The push to end homelessness.

[CorkSoaker]

Are these sites not trying to stop the cycle or just keep the virus from spreading? Possibly I missed their purpose. If so why have they not tried to work with these people to rehabilitate them?? To me it is much like a vehicle with a oil pan gasket gone. You could continue to just add oil, or replace that gasket. It is never ending!

Perhaps it is not for a lack of trying to understand, but harm reduction is only one pillar used to fight against addiction. Also I'm not sure if you missed it altogether or just ignored it but I mentioned that on the same premises there are rehabilitative services. For any rehabilitation and treatment to be successful though, there needs to be a high level of voluntariness. These people are going to do drugs regardless.

The $700.00 may not seem like much. Multiply that by the numbers of as you stated "EMPLOYABLE" persons in BC alone, what do you have for a number? Why are these employable not being employed? We bring people from other countries to work, but we pay ours to sit and be stoned or drunk?

That is what they are categorized as, but it does not mean that all who are categorized as employable means that they are in fact employable.

Further it is not going for food as I believe the original intent was. As I stated from the get-go we are only helping them to remain in the gutter strung out on alcohol or drugs. What is the government doing to stop the cycle?

I agree, our government is currently not doing enough or the appropriate thing, but consider the alternative. We stop welfare or in the very least cut it drastically. There would be increases in crime and disorder, as well as health care costs, ambulatory services, etc. It would be much more costly fiscally and socially. Until our government gets on board and there are enough resources to properly fund prevention, treatment, and harm reduction strategies the way we are doing things is cheaper then to do absolutely nothing.

Another thing the BC government could do is allow those on welfare, who are able to do so, is work and keep a certain amount of what they earn without a reduction in their welfare benefits. This would bring balance to the welfare system by helping people in a tough spot while ensuring the program does not create dependency.

[Trigger69]

Anybody want to poke holes in my "give free drugs to addicts" idea?

I'm not sold on my own idea, so I'd like to hear peoples opinions on it.

Poke....so my tax dollars give junkies free drugs....then their mother, brother, sister and long lost cousin sues the govt body that handed out said drugs when the junkie is found dead with the free needles and drugs supplied. I see that as a problem. I'm not being sarcastic either....I'm being a creative lawyer.

[Ken7]

Perhaps it is not for a lack of trying to understand, but harm reduction is only one pillar used to fight against addiction. Also I'm not sure if you missed it altogether or just ignored it but I mentioned that on the same premises there are rehabilitative services. For any rehabilitation and treatment to be successful though, there needs to be a high level of voluntariness. These people are going to do drugs regardless.

That is what they are categorized as, but it does not mean that all who are categorized as employable means that they are in fact employable.

I agree, our government is currently not doing enough or the appropriate thing, but consider the alternative. We stop welfare or in the very least cut it drastically. There would be increases in crime and disorder, as well as health care costs, ambulatory services, etc. It would be much more costly fiscally and socially. Until our government gets on board and there are enough resources to properly fund prevention, treatment, and harm reduction strategies the way we are doing things is cheaper then to do absolutely nothing.

Another thing the BC government could do is allow those on welfare, who are able to do so, is work and keep a certain amount of what they earn without a reduction in their welfare benefits. This would bring balance to the welfare system by helping people in a tough spot while ensuring the program does not create dependency.

Thanks for keeping on track; I don’t need an abacus to do the MATH. Further to, I think you and I are on the same page. I do understand the concept of harm reduction.

However, what I question is this program truly working? Is the only reduction of addict’s death alone? I’m certain the founder, the employees and Government will say the statistics show a decrease in the numbers of users. Is this true, or is it death that is the truth as the body cannot take this punishment and sooner or later something fails or shuts down. In reality, what is the real harm reduction or are we being fooled here?

The quote employable was your use of the term.

Many of these persons really are employable, however they do not want work. This has been observed on numerous occasions. Jobs offered to them and they simply laugh as they will not work for minimum wages, which falls back to your thoughts of welfare and earned wages. The working and balancing is real solution. I agree what is being given is not suitable to survive.

