Planner

thumbs-up

839

160

thumbs-down

LETTER: Mayor's reckless comments are disheartening

TBNewsWatch

70

Whether the mayor is factually correct or not, is not the point. The mayor put his finger on something important: the residents of Thunder Bay are tired of the mess and nonsense associated with homeless drug addicts. People are tired of people being intoxicated in public and constantly being shamed by people like Mr. Harris for not doing enough or being the cause of other people's problems.A trip to the Kam River Heritage Park brings the situation into focus. The park is covered in garbage. The homeless are good at making a mess but not cleaning up after themselves. Stolen shopping carts and recycling bins fill the park. Tents and tarps are packed closely together around fire pits. It is a wonder that only two tents have burnt. Then there was the recent homicide. Cast-off furniture is found in abundance. People use extension cords to obtain free electricity. The grass is uncut and the park looks like a wasteland.Mr. Harris why should people be alright with any of this?

9

Toxic drug alert issued in Thunder Bay

TBNewsWatch

56

This is another instance of playing stupid games and winning stupid prizes. Instead of having illegal street drugs tested, how about not purchasing and using illegal street drugs in the first place? This is what we call responsible adulthood. Nancy Regan had in right in the 1980 when the slogan for her anti-drug campaign was "Just say no!!!" The solution to drug overdoses remains that simple 40-years later.

19

City council maintains five metre distance for encampments

TBNewsWatch

59

When does the nonsense end, such as Dougal Media referring to "conflicts between encampment residents and non-encampment residents"? Politicians, advocates, and media alike have stopped referring to the homeless as homeless and now want to pretend that the homeless have an existence equal to the people that own or rent actual houses. This is absolutely ridiculous when you consider that I live in a house with utilities while the homeless live in tents, I pay taxes while the homeless consume taxes, I possess identification with an address with the homeless have no address, and I provide my own showers and meals while the homeless have their hands out for everything. When will somebody have the common sense to acknowledge that the response to the homeless is inadequate, that the homeless need rules and structure instead of guidelines that can follow or ignore as they see fit between cans of beer, and consequences for actions. Politicians need to stop failing taxpayers.

Compassion for homeless underway 'with few resources'

TBNewsWatch

50

Since Pepe wants to talk about homelessness in the context of morality, let us have a discussion about morality. It is immoral to move to Thunder Bay with the explicit intention of taking advantages of the resources Thunder Bay and to make no positive contributions to the community. It is immoral to get stoned or drunk every day and to place getting stoned or drunk above everything else, including working, looking after yourself, and providing for children. It is immoral to expect other people to look after you and to blame them for the hardships you experience in life. It is immoral steal items or to possess items that are not yours without permission of the owner. It is immoral to collect an infinite number of items and create endless amounts of garbage and waste that others have to clean up. It is immoral to believe that the rules and structure of society that produce stability and order do not apply to you. It is immoral when you do not pay for utilities like electricity.

5

Shelter House client describes the challenges of being homeless

TBNewsWatch

40

This is not a news article. Rather, it is editorial consent, a soapbox from which Carlin can preach his woke nonsense. Carlin takes about "Systemic discrimination," economic inequality," the "privileged," and correcting "misconceptions." These phrases are intended to shame and intimidate. These phrases are intended to make people feel guilt and shame and to make people believe that they are racist and unworthy of the things that they have earned and worked hard for, often over the course of decades. At the beginning of the article, Wapoose is quoted as saying, "It was a choice that I made, just to give up everything." Wapoose acknowledges that she made choices and these choices contributed directly to her present circumstances, including homelessness and alcohol consumption. Wapoose acknowledges that she possesses agency.Instead of shaming people, Carlin needs to recognize that people have bad outcomes when they make bad decisions. Good decisions lead to good outcomes.

9

Shelter House client describes the challenges of being homeless

TBNewsWatch

34

There are too many references to trauma by Dougall Media. Trauma is a part of life. There is no person that has lived or will live that has not experienced trauma. I could talk at length about the tremendous traumas i have experienced, including the passing of my mother in the spring. My traumas have been very deep and very crushing. My traumas have caused pain, have complicated my life, have caused my life to be very different than it would have been otherwise, and at one point required me to live away from Thunder Bay for several years against my will. My traumas have been very costly. My traumas, however, also have shaped how I live and have provided tremendous insight into life. My traumas have caused me to become stronger and to not throw in the towel on life. My traumas have motivated me to press forward and to be successful. Not continuing to press forward in the presence of pain and trauma was never an option. Life is existing in the presence of trauma.

