First Time in Modern BC History, “FEAR” is an Election Issue!

Last Tuesday, I had an early morning appointment on Burrard Street near Davie. I parked on Davie towards Thurlow and headed east … and there he was, in my path, a shabbily-dressed middle-aged (seemingly) homeless-type individual, grumbling out loud at some unseen foe, and carrying a long wooden stick as he careened down the sidewalk.

I have to admit, as we passed, I felt anxious.

Would he swing at my head as he went by? Try to mug me? Would anyone come to my aid?

Nothing happened … except it reminded me why, for more than a year now, I have tried to avoid walking/shopping along Davie Street east of Thurlow to Granville, and on Granville from the bridge to Smythe.

Times have changed.

I used to live in the West End: loved the area, never felt unsafe walking the streets (or even the lanes) day or night.

I had even become accustomed over the years more recently to homeless people … some of them quite young … sitting in doorways or sleeping, bundled under blankets or asking for spare change. No problem.

However, in recent memory there have been too many very scary incidents in Vancouver: unprovoked assaults; murders of innocent passersby; a man’s hand was cut off; stabbings; people openly shooting up; shoplifting; robberies; wanton vandalism etc. etc.

Who could blame people for being scared!

In the past two years, there’s a new breed that seems to “commute” up Davie from the Granville area each day … lots of them, some clearly drug impaired or mentally unstable, often acting out … making that area somewhere I now avoid, unless absolutely necessary.

Sadly, it’s not just a Vancouver problem.

That same day, public safety was an issue broached on CKNW’s Mike Smyth talk show.

First, there was discussion of a video taken at a New Westminster bus shelter, right across from the police station, showing a young child trying unsuccessfully to flag down a passing bus as two druggies acted out … one quite aggressively … right near her, but the bus driver either didn’t see her or declined to stop.

“I don’t know what’s going on in our city … why we are not getting any help or direction for this obvious huge problem,” complained the neighboring resident whose camera caught the incident.

“People are not feeling safe; my staff don’t feel safe … something has to be done,” added a nearby business owner.

A caller from Maple Ridge told how bus shelters there, also near a police station, often can’t be use by transit riders because of the homeless camped in them, taking drugs openly and even starting fires to keep warm.

Another caller dared public officials and politicians who believe “there’s no danger” on the streets where druggies frequent and shoot up and then act out, to actually spend 24 hours in those areas without bodyguards and predicted they’ll change their tune.

People ARE afraid in BC … in record numbers!

On that same evening’s TV News shows, a survey of 1,200 British Columbians was released by Save Our Streets (SOS), described in a Canadian Press story as “a coalition of big-name retailers, business groups, and community associations who believe street crime and violence have reached a crisis point in B.C.”

It found a whopping 74% of respondents in large and small communities said crime and violence have impacted their “quality of life”; 55% of respondents felt the level of criminal activity had increased; and, 80% felt retail crime has made products more expensive.

And here’s where these results could impact the coming election: 61% taking the survey felt the present justice system “does not achieve balance between the rights of victims and offenders” and 87% supported “harsher sentences for repeat offenders”.

“Though violent crime spiked sharply in 2019 — and hasn’t changed much since then — Statistics Canada data shows the overall per capita crime rate, based on police reports, is down in B.C. by about 3 per cent since 2018,” the Canadian Press story noted.

However, SOS countered, the reason for the “decline” is that many crime victims don’t report incidents anymore, because little or nothing will happen.

You can read more details here: https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/09/24/survey-british-columbians-feel-crime-has-risen/.

And all of this came to light in just one day!

I can’t recall another time in BC when so many people in so many communities have fear for their personal safety and the safety of their family, friends and neighbours just going about their daily activities.

And it likely didn’t reassure anyone when, at the end of the same day that all this above occurred, RCMP announced they had recently arrested two individuals inside a “safe injection site” right downtown in Nanaimo, seized a large quantity of drugs/paraphernalia at a nearby motel, and laid charges of drug-trafficking and possession of a prohibited firearm.

