FORSETH - IF the provincial government wants to go about ‘improving public confidence in the justice system’ then it needs to stop using buzz words to dance around the problem and take ‘equal’ action

 

LAST NIGHT (Wednesday Oct 21) on the 6pm TV news out of Vancouver came a story about a mentally unstable individual who had again severely stabbed someone unknown to them – for the second time in just a handful of days.

 

And the relevance of this some may ask?

Well, of course, it happened on the same day that the NDP government of Premier John Horgan announced their much-awaited report on ‘expert recommendations on repeat offending’.

 

Sadly, this report, and it’s recommendations, will do little to stem what has become a plague of street crime by several dozen thugs with rap sheets a mile long – many with 100’s of charges (one alone with 400+ arrests) and VERY LITTLE if any jail time, random assaults on innocent victims on downtown city streets, an epidemic of drugs overdoses and thousands of deaths through a poisoned drug supply, and untold numbers of people suffering from mental health issues who are unable, or unwilling, to care for themselves.

 

According to a media release from Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General General Mike Farnworth, the province ‘in co-operation with the BC Urban Mayors’ Caucus, hired experts in mental health and policing, Amanda Butler and Doug LePard, to provide a rapid, independent analysis of the public-safety challenges communities are facing and recommend evidence-based solutions.’

 

The report lists five main recommendations, which are as follows:

·         improving the system of care for people in the criminal justice system with mental-health and substance-use challenges;
- as I understand it, the court system has repeatedly not convicted, or jailed, those suffering mental health issues, because they have stated it will do nothing provides support and assistance that they need. They are simply being released back into the same communities they having been causing disturbances in to repeat the same problems that keep getting them arrested

·         creating more opportunities to divert people from the criminal justice system;
- what the hell?  The majority of people wreaking havoc on city streets and assaulting people aren’t going into the criminal justice system – hence criminals, the addicted and those suffering from mental health issues are, as I noted above, turned back out onto our city streets

·         improving services for Indigenous Peoples;
- I don’t know enough about this to speak to it

·         improving collaboration between partners, including community services, law enforcement, and all levels of government; and
- ENOUGH with the collaboration -- talk –- studies – and reports.

·         addressing repeat offending and improving public confidence in the justice system.
- I THOUGHT that’s what this report was to do?

 

This NDP government doesn’t have a clue – or refuses to accept and acknowledge – what innocent civilians and business are being subjected to, and to actually do what is needed.  I have to say this given the following absurd statement yesterday by Murray Rankin (Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing):

 “The experts are clear – repeat offending and unprovoked violent stranger attacks are complex issues tied to federal legislation and systemic issues like poverty and access to health care”.

 

I call B.S. on that.  There is nothing complex about the issues surrounding repeat offenders. There’s three main ones; those suffering from drug addiction that commit crimes to feed their habit – those suffering from serious mental health issues who have no idea of reality – or those who have absolutely no regard for others and are happy to ‘take’ what others have … over and over again as they go through the ‘catch and release system’ imposed on us by judges who feel it’s their job to be social workers.   

 

Or this doozy from Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “We want people in mental health crises to get help fast, which is why we’ve been investing and expanding care at unprecedented speed. But there’s more work to do. Some of the report’s recommendations were already underway, like expanding community-based services to help people in crisis and free up police to focus on crime. As my ministry continues to build a system of care, we will implement further changes informed by these recommendations.”

 

Here’s the rub … while the government alleges they are ‘expanding care at unprecedented speed’, there is little indication of this –- one only needs to walk down any downtown city street in communities across the province to see that – there has been little to no evidence to show me change is happening.

Despite those bleeding heart liberals who feel it would be cruel and heartless, those who are suffering from severe mental health issues need to be cared for in facilities that will keep them safe and healthy, and that will provide them with meaningful activities.

Finally, those with little regard for others need to be locked up – period! Individuals who have committed dozens of crimes, and especially those with hundreds of criminal arrests, have long ago given up the right to walk the streets of our communities.

They have given up that right through their actions, and as Newton’s Third Law of Motion states, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The statement means that in every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. The size of the forces on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object.”

 

IF the provincial government wants to go about ‘improving public confidence in the justice system’ then it needs to stop using buzz words to dance around the problem and take ‘equal’ action.

 

Without it, I for one won’t have any confidence in the justice system, or that we are in fact providing the care needed for those with mental health issues.