9

Shelter House client describes the challenges of being homeless

TBNewsWatch

32

What is brave about choosing to give everything up, keeping in mind that "choice" is the word she is quoted as using in the article? What is brave about giving up your responsibilities, especially as a foster parent? What is brave about leaving your home community and moving to Thunder Bay to be homeless? What is brave about engaging in alcoholism? This sounds like throwing in the towel and choosing to run and hide from the realities of life, the opposite of bravery. People are not healing and moving forward. The lack of healing and moving forward is on full display everyday in the Kam River Heritage Park, on the stairs of St. Andrews Presbyterian church, and in Patterson Park. The lack of healing in the south core is so great that the St. Patrick Cathedral had to fence off its park. This occurs in the abundance of resources being funneled through Shelter House, Grace Place, Pace, the Indigenous Friendship Centre. etc.

8

Here are some other options during the LCBO strike

TBNewsWatch

16

Another option is abstain from the consumption of alcohol.

24

Over 100 people are still living in tents this winter

TBNewsWatch

38

Gauvin always wants to point the finger, to asign blame, and to shame public organizations and the public at large. It seems that everyone but the homeless is to blame for them becoming homeless and remaining homeless, classic intersectionality. Of course, there are never enough resources and solutions can never be developed quickly enough. Gauvin is always negative and does a great job of alienating people.Instead of providing expensive ice fishing huts and other supplies, Gauvin needs to encourage people to accept assistance on the terms it is offered. Accept the shelter bed, even if this involves separating couples. Do the responsible and kind thing by giving pets to people that can look after them properly. Stop using drugs. Stop with the childish nonsense and the intersectionality. No amount of public resources can teach people to make responsible decisions. This seems like the Scarecrow searching for a brain in the Wizzard of Oz.

1

City wants feedback on shelter village locations

TBNewsWatch

34

If Council was really committed to democracy and consultation, they would have sought public feedback prior to approving the concept of a homessless village, especially no candidates campaigned on this issue in last election, the cost of the initiative, and the speed at which the decision was made. Council has exercised more due diligence on infrastructure projects that are a fraction of the homeless village. Property owners please remember this dereliction of duty when the clowns on Council stand for re-election.

5

Two sites identified for 'village' for homeless people

TBNewsWatch

36

When does a sense of sanity take hold in Thunder Bay? At some point, Administration needs to recognize that society cannot spend its way out of the homeless crisis. Considerable financial resources have been provided by the federal and provincial governments for housing-related initiatives. Agencies including the TBDSAAB, Grave Place, PACE, Elevate Northwest, Shelter House, the Indigenous Friendship Society, etc. are providing services to the homeless on a daily basis with little to show for the effort.Thunder Bay will turn out like other municipalities. In Hamilton, property owners have paid tens of millions of dollars to fund homeless initiatives. Hamilton has not been remembered for these expenses despite the fact that homelessness is not a municipal responsibility. The portion of the budget devoted to homeless initiatives only increases without any improvement. All property owners can look forward to are increased taxes and decreased services.

1

Parkette advocates hope council will build houses somewhere else

TBNewsWatch

26

This is another instance of politicians, in this case, Hamilton, being tone deaf. He needs to listen to his constituents. People use and enjoy the parkettes. The parkettes enhance people's quality of life and provide easily accessible opportunities for recreation. Selling the parkettes is unnecessary as there is an abundance of serviced land that is already zoned for residential development.

10

City considering $4 million for temporary shelter village

TBNewsWatch

32

This article highlights the growing inequality between the homeless and those that work, pay taxes, and own homes. It is another instance of those that do nothing and contribute nothing being rewarded for their lack of effort and those that contribute to society being squeezed yet again. It is time to stop normalizing and enabling disruptive and destructive behavior.The provision of waste collection requires special comment. For my $4,000 in annual taxes, I get to out two garbage bags each week that weigh no more than 40 pounds each. I am required to take large items like couches and construction waste to the dump and pay tipping fees. Dumping on city property results in fines. Meanwhile, the homeless that overrun the Kam River Heritage Park pay $0 in annual taxes and collect chairs, couches, tables, mattresses, etc. as a hobby and deposit large mounds of trash near the garbage cans. A contractor is hired to clean up this mess. Where is the fairness and equality to taxpayers?