How ironic: the injection site involved is reportedly “next door to city hall and across the street from offices of the local MLA and MP,” noted Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog.

“As politicians, we are literally in the thick of it,” Krog was quoted in the Times Colonist.

And so are the voters.

Too many ordinary citizens now feel anxious or even fear just walking their neighbourhood streets during the day; lock themselves inside their homes at night … or only go out in pairs or groups; and avoid many areas they used to stroll/frequent/shop without a second thought.

It also certainly doesn’t help that so many British Columbians don’t feel the Courts do enough to protect citizens, even from serial recidivist criminals, aided and abetted by provincial Crown Counsels who refuse to even purse charges in many, many cases.

What will be fascinating is whether/how this fear affects how people vote in the upcoming election.

Harv Oberfeld

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13 Responses to First Time in Modern BC History, “FEAR” is an Election Issue!

  1. e.a.f. says:

    I’d suggest more people are afraid because we are older. We can’t out run others nor are we capable of fighting and winning.
    Being afraid is not a good way to live your life, nor should we have to but we got where we are today with the help and assistance of the general population. Politicians didn’t do all of this by themselves. . I’ve seen more parents than I’m comfortable with saying “I have a life to live also”. Yes you did, until you had children. Kids tuning parents out? Well watch babies in strollers while they try to smilie at their parents and they won’t get off the phone. In this province back while el gordo was premier children lived in poverty, schools were closed, teaching assistants disappeared, lack of day cares. If you don’t take care of children and young people you wind up with what we have today.
    the “criminals”, the unhoused, the mentally ill. No one cared until there was a mass of them floating into “our” space–into bus stops, shopping areas, parks, etc. Had they all decamped for some where we didn’t need to see them, no one much would have cared.

    Am I afraid, at 75, not as comfortable as I once was going into areas or dealing with people who aren’t playing with a full deck or who may want my possessions. Can’t run any more, certainly can’t land a punch as well as I used to, O.K. you might not notice you’d been punched.
    There are areas I don’t take a casual stroll through any more. Do I resent it? Sometimes, but I have a fair understanding of how we got here and don’t expect it to change any time soon. Until we deal with the poverty and drugs there is not much which will change. The money laundering which went on in the province did nothing to help. Strategies were not formulated to deal with drug sales out in the open. We didn’t have housing strategies. We left it up to the Gospel City Mission and the Sally Ann to provide housing for street people.
    when they could no longer handle it all, the First United Church in the downtown east side opened their doors in cold weather so the homeless could sleep with some warmth. Did the governments of the day do anything about providing a place for people to live? NO. Did citizens take action? NO. When more kids started to get into dangerous drugs and have mental health problems what did the government do? Not dam much. At one time there were only about 20 mental health beds at Children’s hospital. Those who could afford it took care of the problem themselves either by sending their family member to other countries or finding help here, paying for it themselves.
    In the 1990s new drugs came onto the market and they were dangerous. In fact hospitals would not accept them until they stopped breathing or near it. The police would have to contain them in the paddy wagons until they calmed down or passed out. Read about it and then had to go to the E.R. and sure enough, two city police officers and the wagon and you could hear the guy just raging. Nothing was done to deal with the issue then either.
    We had our chance but people didn’t want to pay taxes to cover the cost of it.
    as I recall Christy Clark deducted nickel for nickel the child support the non custodial parent received if their cusdodial parent was in receipt of Disability payment from the province. She argued the province needed the $14M they clawed back each year. So a child and parent lived on $1,200 a month and MLAs received $1,200 a month in a housing allowance whether the Leg. was sitting or not. It is due to those types of attitudes in this province which leaves us with some of the problems we have today. Get used to it, its not going to get better any time soon.

