Pubdate: Tue, 25 Sep 2007
Source: Canadian, The (Canada)
Copyright: 2007 The Canadian
Contact:  http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4483
Author: Traci Lawson

CRACK COCAINE AND RELATED PROBLEMS IN VANCOUVER RESULTS FROM THE 
BREAK DOWN IN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Social despair in Vancouver that is centred in the East side, can be 
easily redressed with provincial government leadership, which is 
inspired by social responsibility. Unfortunately for British 
Columbians the government of Premier Gordon Campbell seeks to 
primarily serve the resource exploitation interests of largely U.S. 
corporations over democratic ideals associated with defending the 
quality-of-living of all people.

The worsening context of social despair in Vancouver's East Side 
which effects the entire city's quality-of-living can be further 
traced to the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, which has 
placed pressure on government in Canada to abandon vital social 
policy initiatives.

Chronic Addiction Substitution Treatment (CAST) initiative documents 
that, "The illicit drug problem and the accompanying crime and public 
disorder caused by the drug problem are the greatest threats to 
livability in Vancouver."  http://www.castvancouver.org/

CAST further documents that most recent epidemiological data suggest 
that approximately 33,000 British Columbians have a dependence upon 
illicit drugs; rates of illegal drug use, drug-related mortality, and 
drug-related pregnancy and childbirth complications are all higher in 
BC than in the other provinces. Illegal drugs seized in BC have the 
highest average potency in North America. In Greater Vancouver alone 
in 2005 there were over 140,000 property crimes reported to police - 
more than any other centre in Canada. Although the overall crime rate 
in BC has decreased over the past decade, drug offences have increased by 63%.

The Downtown Eastside (DTES) of Vancouver is the oldest neighbourhood 
in Vancouver, bearing the dubious distinction of being Canada's 
poorest postal code. Once the thriving centre of turn of the century 
Vancouver, the city's original City Hall, courthouse and first public 
library are all located here.

Today, pockmarked heritage buildings and unsafe streets and alleys 
have become a transitional home for thousands, and the homeless 
population continues to rise. During the last official homelessness 
count in Greater Vancouver in March 2005, officials estimated that 
the total number of homeless had doubled to 2000 in just three years.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart