These are obviously very trying times if you’re an optimistic person.
The climate change crisis is hanging over the Earth like a huge cloud of doom and gloom. The worst part is there doesn’t seem to be much of an appetite for change among most nations on the planet. Procrastination will get us nowhere.
There’s also lots of talk and no action in many other aspects of life that need to be addressed now. The time for consultation and studies that take forever are long gone.
The best example of what’s hitting people hard is communities large and small being heavily impacted by the homelessness issue, rampant drug use and crime.
This is no longer a downtown Eastside problem or a Surrey problem. Quesnel recently ranked No. 5 in the Maclean’s magazine listing of Canada’s most dangerous places. Williams Lake was in the top 10 and Terrace was right up there.
The Cowichan Leadership Group recently asked the province for urgent funding and support for escalating addictions and housing challenges in the Cowichan Valley. Duncan is in a deplorable state, with people camped out on doorsteps of businesses and making it difficult for hard-working everyday folks to safely conduct their daily affairs.
Chemainus and Crofton both have criminals roaming the streets and taking anything that isn’t chained down - and sometimes even those items, too - to fuel their drug habits or just for the sake of destroying something.
The problem is the justice system isn’t doing law-abiding folks any justice. There should be no reward for any time served or good behaviour once a crime has been committed.
The Cowichan Leadership Group was turned down for funding previously which is ridiculous, given the extent of this deteriorating situation.
There’s been way too much emphasis on providing housing for homeless folks, rather than looking at the big picture. Some are in such a fractured mental state they can’t even function so there’s no use providing housing unless something is done about their drug addictions at the same time.