The Editor,
“Life is important to value. Still haunted by the sights of Vancouver’s skid row.”
These were the words of an American friend who recently passed through Vancouver. In picking him up from his hotel, I made a point of driving back along Hastings Street.
For 16 years, we were told by the BC Liberals how this is the best place on Earth, all while the divide between the haves and have nots has continued to grow. Only when faced with losing their hold on power did the BC Liberals even begin to care one iota about the less fortunate in this province.
Under their watch, we saw homelessness and the child poverty rate increase, and the fentanyl crisis explode, all while saying we did not need a poverty reduction program.
When we allow food banks to become an accepted form of assistance, we contribute to the problem.
When we allow purpose-built rental units to fall into disrepair and be replaced with market rate condos, we contribute to the problem.
When we allow psychiatric hospitals to be closed and we don’t provide the necessary supports for their former patients, we contribute to the problem.
When we allow lunch programs in schools to feed the needy become an accepted practice, we contribute to the problem.
When we make it easier for people to get alcohol and gamble but not demand we improve access to treatment facilities, we contribute to the problem.
This didn’t have to happen, and yet we allowed it to happen. What does that say about us?
We must all take responsibility for allowing this. I hope you are as angry, embarrassed and upset as I am at my friend’s words.
We will soon have a new government in Victoria. Let’s hope its commitment to ending the cycle of poverty is more than just political posturing.
Rob Bottos, Coquitlam