    (Response: That’s true… as we age, we feel .. and are … more vulnerable. But until now, people of our age have always been able to walk the streets of Vancouver and Victoria and Prince George and Kelowna and Kamloops without fearing so much for our safety! Something has changed and not for the better… And at some point, the politicians and the bureaucrats who create policies have to take responsibility for it what they have done. H.o)

  2. Chuck B says:

    Everything you have written HO and the two above scare the hell out of me. I just read another insight to government mistakes and hidden from the public. Read on it on the CBC website: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vivid-housing-problems-foi-risks-1.7338971

    (Response: I don’t want to scare the hell out of you… But I’m already thinking of something for next Monday, which should make everyone worry, even more! 😁 h.o)

  3. Ijustdontknowanymore says:

    Two problems that need to be addressed right off the bat in my opinion Trudeau and Eby. They must go and their circus of fools. Let’s start somewhere and that change is at least a change. To what we can’t be completely sure, but we can’t continue on with these extreme activist and politically correct maniacs anymore. They are ruining the place. Seems a even healthy young person can just show up and expect everything, and be given everything and not even contribute and work hard for anything. A pair of work boots and a hard hat dropped at their feet might be seen as an attack or insult. Aggressive dangerous druggies can stay that way with guaranteed supply of every paraphenalia needed to continue on. Criminals with revolving door status can keep on track with thier life of causing grief for the general contributing public because of a spineless court system that are basically given their insane mandates by the insane leadership, such as we have in Victoria and Ottawa. But no matter it’s the weak modern breed of brain dead socially correct politicians in power that are completely to blame. I mean completely and literally. Eby and Trudeau being the primary examples of what’s wrong and why it will get worse if we don’t have change and get those bums out of our system and off the hard working peoples dime.

    (Response: I sense many people are starting to feel that the current provincial government has devoted, too many resources to helping those at the bottom of the economic scale, while forgetting those in the middle who contribute so much through their taxes and their labour. But whether those same people are willing to trust Rustad instead of EB… I’m not so sure. H.o)

  4. D. M. Johnston says:

    I am an almost 70, ex prop forward, who played the rugby until I was 57, yet I am reluctant to go into Vancouver because of several questionable instances where, beggars have tried to enter the car (doors are always locked in town) at intersections.

    I am not alone with this happening as more than a few acquaintances have had similiar experiences.

    I had a small store in the downtown core until 2005 and I saw the degrading of the Gastown area begin. This disease has now spread to most metro cities and beyond.

    Politicians seem reluctant to deal with the problem and one reason, which is sad to say, many of those begging or shaking down are first nations.

    I see no change with the current politcal attitudes and I do not think Rustad’s crew will fare any better.

    The sad fact is, society has let this festering sore grow cancerous and now authorities are too weak to deal with the issue, so they just sweep it under the carpet and call those who complain woke, racist, or more. Yes blame the victim first.

    I have absolutely zero faith with all the politcal parties and I find the politcal leaders, not worthy of the title premier.

    This issue will explode when someone will take the law into their own hands and deal with issue and then the full force of the law will eviscerate the victim.

    Our “Brave new world”.

    (Response: i’m not sure about the first nations aspect of your comment, but it certainly seems to me that many of those homeless on our streets are not originally from the Vancouver area. How did we ever get to the situation where it’s the responsibility of Vancouver taxpayers to house, homeless people from all over the rest of the province, Canada, and even other countries??? Perhaps the media should visit Crab Park or Hastings Street or Granville and ask people in the tents where are they from? And then ask the City and provincial government why they don’ send them home? H.o)

    • D. M. Johnston says:

      Let me qualify the statement about first nations and issues. Two long time acquaintances have worked with the First nations and their desperate ongoing drug problems.

      To cut to the chase, many of the addicted come to Vancouver and then fall through the cracks and sadly resort to crime to fulfill their drug needs.

      It is a complete failure of both the provincial and federal governments on so many levels, it becomes unbelievable.

      Sadly there is no real treatment in BC, despite the musings, promises by our politicians and the net result is more and more drug addiction, leading to more and more violent crime.

