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How Canada’s Politicians Disappoint

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Spent three weeks in Vancouver last summer. I so love Canada’s Coasts, East and West. Walking Vancouver was very educational and at times highly uncomfortable to say the least. We could be shopping, or attending a entertainment performance, leaving the theater, restaurant, or venue, strolling about only to come face to face with hoards of what my late father called bums, sluts, and druggies(sorry for the harshness). Used needles everywhere, and down and out people sleeping on steps, benches, and in alleyways.

Vancouver has become a dropping ground for the homeless, destitute, and addicted. Hastings, a sector in downtown Vancouver is a street and community bursting from its seams with streets filled with tents, corrugated boxes, filled at night with people you would not want to meet. It’s true is it not? Middle-class citizens want to stay away from such people, keep them outside of their communities, and don’t want to see, hear or speak to them right?
The dirty unwashed, diseased and forever walking about in a drugged state.

My wife and I came upon them while strolling about, and my better half wanted to run away from the situation, but not I. You see I have worked with drug addicts for years, spending my evenings communicating, getting to know ladies and men of the night, addicts and homeless too in The Bronx(NY), Washington DC, Toronto, and Philly as a Franciscan TOR. I walked over and put my wife through a half hour of stress, talking to them, finding out where they received assistance and whether were there other places they could go instead of this localized area. They gathered around free injection sites, certain groceries, and restaurants that hand out free food when closing.

Spoke to several local police, all concerned about the number of drug-related deaths they had been seeing since summer came upon them. Expressions like “there is no end to this mess”, and ” the higher-ups know not what they do” showed me the terrible state our police and medical emergency folk were going through. Fatalism is everywhere, with no end in sight. Vaccination sites act like magnets to both users and drug pushers as well. Where you can find addicts, you will find an opportunity for sales and acquiring drugs and paraphernalia too.
The local government simply does not know what to do, meaning well they enact services that seem to be enabling addicts. Drug users then get high, and walk about the local area in a dangerous uncontrolled state. Discarded Syringes are a threat to local children and animals strolling through their parks and community streets.

Toronto is becoming just like Vancouver. The well-meaning but ill-advised politician’s programs and services have and will attract addicts to their region. When the Toronto City Council and Federal Government(they pay for free services) offer free drug runways(injection clinics) they attract those who are already on the down and out, and yet these same medical-security professionals cannot force the addict into a program that would make them clean once again. Bad, but well-meaning programs feed addictions but do not solve the problem.

Statistics Canada has shown that 61 % of homeless do use illicit drugs at least once during the period of homelessness. And with the opioid Fentanyl pandemic, all you need is to use a pill once to Die. When someone takes illicit drugs they are not of proper sound mind, especially if they know these drugs are harmful or even lethal. What do we do with people who will harm themselves? Well, we called the police or officials to take them to the hospital right? So instead of feeding an addict’s hunger for drugs, why not force them to rehab? They cannot hurt themselves or others while they are in some ones care right?

New York City Crimes: 38+ % have some relation to drugs and addiction.
Vancouver City Crimes: 28-36+% drug-related
Toronto City Crimes: They do not provide such information to the public at this time.

I was mugged twice while living in New York City. Each time by an addict. I recognized the tells, gave the twenty dollars I kept in my pocket for just such an incident, and told them to leave. Thankfully they did. Their weapon of choice was a knife. I took control, knowing all they needed was a few dollars to continue their high.

Toronto will certainly become like Vancouver and many urban centers in America soon enough. A hard line is needed here. When you deal with a stupid person, you can expect stupid things to be done. Addicts act in a similar manner, needing to be managed with their health in mind. Addiction is a mental disease, so treat it with determination, forceful passion. Don’t ask the addict, tell them what is going to happen, how they will be medically treated, and accomplish the task. A mentally deranged person loses their freedom for a time until they become well. So to an addict.

Also, forced homelessness is a crime. Bringing people from across the globe to reside in Canada, and not providing them a place to stay makes no sense. The very services needed for those who have left their homes because of abuse, addiction, or unemployment should be expanded. Our local governments squander revenue on programs that do not work, while the needy have no place to go except the streets.

Middle-Class Citizens have the ability to force governments to manage their taxes better, directing these funds to where they should go. The medical sector has made work programs (like injection sites) that waste your funds and put your family at risk as well. Hard decisions need to be made in Vancouver and Toronto. Once the horde has control, it will be very difficult to regain control of your funds and freedom as well.

Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skaszab@yahoo.ca

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Quick Quotes: What Liberal MPs have to say as the caucus debates Trudeau’s future

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OTTAWA – Here are some notable quotes from Liberal members of Parliament as they headed into a caucus meeting Wednesday where they are set to debate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership.

Comments made after the caucus meeting:

“The Liberal party is strong and united.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

———

“Justin Trudeau is reflecting and he’s standing strong and we’re standing strong as a Liberal party.”

“We as a party recognize that the real threat here is Pierre Poilievre and that’s what we’re fighting for.”

