, mining, oil, etc companies, but to ensure people are housed, feed and treated for illness, not so much.
ReplyDeleteWhat Mr. Hammond and his friends might want to look at is the study which suggests 1/3 of all Canadians are approx. 3 months away from the same situation, if they lost their jobs.
If this province had adequate mental health facilities there might not be as many homeless. Telling people to move along just doesn't cut it anymore. The homeless may be crazy, but they're not stupid. If they band together, they may get what they need.
Mr. Hammond can thank the current provincial government for the current situation. How do these people become homeless? Many of them are former foster children who aged out with no care plan in place. Many are children who grew up in marginal homes. One needs to remember that for the last 14 out of 15 years B.C. had the highest rate of child poverty in Canada. that's one in five children living below the poverty line. When they become adults, they have a lot of issues. Now we see the results. We either improve our society or we continue to see homelessness and you can bet we will see a lot more on the lower mainland.
Homelessness and public drug use are two different things. I totally supported the Woodwards Squat but these drug infested tents cities are very different. If you want to have a tent city without drugs have at it but if you use the banner of homelessness to promote lawlessness then I'm sorry but the neighbours have every right to complain. They have a vote and voice too.
DeleteGood points. I'd be willing to bet that should this particular "tent city" relocate to outside of the Victoria Parliament they would be swiftly ousted.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to symphasize until they directly effect your life, neighbourhood and property values.
There needs to be a more intense understanding and solution for these people. Some find it more accommodating to be imprisoned especially during winter. Who can blame them? If we are willing to imprison them and foot the bill why not spend that same money for a more possitive result? If it is an addiction issue then wouldn't we all be better served placing them into long term treatment rather than jail?
Our government, with all their wisdom and financial resources, hasn't even begun to comprehend this issue. It's the dirty little secret nobody wants to address as long as it doesn't effect my life, my neighbourhood or my family.
When housing prices are allowed to bubble - and they have and it sheer greed that has allowed this - where else can people live when wages are not tied to inflation and a "living wage" minimum.
ReplyDeleteIf there ever was a modern example of "let them eat cake" it is housing pricing in Canada.
Indeed. That's why I supported the Woodwards squat. The cost of housing here is outrageous. Homelessness is a natural consequence and it has nothing to do with drug addiction. My pet peeve is the drug dealers that exploit the homeless and our tax dollars that promote addiction. Turning these tent cities into lawless drug dens is a blight on everyone - society and themselves. Drug addicted prostitution serves no one. It is human trafficking at it's worst.
DeleteDon't lolok now but I think that's one issue you and EAF both agree on : )
DeleteWhy they using Madchild's font haha
ReplyDeleteSomeone posted a comment on this thread in support of addicts and I thought I approved it but it has disappeared. I have compassion for the adicts not the dealers that exploit them. I think we should help them overcome their addiction not foster and promote it.
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