2

Over 100 people are still living in tents this winter

TBNewsWatch

32

The Abbey and Grace Place are both Christian organizations that have stepped forward to operate DSSAB-funded beds over the winter.

1

ICYMI: Service dog removed from home because it got too fat

TBNewsWatch

25

I hate it when people claim they are being discriminated against on the basis of disability or other prohibited grounds when they are held accountable for their actions, or in this case, their lack of actions. Not overfeeding a dog and providing it with regular exercise so that it does not become overweight are reasonable requests, especially as National Service Dogs attempted to work with the family on several occasions.It is unfortunate that the Ontario Human Rights Commission became involved in this matter and National Service Dogs, a charity, had to devote time and money to participating in a three ring circus. It is also unfortunate that the service dog had to be retired because of obesity and the investment made in the dog was effectively lost. Finally, it is unfortunate that National Service Dogs is unlikely able to recover its costs from the irresponsible family that inappropriately claimed discrimination.

1

SUV shatters windows at local car dealership

TBNewsWatch

18

How can somebody be so incompetent?

7

Council ratifies encampment action plan and temporary village

TBNewsWatch

20

If the comments posted on Dougall Media are indicative of people's sentiments, it is apparent that most residents of Thunder Bay do not want Council to fund a homeless village. Council should respect the will of the people, that is what we call democracy. People want Council to fund traditional municipal services, including snow removal, garbage collection, street lighting, and public transit. These are services on which people depend and which make a difference to the quality of people's lives. There is the possibility that municipal services will be reduced and that taxes will be increased to fund homeless initiatives. Finally, there is no long-term evidence that proves homeless villages actually achieve their goals.

2

Letter: Time to get serious about ending homelessness

TBNewsWatch

17

Unfortunately, society cannot solve homelessness. Despite the investment of significant financial resources, the situation is only growing worse, as evidenced by the dramatic increase in the number of homeless counted in the recent point in time survey. Society will go bankrupt before the situation is "fixed" because you cannot "fix" people, especially in a woke society that allows people to camp in parks without consequences and that will not force people into treatment. The situation will only improve when people decide to stop engaging in self-destructive behavior, such as abusing drugs and alcohol, or avoiding self-destructive behavior in the first place. The sad reality is that only a small portion of drug addicts and alcoholics will ever obtain long-term sobriety after completing treatment. Most addicts will eventually die directly or indirectly from their addictions.The best society can do is to budget the money we can afford to contain the excesses of homelessness.

4

Council to fast-track affordable housing funds

TBNewsWatch

16

This approach to financial mismanagement is arrogant and contemptuous of taxpayers. My tax dollars become "free money" that organizations can use to build housing. This spending provides no benefit to me as a property owner and taxpayer. Equally important to the creation of additional housing is reducing the tax burden on property owners. Obviously, Council failed to cease an opportunity to be financially responsible.The worst part of this exercise is the unreasonably high level of risk that Administration recommend and Council adopted with regard to future HAF and BFF applications replenishing the reserve funds that will be spent. There is no guarantee that the applications will be successful, that they will recoup all of the money that was spend, or will provide funding in a timely manner. Anything less than 100% recovery represents a financial loss to taxpayers and creates a perverse situation in which my taxes increase to replenish the "free money" given to other people.

3

LETTER: Rethink homeless village location

TBNewsWatch

16

Suggesting that "people can't help being homeless" seems naïve. Normally, there is something people can do to avoid or improve their circumstances. For example, the recent point to count survey confirmed that addiction is the leading cause of homelessness. So instead of normalizing and destigmatizing addiction, it would make more sense to not abuse drugs and alcohol in the first place.Of course, if the homeless are not to blame for their situations, it is the fault of somebody else, classic intersectionality. For you the culprit is clear: land lords. You do not acknowledge that the cost of purchasing or constructing all types of accommodation, not just apartments, has increased dramatically and is negatively impacting everyone that is housed. You also fail to mention that many land lords have been burnt repeatedly by tenants that do not pay the rent and/or cause excessive damages and that it is impossible to recover these costs from people without assets.

2