3079 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

There was no take-up because it wasn’t properly funded. It just had money thrown at it for a patch job, and it didn’t work out.

But yes, rehab isn’t successful for many. I'm sure from a government funding perspective it’s a challenge to keep funding because success rates are so low, and there’s only so much money in the pot.

Clearly, though, housing first hasn’t helped, when the supportive housing programs are stuck in the same line-ups waiting to get people the care or services they might need.

[Victoria Watcher]

There was no take-up because it wasn’t properly funded. It just had money thrown at it for a patch job, and it didn’t work out.
.

Don Evans, executive director of Our Place, said the facility provides opportunities for patients to get involved in activities that could lead to a career path, including the use of a kitchen, arts and craft room and a gym.

The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions provided $4.7 million in funding. B.C. Housing provided a $310,000 grant for renovations and $1 per year lease with no property taxes for three years.

https://www.vicnews....-in-view-royal/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 October 2021 - 12:27 PM.

[Mike K.]

Lots of greats ideas came out of that era, including promises that housing purchased by the province in 2016 would finally solve homelessness in Victoria, and lead to significant cost savings for taxpayers.

I don’t think addiction services that are not compulsory will work. Just like volunteer jail without repercussions doesn’t work.

[Barrrister]

STOP. PLEASE STOP and take a few minutes or a couple of hours to really research what damage occurs to the human brain of drug addicts. Most of the so called solutions posted here are absolutely ridiculous (including this whole set of programs to house drug addicts that is being promoted by the city and the province)

once one grasps that we are dealing with individuals who are seriously brain damaged.

 

The brains of drug addicts are visibly damaged under an MRI scan. The dopamine center of the brain is usually totally compromised. They dont have control of their cravings and the craving is translated into a need almost as great as breathing (I am not being poetic, this is a literal need, more than food or sex). 

 

This is usually also compounded with damage to the part of the brain that evaluates risk. I do not mean that they just have bad judgment when it comes to drugs but in many cases of advanced drug dependency there is no ability to judge risk at all, They OD and the next day they are back to taking drugs. Their best friend dies, back to taking drugs. The part of the brain that evaluates risk and stops risky behavior is actually physically damaged  and often inoperative.

 

It is why treatment centers dont work in 98% of cases, it is why after a year in jail they still come out drug addicts. The bottom line sad fact is that it usually takes at least 3years for the brain to repair itself and parts of the brain like risk assessment dont repair at all, The other sad fact is that in many extreme cases the brain will never repair some centers such as risk evaluation and the cravings will remain life long and extremely difficult if not impossible to resist.

 

What amazes me is how many people with these  "agencies and programs" either bother bother to read the science or actually wilfully chose to ignore it. 

 

This not harm reduction were you set up a system where these poor souls just keep damaging their brains. The brain damage is both cumulative and often permanent. They are physically damaged and incapable of making rational decisions. 

 

Sorry, we really need to institutional these poor suffering souls, hope that some will recover after years of treatment and accept that many will never fully recover. 

 

But for god's sake STOP talking like we are not dealing with people who are seriously brain damaged.

[Awaiting Juno]

STOP. PLEASE STOP and take a few minutes or a couple of hours to really research what damage occurs to the human brain of drug addicts. Most of the so called solutions posted here are absolutely ridiculous (including this whole set of programs to house drug addicts that is being promoted by the city and the province)

once one grasps that we are dealing with individuals who are seriously brain damaged.

 

The brains of drug addicts are visibly damaged under an MRI scan. The dopamine center of the brain is usually totally compromised. They dont have control of their cravings and the craving is translated into a need almost as great as breathing (I am not being poetic, this is a literal need, more than food or sex). 

 

This is usually also compounded with damage to the part of the brain that evaluates risk. I do not mean that they just have bad judgment when it comes to drugs but in many cases of advanced drug dependency there is no ability to judge risk at all, They OD and the next day they are back to taking drugs. Their best friend dies, back to taking drugs. The part of the brain that evaluates risk and stops risky behavior is actually physically damaged  and often inoperative.

 

It is why treatment centers dont work in 98% of cases, it is why after a year in jail they still come out drug addicts. The bottom line sad fact is that it usually takes at least 3years for the brain to repair itself and parts of the brain like risk assessment dont repair at all, The other sad fact is that in many extreme cases the brain will never repair some centers such as risk evaluation and the cravings will remain life long and extremely difficult if not impossible to resist.

 

What amazes me is how many people with these  "agencies and programs" either bother bother to read the science or actually wilfully chose to ignore it. 

 

This not harm reduction were you set up a system where these poor souls just keep damaging their brains. The brain damage is both cumulative and often permanent. They are physically damaged and incapable of making rational decisions. 

 

Sorry, we really need to institutional these poor suffering souls, hope that some will recover after years of treatment and accept that many will never fully recover. 

 

But for god's sake STOP talking like we are not dealing with people who are seriously brain damaged.

 

And in other cases of similar loss of capacity, the family (or state) would be enabled to step in and take decision making out of the hands of the person no longer having the capacity to make decisions. Many need to be wards of the state in a foster like environment with people who work in a very similar capacity as parole officers. What we're doing isn't working, it's just perpetuating the problem. We need to aggressively prevent the damage in the first place (anti-drug messaging, enhanced drug education, firm penalties for drug dealing), minimize harm once it has occurred (get drugs out of our parks and off our streets and into regulated facilities), enable entry into rehab and treatment, and where needed we need institutionalization.

 

Agree fully with Barrister. 

[Mike K.]

New CoV council contender: https://davethompsonvictoria.ca

 

David Thompson says he has a “background in law and economics,” has “worked for governments, non-profits, and the private sector,” is “a small business owner, and a community volunteer.”
Thompson continues:

“I live in the City of Victoria, and I am raising my kids here.
“I’m fortunate to work with good people on analyzing government budgets, improving climate action, serving Indigenous communities, creating good green jobs, improving governance, and building stronger, healthier and more liveable communities.

“Victoria is changing and growing, and we need to make sure it remains a great place to live, work and raise a family. To do this, we need a City Council that is competent, focused, and solutions-oriented.”

[sebberry]

New CoV council contender: https://davethompsonvictoria.ca

 

David Thompson says he has a “background in law and economics,” has “worked for governments, non-profits, and the private sector,” is “a small business owner, and a community volunteer.”
Thompson continues:

“I live in the City of Victoria, and I am raising my kids here.
“I’m fortunate to work with good people on analyzing government budgets, improving climate action, serving Indigenous communities, creating good green jobs, improving governance, and building stronger, healthier and more liveable communities.

“Victoria is changing and growing, and we need to make sure it remains a great place to live, work and raise a family. To do this, we need a City Council that is competent, focused, and solutions-oriented.”

 

I see no criticism of the current council or its actions that got us to where we're at.  

[Victoria Watcher]

https://twitter.com/DaveThompsonVIC

 

 

 

Good grief.  

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 November 2021 - 12:35 PM.

[spanky123]

Saw that he was a lawyer for Ecojustice.

 

All I need to know.

[Victoria Watcher]

yes.  he's a "small business owner" but that just appears to be his consulting firm.

 

https://ca.linkedin....ompson-32864211

[spanky123]

^ Yeah that really annoys me when people refer to themselves as small business owners when in fact that are really consultants. Technically they are correct but they are using the term small business owner instead of consultant for a reason!

[Victoria Watcher]

^ Yeah that really annoys me when people refer to themselves as small business owners when in fact that are really consultants. Technically they are correct but they are using the term small business owner instead of consultant for a reason!

 

Exactly.  Makes me very wary.  It's not like he is meeting an employee payroll every two weeks.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 November 2021 - 01:49 PM.

