Pubdate: Mon, 15 Aug 2011
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2011 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: 
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Grant Dorosh

SOCIAL CHAOS ON EDMONTON'S STREETS BEGINS WITH ADDICTION

Re: "Good answer to city's fears of murder rate," Opinion, Aug. 11.

It is a sad reality that any public statement made is viewed as a 
satisfactory beginning to what is a multi-decade problem with roots 
that are societal and reflective in all communities in Alberta.

The Stelmach regime's answer was "safer communities," which failed 
miserably. The federal government continues with the American-style 
building of more jails while leaving in place legislation that sees 
criminal gangs being sanctioned by the courts. In Edmonton, social 
initiatives are quashed by community leaders who say: "Build it 
anywhere but in my backyard."

With this as the backdrop, as always, the policing agencies are given 
the unenviable task of cleaning up a societal mess brought on by 
20-plus years of lax illicit drug enforcement and underfunded social 
transfers for addicts, coupled with a provincial government that 
centralizes all services within regional hubs rather than at the 
community level. If there is to be any hope of changing the "street 
tough" Edmonton culture it must begin at all levels of government, 
including within our public and separate schools, which continue to 
churn out young adults whose attitudes toward the better good of 
society are non-existent. Drug use begins in our schools and leads, 
for some, to lifelong addiction.

While social scientists will continue to define the problem as 
multi-faceted, it remains a singular issue, brought on by addiction, 
no matter the decade or age of the addict. Until residents and 
community agencies whose work has done little to quell addiction 
recognize that new approaches and attitudes must be formulated to 
deal with the minority who have created the social chaos, expect 
little change in Edmonton's homicide rate.

Hopefully whoever takes over the Alberta dictatorship that is the PC 
party will quickly implement social policies and priorities that will 
work at the provincial level.

As for the federal government, it matters not who is sent to Ottawa, 
they quickly forget listening once they have gained their golden pensions.

Grant Dorosh,

Stony Plain
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