      The question I always ask; “what of the billions of dollars spent on First nations going?” The Answers I get are unprintable and sadly there will be never enough money to deal with the fat too many addicts.

      (Response: The public and band members used to be able to see much more clearly where all the money went… under legislation brought in by Harper, I believe.But Trudeau ended that openness and made the books private again. Too bad! H.o)

    • e.a.f. says:

      The reason people without money like to come to Vancouver is its warmer than other parts of the country, especially in winter.
      Regardless of what we think about the homeless, addicted, criminals, they live in this country and we ought not to discriminate on what region you came from or we might as well declare each area its own country.
      Some may question why its our responsibility to look after people who aren’t from here. Its simply. Its simply not good manners to let people starve to death because they come from another cities province, country. One could even argue we would be facilitating their deaths and that could get some one in trouble. Do remember we have a Constitution.
      There is enough money in the province to deal with poverty, etc. we just tend to spend it on other things. We neglected to deal with smaller issues as they came up. Now they’re all big problems. Had we kept up with the issues as they arose, who knows things might have been a lot better now.

  5. Gilbert says:

    There’s nothing wrong with talking about self-sustained food production. Of course we can also focus on crime, health care and other serious issues, but self-sustained food production is also good.

    Now let me address Donald Trump. Many Americans feel they were doing better when he was in power. Kamala Harris wants to increase the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% (will it stimulate the economy?), wants to give first-time home buyers a $25,000 dollar loan (it will inflate the value of homes), and hasn’t talked about reducing the national debt. Her running mate, Tim Walz, recently visited the home of Alex Soros, a big donor. Does anyone doubt he loves open borders?

  6. Harold Potter says:

    Harvey here’s my reply. I blame everything on two politician’s. Ronald Regan and his good friend Brian Mulroney. Their tax cut policies was good for large corporations and the wealthy but that’s about all. The income disparity we are experiencing today began in 1980. Trump is the result. People who have suffered low wages, no pensions and almost no health care and one more. Large class rooms in elementary schools. Result ! Anger, revenge, Trump.

    (Response: The problem is that when Trump was in office his first four years, things did not improve for the middle-class: in fact, the economy actually got much worse. That makes me wonder… How he could be so close to getting reelected! H.o)

    • Steve Maudsley says:

      Harold, if you are critical of Mulroney’s corporate tax policies for Canada, you should be even more critical of Chretien’s corporate tax policies. Under his administration the Federal corporate income tax rate was reduced from 28% to 15% for large corporations. Also, most of the provinces reduced their corporate income tax rates during the 1990’s and 2000’s. The income disparity that you are concerned about is due to other matters than income tax rates. This includes our education system putting less emphasis of hard skills, such as math and science. Those skills lead to good paying jobs.

      The top 10% of income earners in Canada (which starts at approximately $100,000 per year as per CRA) pay approximately 65% of all income taxes. I am not sure how much more you expect these people to pay before they take their skills elsewhere.

    • e.a.f. says:

      Its easy, lots of people consider “getting even with the undeserving” more important than having a healthy economy, healthy children, etc.
      There are many individuals here and the U.S.A. who are more interested in keeping people out than in improving the lives of those already here.
      You just can’t make some of this stuff up. Texas, banned abortions to “save lives”. Yes, how is that working. the death rate for pregnant women and those who have recently delivered are rising and the death of babies in their first year of life, they’re dying at a higher rate also. The stats were in the news recently. When they banned abortions a lot of clinics closed. They also provided pre natal care for women, with out that, higher death rates.
      Some people like to allow the rich and power ful to take over because they have been sold on the notion they know better. No they don’t, they’re just richer and that does make them smarter or better. Trump has declared bankruptcy several times. He’s no business man. He’s an idiot but people like to identify with him, who knows why, he is a narcistic jerk with little concern for how the country fares, just as long as he continues to acquire money and power.
      If you want to solve poverty, don’t ask a PhD who has come from a priviledged back ground. Go check with poor seniors, disabled people, single mothers living below the poverty line. They’ll tell you what they need to have improved lives.

  7. nonconfidencevote says:

    I give nothing to young, healthy …beggars. They are bums.
    In this day and age with a lack of workers and everywhere willing to Hire….
    Give me a break.
    I have zero patience with well dressed kids or young adults covered in expensive tattoos and smoking filtered cigarettes begging or intimidating passers by for money ( never food) for them or their stolen pet.
    I have actually stopped and asked beggars to repeat what they have said when I refuse them money and they mutter under their breath.
    No takers yet.

    I have said this repeatedly.
    Voters are very very angry.
    And yet last night on Global 6pm News Rustad was talking about….. BC grown produce.
    Are you kidding me?
    He should be hammering the NDP on the lawlessness in ALL areas of BC.
    Hell, even the FN Reserves are complaining about the drugs and crime in their “nations”.
    He should be hammering the NDP on weekly Emergency Room closures.
    He should be hammering the NDP on 750,000 citizens without a doctor.

    But no.
    Prime time news was wasted with him petting a cow and talking about self sustained food production.
    Painful.

    He will lose the election with amateur hour stunts like that.
    Take the gloves off.
    Get down and dirty with the NDP.
    It’s not like they don’t have endless issues to hammer them mercilessly.

    • D. M. Johnston says:

      Exactly right. Eby’s NDP are extremely vulnerable.

      How about $16 billion to extend the Expo and Millennium Lines a mere 21.7 km?

      How about a $4 billion subway to nowhere under Broadway, that will carry less than half the ridership recommended for building a subway?

      How about a healthcare system, stymied by “paper-pushers”, who seem to more important than doctors and nurses?

      How about being stuck to the bicycle lobby like a tar-baby?

      The list goes on and on. Rustad’s and the Conservatives rise to fame in BC is, in part, because the “Hurtland’s” being ignored and still is being ignored by Eby’s NDP, sieze the bloody moment!

    • e.a.f. says:

      hammering on the lack of drs for e.r.s and thus their closures, hammer away there, but if there aren’t any doctors who will work in those areas, just explain to me how you plan to force doctors, nurses, etc. to work there. There is a shortage of doctors in various parts of the world. It takes about 7 years to get a doctor up and running, they don’t grow on trees, they can’t be imported ready to roll, It might be better if some one came up with a plan to have more doctors work in B.C but until some one has a plan which will work, please stop the wailing, crying, yelling, blaming, etc. If you more doctors it might have been a good idea if the Socreds, B.C. Lieberals, whatever had built more universities to educate doctors. Yes, its up to the NDP to fix the problem but the problem didn’t start yesterday or when the NDP took office.

      I’m no fan of Rustad or the Conservatives, but Rustad speaking about growing food in the province is important and I do agree with him. With climate change and supply chain issues growing food closer to home is a really good idea. The advantage of growing our own food is we know what we are getting and that it meets our standards.

      Getting “down and dirty” with other political parties isn’t good for the health of democracy. You want to keep it civilized so you can work together in the future. You don’t want politicians looking like Americans or Russians, etc. Where would it end? Targeting their families, combing through their personal lives, etc. There are some in the world who are very good at that game, but it does nothing to further the best interests of the general population. Been there, done that, older and wiser now.

      (Response: there is a way to get doctors to take some of the jobs and other communities around the province, but a politicians are too weak and too timid to implement it. How about requiring doctors who are trained at BC medical schools to spend some times in other communities, other than the major cities… Perhaps for giving their student loans at a much more rapid rate. And also, how insane are we to finance the full education of people in medical schools and then as soon as they graduate, allow them to take jobs in the United States, cashing in on big hiring bonuses at private hospitals. This must stop immediately! Any Doctor (or nurse) who gets educated in Canada, and then moves to the US should also be required to repay every penny of the money that the public spent on their education. H.o.)

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