Every city election they promise more money to curb homelessness. More shelters, affordable housing, drug treatment facilities. And it always gets worse. homelessness goes up, property crime goes up.
I should have mentioned that it gets mentioned in every provincial election too. With the election coming up in the spring, the BC Liberals announced in their throne speech today:
With less than a year before the 2010 Winter Olympics bring the international spotlight to Vancouver, the government set out a new commitment in the Speech from the Throne to combat poverty, drug addiction and mental-health issues in the country's most impoverished neighbourhood, the Downtown Eastside.
The speech, read by Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point, promised a new integrated, personalized homelessness intervention strategy and a new community safety strategy – initiatives that will be combined with expanded social housing.
Asked later for details, Mr. Campbell said the plan is not exactly new but will expand on existing programs like Victoria's Assertive Community Treatment teams that help find housing for the hardest-to-house.
They never learn. Or they do learn, and realize this plan won't work but cynically want to appear 'hopeful" and "positive" for the election.
The economy is in turmoil, let's stop wasting money. The old saying: "You can't help people who won't help themselves."
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