The public continues to question the effectiveness of homelessness and addictions agencies and programs- and none is under more scrutiny than the NDP’s plan for a safe consumption site in North Logan. Episode 21 has a recap of the panel discussion held Tuesday night and audio of presentations made by Coun. Sherri Rollins and the federal health critic, Manitoba MP Dan Mazier.
Part 1- Two columns this week provided readers of the Winnipeg Sun with details about
A) the financial cliff that Siloam Mission is approaching:
“When you kick out Jesus, you kick out his flock of givers,” one church-going reader said. “I know some of the former workers. They moved on to other charitable work.”
Siloam Mission went woke, now going broke
B) the community-organized panel discussion about operating plans for a drug user site at 366 Henry Avenue:
“The deflection I witnessed from city representatives was appalling,” a Point Douglas homeowner told me. “There’s clearly a responsibility for all levels of government, and the nuances and the intricacies were just lost on so many.”
Panelists provide evidence that safe consumption sites unsafe, ineffective
18.40 Part 2- Marty notes the demographics of the crowd, which drew concerned residents and property owners with personal experience with homeless encampments and the effects of drug addiction and crime on their community. From North and South Point Douglas, the East Exchange, North Logan, Centennial, Downtown, and Fort Rouge, they outflanked the SCS “harm reduction” supporters by an 80-20 margin.
Among those watching and listening was Independent MLA Mark Wasilyw, and many PC MLAs; not there, were any representatives of Wab Kinew’s NDP government that is ramming the drug use site through to fulfill his election promise.
23.50 – Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre CEO Monica Cyr tried to reassure the public.
She said new medical and treatment programs are included in the building renovations, and the SCS will operate out of a vehicle parked on the lot until next February . She later admitted there was good reason to expand the area where security patrols and clean-up had been proposed in their “Good Neighbour” policy. We explain why that tardy realization actually lost her ground with stakeholders.
28.50- Audio of Coun. Sherri Rollins: She spoke of the inadequate public consultation process undermining the residents, funding shortfalls affecting mental health and police services, the existing danger in the district, and the sight of drugs being used all over the streets.
“Winnipeg cannot be absorbing the consequences of a provincial system that has not evolved or matured.”
You’ll hear how later in the meeting Rollins drew a negative reaction from ward stakeholders to her contention that the city had no ability to regulate public safety mitigation for the site, even though the Health Canada rules say otherwise.
40.45 Part 3- Audio of CPC MP Dan Mazier (9 min.):
His eye-opening remarks included what an addict told him about why ‘harm reduction’ giveaways discourage seeking treatment; taking on the left-wing lingo of saying there is a way to use fentanyl and hard drugs ‘safely’; “imaginary buffer zones” and how a daycare in Ottawa was forced to close due to disorder and filth; and how Health Canada uses a ‘rubber stamp’ – and leaves it to neighborhoods to fight for their survival.
“Approving a place for people can consume drugs is the easiest thing a politician can do. It avoids the difficult serious expensive work of building real treatment and real recovery pathways. Instead it keeps people addicted, dependent and cycling through the same revolving door.”
Mazier predicted after this one, more sites would open, and then the radical left will demand the “BC roadmap” for safe supply and decriminalization – even though BC has reversed course.
Marty provides more analysis to close the episode.
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