Harper slams "junkies"
Friday, August 15, 2008 by David Eby
The flyer says it was delivered courtesy of Colin Mayes, MP. Mr. Mayes is the MP for Okanagan/Shuswap, but does not explain why Mayes is delivering flyers in Vancouver.
The flyer fails to note that most of the reason why "junkies" are causing grief to Vancouverites is because Mr. Harper's government has failed to fund adequate drug treatment options, including detox on demand. Further, that many "junkies" are dual diagnosed, with mental health issues, and that his government has also failed to provide funding for adequate mental health services.
The flyer doesn't mention that the "war on drugs" in the States is probably one of the most costly and ineffective prohibition measures in history, resulting in 1 in 100 Americans behind bars, and spending on jails now exceeding six times the amount spent on higher education.
Finally, the flyer conveniently ignores the fact that jail is probably the most expensive way to house "junkies" and that supportive housing is not only cheaper, but actually helps re-integrate people with addiction issues back into productive society. Jail just teaches people how to be better criminals, and often infects them with HIV or HEP C as they continue their drug use behind bars with smuggled and shared syringes because there is little or no treatment or detox in provincial jails.
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"in rehab or behind bars"
Agree 100%. If the government comes up with the money for more rehab centres, more mental health facilities (outside the DTES) and larger jails they will get my vote.
You seem to assume that all the junkines are well meaning people that if just given a little support they will be good people. Some of them might be, (and some definitely require mental health resources outside the DTES), but there is no question in my mind that a lot of them belong behind bars.
just got my flyer in the mail..
and I have to say - your critique is kind of misleading.
It's not so much a 'pot-shot' as a legitimate concern for citizens and an election issue *
The actual text reads: "Junkies and drug pushers ... should be in rehab or behind bars"
are you suggesting junkies shouldn't be in rehab and pushers allowed to sell unimpeded?
Perhaps your critique might be a little more resonant and a sound a little less 'agenda-bound' if you took Harper at his word and suggest he put his money where his mouth is and fund rehab.
*(at least according to Sam Sullivan's thoroughly unscientific public order survey results: public disorder issues are of most concern: 79.63%_Open drug use in public places http://www.mayorsamsullivan.ca/public-order-survey-results.html )
I thought it looked kinda good.
That's just because I'm burnt out on the whole junkie scene.
I think VANDU needs to hit the streets and clean up some of the shit their members leave behind!
Can I really be a Torie? We'll have to see.
-not Kim Capri
I got the flyer too. What struck me as especially effective messaging is that Harper looks stoned off his ass in that photo.
My "junkies" flyer came from Rob Merrifield. How nice that an Albertan MP is concerned about junkies here in East Vancouver.
My "senate" flyer came from Helena Guergis an Ontarian MP.
"Conservative Senate"
"Elected by you"
"Limited terms"
"Accountable to you"
HUH? Didn't Harper appoint Michael Fortier to the senate? In addition, didn't he make Fortier a cabinet minister even though he was not elected?
What I want to know is who is footing the bill for these flyers? Judging from the no postage required text, I would assume it is on the taxpayer's dime, yet I am told at the bottom of one flyer that it is "Compliments of Rob Merrifield, MP" and the other says "Compliments of Helen Guergis, MP".
I am tempted to send my flyers back with tick marks beside everyone EXCEPT for Harper.
What a scumbucket.
By the way David, you have my vote. Keep up the good work.
GAB
I got the same disgusting, poor-bashing flyer as well. There you have it in black and white straight from the horses mouth -- ideology over science.
I have no hope for the ignorant, but I think the rest of us will see through it.
whatever the flyer says I have to take issue with the fact that the Tories are using MP's mailing budgets to send out clearly partisan flyers.
Yes, why is the public funding this propaganda? Why do we have to pay to be lied to?
The best way to stop the pushers is to stop the flow of drugs into the country. Why does the poster say they are cracking at border crossings only? Everyone knows most imported drugs enter via the ports. So why not crackdown there? Because Stephen Harper and Stephane Dion like it just the way it is. They have to tell you they care about the situation we, in the lower and middle socioeconomic strata, deal with in our day to day lives as part of their phony drug war cover story and this is their way of doing it. Meanwhile, the elite get richer by maintaining cooperative ties with drug lord Parliamentarians in Afghanistan.
They don't care. They look at you and me with dollar signs in their eyes. As long as the drugs and weapons and oil keep flowing, they're happy regardless of how many people die along the way.
Go ahead and call your election, dough boy.
with regard to Stephen's comment: " disgusting, poor-bashing flyer"...
how exactly is that poor-bashing? You do realize we're not ALL drug addicts down here right? You realize that we have a great deal of working poor, seniors, immigrants and family housing (both market and social) down here right?
Did you know that they recently had to replace the grass fields at Strahcona elementary because of the to better facilitate the daily sweeps necessary to rid the children's playground of needles. Did you know that the children's garden at the had to be reduced and remodelled because the 'junkies' were turning tricks, shooting up and leaving rigs and condoms in the id's plantings??
Strath is not a 'rich kid' school - seems to me that the ghettoization of the DTES and enabling of 'junkies' to run amok is another form of 'poor bashing'
A lot of the working poor I know in the DTES absolutely DETEST the junkies in the area.
The field was switched to gravel mostly for drainage and budget reasons. Just sayin.
Old school, yes, I know not all poor people are drug addict, but I think it's a pretty safe bet that all drug addicts in the DTES are impoverished.
Another thing you don't seem to get, which is odd for a resident of the DTES who cares about his/her neighborhood, is that the "junkies" will get their fix whether there is a safe injection site or not. It simply makes it safer for them.
scott - as far as the field to gravel - that's not what I heard.. and I know for a fact that the kid's garden at the portable had to be cut back for the condoms and needles and tricks and junkies - just sayin.
stephen -I thought we were discussing the 'junkies near kids flyer', not SIS.. I know the left-wing pundits have been claiming this is a shot at the SIS (not that the several years of InSite have made the slightest difference in amount of needles left lying around) but partisan speculation aside, the flyer doesn't mention safe injection AT ALL - just that junkies and pushers should be in rehab or behind bars.
It's been said before, but...
Junkies and dealers ARE our children and families, and until we fess up to that astonishing fact, we will NEVER be rid of the scourge.
jerry-you're correct on the kids garden. the field on the other hand was a more complex issue and I fear that the needle issue was an add on once some neighbours started to question the need for gravel. Don't get me wrong though I do wish people would respect schools/playgrounds/parks and take their garbage elsewhere.
Here here, Waif!