Many of the Government programs are failures due to the way they are implemented.
Long-term disability, another great example. An Ironworker is injured, can no long do his trade and make in excess of 100 k. He would like to work although cant do the trade work. If he works art time, as that is all he can physically tolerate, boom cut off LTD. Therefore we have many sitting collecting and working cash on the side, lose, lose situation for Government and taxation.

I truly wish I had the answer, thanks for your thoughts.

[Prestige Mike]

Poke....so my tax dollars give junkies free drugs....then their mother, brother, sister and long lost cousin sues the govt body that handed out said drugs when the junkie is found dead with the free needles and drugs supplied. I see that as a problem. I'm not being sarcastic either....I'm being a creative lawyer.

One of the good things about the government handing out drugs is the product could be standardized. Overdoses would become less frequent because 'bad' batches wouldn't been circulating. The drugs would also be administered at drug rehabilitation centers, with nurses on hand. Have patients sign wavers as well.

Yes, this program would cost tax payers money, but I feel we would all save money in the end due to the lower crime and medical expenses.

[Trigger69]

One of the good things about the government handing out drugs is the product could be standardized. Overdoses would become less frequent because 'bad' batches wouldn't been circulating. The drugs would also be administered at drug rehabilitation centers, with nurses on hand. Have patients sign wavers as well.

Yes, this program would cost tax payers money, but I feel we would all save money in the end due to the lower crime and medical expenses.

Points well taken, but at the end of the day when a user needs a fix and he or she has already been given the doled out amount by the "centre" it is my opinion that they will revert back to what will get them the next fix. IMHO we need to address the problem rather than minimize the problems affects. I'm in no way disagreeing with you. I just cannot rest easy knowing my money will be used to give people poison. Maybe that is narrow minded Idk but its how I feel.

[Prestige Mike]

That's understandable trigger. We've been conditioned as a society to think addiction is a criminal issue when it is a mental health issue. Something 'feels' morally wrong about giving people drugs, but if it helped people eventually get off the drugs, and it dealt a huge blow to organized crime, I feel it's worth it.

With these drug rehabilitation centers, do whatever it takes to keep the people using government drugs. If that means giving them more so they don't have to steal or prostitute then do it. This will kill a huge portion of the underground drug market.

At these drug rehab centers give addicts every chance to quit these drugs using drug councilors, detox methods, group therapy ect. Some people will beat their addiction, many won't, but at least these people won't feel like they have to break the law to support their addiction.

I feel there would be a positive benefit to society if we tried this method. That said, there's always unforeseen, unintended consequences with any new program, so it would be a gamble

[WhatThe]

Prestige mikes opinion
+1

[the truth]

Can someone explain to me , Where do these people come from? Not the homeless, The ones who think they can help to end homelessness.as reported on castanet these people all rally to the cause to end homelessness. How is that possible? Most of these people are there by choice,Don't they know that? And the ones with mental issues, Well they need proffesional help, So we can't help them. Guess what ,As the weather warms you will see more and more homeless on Kelowna streets. Because they know there are a lot people here that will give them money,DUH. where else would they want to be? Sakatchewan does not have as severe a problem with this issue, and I found out neither does Edmonton or Winterpeg, Gee, I wonder why they like Kelowna, Could it be the nice weather and free handouts?? YA think??? As the weather gets cooler in the fall they all migrate to Vancouver. Odd, I wonder why? Gimme a break ,enact the vagrancy laws and you won't see them on our streets. But wait,that won't work cause Trudeau fixed that in 1968 Ta Daa. We can't tell them not to live on the streets, I wonder how much in taxes the govt loses, because they don't claim I,m willing to bet, And I know some of them make more beggin them a lot who choose to work for a living, Well I guess begging is a living, Like the one in Vancvouver was bragging about making 6to 8 hundred a day beggin on the street. And do ya think they are goin to show you this, No Way. they have to look poor to get your dough, And before a lot of you start spoutin off, Our company has offered to help, WITH JOBS starting at twenty dollars per hour. Of the over thirty people we offered these jobs to exactly NONE showed up. Not enough money I guess. Our manager gave one fellow a bus ticket to a jobsite in Kamloops. sold it and bought drugs instead I guess. If you really want to help these people offer them a hand up, not a hand out Open your doors and hire them, the ones that show up may be keepers. The ones that don't...... Well watch, they will be back on the corner next week.

