LETTER – Providing help for homeless is hardly a ‘concentration camp’
(Image: John Noakes)
I have to admit; I am a bit confused. When a photo shows one thing and the drivel from an elected person points to an opposing mindset, which one should we believe?
Please have a look at the photo which in and of itself, may be worth a thousand words. Then read the remarks from a local councillor as she spoke of people who are homeless.
“I’m supposed to be objective, I’m not the least bit objective about creating a concentration camp out in Rayleigh. And that is how I view it,” she said. “Apparently, we’re supposed to force people into this camp, force them to take classes and that never works for anyone. You know that. Take them away from ready access to the outreach services that they need and just get them out of sight.” “If you read what some of the people are saying. ‘We are supposed to round them up, drive them out there, stick them in there and put a fence up, and tell them they’ve got to follow all the rules. Put them in camps.’ I’m sorry. That just sounds, not humane,” she said. (Councillor Dale Bass)
As I look at the photo that I took on Friday afternoon, May 23, I tried to apply Councillor Bass’ statements to the folks who had made their present home in the alley only some 100 metres from the North Shore Community Services office. The number of calls for homeless folks has been going down apparently. But, not long afterwards was the sound of sirens. Were the ambulances and a second service responding to a non responsive male or an overdose?
I’m troubled by what I see in real life in the alleys and parking lot at Fortune Shopping Centre. I’m troubled because I see that situation as far more inhumane than following the logic of Dale Bass.
Years ago, a man named William issued a statement that gave the first two pillars of hope as “soup and soap”. It’s hard to reach a person with answers to their situation if they are starving hungry. It’s hard for a person to have much dignity if they are wearing filthy clothes and haven’t had a bath or shower in who knows how long.
Helping a hungry woman by feeding her and providing clean clothes and a warm shower in a place that is designed and built for such things can hardly be considered a concentration camp.
But, maybe I am wrong. Does the wisdom of a person elected to municipal office hold more credence than what a member of the public is capable of of understanding?
Thanks again, Armchair Mayor.
JOHN NOAKES,
Citizen of Westmount
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Interestingly, Dale Bass recently proposed the building of an involuntary rehab facility at the local jail. Which sounds way drearier than the voluntary treatment facility in a rural area (proposed in the previous council term by Coun. Denis Walsh and Reid Hamer-Jackson) that Coun. Bass called a “concentration camp.”
And now Coun. Bass is calling for an audit of local social service/housing agencies, despite the fact that she didn’t support the mayor when he proposed the same thing about a year ago.
The hypocrisy is getting tedious.
LikeLike
She is the lead actress in the latest B-movie from downtown.
LikeLike
We supposedly can’t force people into anything, including Dale Bass into reasoning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So called “leaders” across the province, in various communities, have peddled in falsehoods and dogmatic allegiance to some perceived moral obligation to allow people to do whatever they like, wherever and whenever they like, all while throwing enormous sums of money at a problem that will never see a solution without hardening our approach.
Drug addicts are not compatible with a rules-based society. At this point, their enablers are also not compatible with a rules-based society.
The social contract requires individuals to exhibit expected behaviours. The flag bearers of safe supply and the complete fabrication of the “benefits” peddled by its supporters have tried to pull the wool over the eyes of society, but no longer. The charade is well up. Even cursory reading of the evidence out there reveals the abject failure of this approach and the additional harms its causes communities and businesses across the country.
Being back the work gangs. Let’s see you try and get high in a 3 month tree planting camp. Involuntary treatment. Prison and punishment for criminals. Learn to give back to your community by holding yourself accountable and paying back your bottomless debt to society.
Drug addicts deserve a chance to get better. Whats gone on for the last 8 years has not given them that chance. All it’s done is enable a drug binge unlike anything western society has seen before, and wasted countless dollars while improving nothing for anyone.
Accoubtabilty and consequences for actions has raised hundreds of generations of responsible adults. It’s time to get back to common sense. We can start by ejecting these dolts in the next election.
Expect more from your leaders. Expect more for your tax dollar.
LikeLike
Just to be clear, there are way too many well-housed folks that truly are not compatible with rules-based society.
LikeLike