[m3m]

How is a consulting firm not a small business?  According to the firm's website, the firm has 4 consultants.  At that size there is likely some admin staff as well.  It's clearly a small business. 

[spanky123]

^ I don't know, how about an address or phone number?!

 

The way most of these consulting groups work is that they are a collection of people who belong to multiple groups who actually engage in a project whenever they can win some business.

Edited by spanky123, 12 November 2021 - 02:58 PM.

[sebberry]

https://twitter.com/DaveThompsonVIC

 

screenshot-twitter.com-2021.11.12-15_31_42.png

 

 

Good grief.  

 

Oh good, endorsing the Australian police state...

 

[spanky123]

^ Or this. Sounds like he needs to be running for MLA.

 

 

@DaveThompsonVIC

 

I heard BC cities can't require new buildings to be heated by electricity instead of oil or gas. I did some digging. Many are already doing it, and here are their bylaws: https://bit.ly/2Z7XEHB. I'm updating the list, so feel free to message me more. #ClimateAction #yyj

 

Edited by spanky123, 12 November 2021 - 06:28 PM.

[Mike K.]

When do we decide it’s a good thing that we’re building Site C?

[Tom Braybrook]

When do we decide it’s a good thing that we’re building Site C?

 

2036

[Victoria Watcher]

How is a consulting firm not a small business?  According to the firm's website, the firm has 4 consultants.  At that size there is likely some admin staff as well.  It's clearly a small business. 

 

 

1 that is listed:

 

https://ca.linkedin....llison-thompson

 

Research Associate PolicyLink Research and Consulting

 

Jun 2009  -  Dec 2016 7 years 7 months

Vancouver, Canada Area

I Contribute short-term, timely research and writing for reports on Canadian environment policy issues at the provincial and municipal levels, including green job creation, sustainable economy growth, reducing suburban sprawl, and municipal fiscal tools. I communicate with team members and co-write reports using Google Drive.

 

 

Another:

 

• Executive Director Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria   Jan 2019  - Present2 years 11 months

  Victoria, bc

  Community Social Planning Council leads social, economic and environmental planning in BC’s Capital Region. We engage community members and organizations, businesses and government to research social issues and create sustainable solutions.

   

• Principal PolicyLink Research Canada

   

  Jan 2010  - Present11 years 11 months

  Victoria BC

  Public policy research and communications. PolicyLink works nationally and internationally on economic and public policy issues ranging from energy to health care and trade. The Principals provide regular social commentary to the media, public speaking, conduct research, and advise non-profit and union groups on communications, and strategy.
  
  PolicyLink has produced many publications on social and industrial policy alternatives in resource rich economies from the NWT to BC, Alberta and…

   

  https://ca.linkedin....gibson-9b2aab50

   

  and another:

   

  Research Associate Parkland Institute

   

  1995  - Present26 years

  Edmonton, Canada Area

  Public policy analysis, research and report writing

   

  https://ca.linkedin....anagan-7b750620

   

   

   

  As I stated, they are a bunch of people working loosely on whatever government contracts they can scrape up.  that's not most people's defintion of a "local small business". 

   

  Just say you are consultants to government.

   

   

[Spy Black]

A Together Victoria candidate of the Issit - Loveday variety perhaps?

The kind that don't declare themselves as actually being associated with TV, but support TV's each and every agenda item, effectively carrying the mantle of a "hidden" TV member of Council.

 

Victoria voters need to be wary of any and all "unaffiliated" candidates, and do a investigative look into their past political and business history.

If it looks (even a little bit) like a duck, and sounds (even a little bit) like a duck ... etc, etc.

 

(As well, "Consultants" tend to go whatever direction the wind blows, with "the wind" being whoever happens to be paying their fee, consultants also tend to run for political office with the long game goal of boosting their value as a consultant with a little bit of "political sauce" ... definitely proceed with caution).