this op post was from 2013,
and here we are 2021 and her we are 8 years later and the people in charge still have zero clue as what to do, o no wait they always need tax payers money to save there useless pointless jobs that has done nothing but bring more homeless criminal junkies into kelowna https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/3 ... wna#339568

[Ken7]

That's understandable trigger. We've been conditioned as a society to think addiction is a criminal issue when it is a mental health issue. Something 'feels' morally wrong about giving people drugs, but if it helped people eventually get off the drugs, and it dealt a huge blow to organized crime, I feel it's worth it.

With these drug rehabilitation centers, do whatever it takes to keep the people using government drugs. If that means giving them more so they don't have to steal or prostitute then do it. This will kill a huge portion of the underground drug market.

At these drug rehab centers give addicts every chance to quit these drugs using drug councilors, detox methods, group therapy etc. Some people will beat their addiction, many won't, but at least these people won't feel like they have to break the law to support their addiction.

I feel there would be a positive benefit to society if we tried this method. That said, there's always unforeseen, unintended consequences with any new program, so it would be a gamble

In some ways I agree. In saying drug addiction is mental heath that is not 100% true. There are people like you and I who where doctored, they were then cut off and made conscious choices to go for the high. They had alternatives, and did not take it.

Many of the mental persons on the street are neglected and the system has failed them. There we will agree. One very good example is people who are Schizophrenic. They function very well when medicated and then they believe there is not need to take the medications. They then are up and down and the problems again come out. These people need supervision and constant monitoring.

The program of supplying drugs, I'd be all for it IF there was a end to it. The methadone program keeps the pharmaceutical companies very wealthy and those on it are lifers. That is not the way it should work in my opinion. Yes, you may be taking them off street drugs, although what are the long term medical health issues?? Why is it for life? Are these people still using street drugs, because they want the high life? I'm sure there are a portion who are.

The underground drug market.

Just like legalizing cannabis. Have you noticed how it impacted the underground?? It didn't do a thing to those who choose that life style of growing and selling it.

That will not work, it has proven itself. There will still be a market and it won't change. A cheaper produced drug will be found and back at it. Don't forget, you as a drug user won't be "carte blanche" you will be given only a given dosage or number of hits per day. Those who live the high life will still be smashing and grabbing and looting out of cars to buy "Joes crack" or "Bill's Meth".

I personally do not have the answer to cleaning up our streets, but disagree with your line of thought.

[liisgo]

Seems we have a big problem here. As every ounce of our money and time is being spent trying to deal with those that end up homeless and drug addicts, far more numbers of people are joining in.
record amounts of homeless and addicts are being accounted for. Record amounts of drug deaths and then more just join the numbers.
If every time we help 1 and 10 more join the numbers, eventually, like right now. the whole system is failing.
If our town has 1000 beds for homeless and then next year we have another 1000 people on the streets, we then need 2000 homes.
Seems there is no way to beat this until we acknowledge the problem has to be dealt with first.
NOT LATER AS IS CLEARLY IS NOT WORKING,
We have a Perpetual problem that is not being acknowledge from where it starts.

[the truth]

we are becoming slowly becoming the usa version of seattle is dying thanks to are city leaders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAi70W ... l=KOMONews their is no turning back

[Zoso]

What would bill gates do ?

[1092]

What happens when we house every homeless person in Kelowna???


What do we do when all the homeless people in the rest of the country come to Kelowna??

Time to say enough is enough!!

[the truth]

What happens when we house every homeless person in Kelowna???


What do we do when all the homeless people in the rest of the country come to Kelowna??

Time to say enough is enough!!

well at least we know all the blame goes to kelowna city leader, jhs, bc housing and ih

[Ken7]

What would bill gates do ?

https://fatvox.com/welfare-applicants-a ... ug-tested/

Possibly it is time in Canada we start making people accountable and stop just handing it out. Just a thought.