“Trudeau has made very clear that he feels he’s the right choice but he appreciates all of what is being said because he’s reflecting on what is being done across Canada. I respect his decision, whatever that may be.”

Charles Sousa, MP for Mississauga—Lakeshore

———

“We had some open and frank discussions. People are relentlessly focused on serving Canadians and win the next election. This was really a rallying call to win the next election.”

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, MP for Saint Maurice—Champlain

———

“I don’t know how many people spoke, well over 50 I’m sure. They came at this from all angles and now (we’ve) got to go back and process this.

“We’re on a good path.

“It was very respectful. You know, caucus has always had the ability to get into some tough conversations. We did it again today and it went extremely well. Where we land? Who knows? You know we have to go and really process this stuff. But one thing that is absolutely, you know, fundamental is that we are united in the fact that we cannot let that creature from the Conservative party run the country. He would ruin things that people greatly value.”

Ken Hardie, MP for Fleetwood—Port Kells

———

Comments from before the caucus meeting:

“There’s a — what would you call it? Some palace drama going on right now. And that takes us away from the number 1 job, which is focusing on Canadians and focusing on the important policies but also on showing the really clear contrast between our government, our party and Pierre Poilievre.”

Randy Boissonnault, Employment Minister, MP for Edmonton Centre

———

“We’re going to go in there and we’re going to have an excellent discussion and we are going to emerge united.”

Treasury Board President and Transport Minister Anita Anand, MP for Oakville

———

“I think caucus is nervous because of the polling that has been constantly going down in favour of Liberals, and there’s a lot of people who do want to run again. I’m not running again, although I already told the prime minister that. But there are people there that want to run again and they’re nervous because of what polls are saying.”

“He has to start listening.”

Ken McDonald, MP for Avalon

———

“We’re going to have a good caucus meeting. MPs should be free to air their perspectives, I’m sure they will, and we’ll come out of it united.”

Peter Fragiskatos, MP for London North Centre

———

“I have to read the room. There’s all sorts of wheels within wheels turning right now. I’m just going to go in there, I’m going to make my mind a blank and just soak it all in.”

“I’m not going to say anything about (the prime minister) until I have my say in there.”

Ken Hardie, MP for Fleetwood—Port Kells

———

“I wish there was a mechanism for it, yes,” he said, responding to whether he wanted a secret ballot vote in caucus to determine Trudeau’s leadership.

Sean Casey, MP for Charlottetown

———

“The prime minister will always be on my posters and he is welcome in Winnipeg North any time.”

Kevin Lamoureux, MP for Winnipeg North

———

“Absolutely I support the prime minister.”

Yvonne Jones, MP for Labrador

———

“When you look divided, you look weak.”

Judy Sgro, MP for Humber River—Black Creek

———

“I think Pierre Poilievre is absolutely beatable, he’s ripe for the picking with the right vision, the right leadership and the right direction for our party. The Liberal party is an institution in this country. It’s bigger than one person, one leader, and it’s incumbent on us as elected officials to make sure we put the best foot forward.”

Wayne Long, MP for Saint John—Rothesay

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.



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With Liberal election win, First Nations in N.B. look forward to improved relations

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FREDERICTON – Chief Allan Polchies says he is excited about New Brunswick’s new Liberal provincial government.

Polchies, of St. Mary’s First Nation, says he looks forward to meaningful dialogue with premier-designate Susan Holt after years of tense relations with the outgoing Progressive Conservatives under Blaine Higgs.

He is one of six Wolastoqey Nation chiefs who have filed a land claim for a significant part of the province, arguing treaty rights have not been respected by corporations and governments, both of which have exploited the land for hundreds of years.

The December 2021 court challenge has been a sore point between Indigenous Peoples and the Higgs’s government.

Eight Mi’kmaw communities are also asserting Aboriginal title to land in the province, and they say they hope to work with Holt and her team on “advancing issues that are important to our communities.”

Holt’s campaign didn’t give details on the Liberal government’s position on the Indigenous claims, but she has said she wants to rebuild trust between the province and First Nations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Abdelrazik tells of despair when Ottawa denied him passport to return home from Sudan

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OTTAWA – Abousfian Abdelrazik told a court today about the roller-coaster of emotions he experienced during the tense days of early 2009 when he awaited the green light to return to Canada from Sudan.

The Sudanese-born Abdelrazik settled in Montreal as a refugee and became a Canadian citizen in 1995.

During a 2003 visit to his native country to see his ailing mother, he was arrested, imprisoned and questioned about suspected terrorist connections.

Abdelrazik says he was tortured during two periods of detention by the Sudanese intelligence agency.

He is suing the federal government, claiming officials arranged for his arbitrary imprisonment, encouraged his detention by Sudanese authorities and actively obstructed his repatriation to Canada for several years.

In March 2009, he made arrangements to fly home to Canada and asked Ottawa to issue him an emergency passport, but his hopes were dashed — at least temporarily — when the request was turned down.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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