WHY CAN’T WE CHANGE!!!

WHY CAN’T WE CHANGE!!! By Joe Ingino BA. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States I have served as your City Editor for the past 30 years. I have seen all kinds of change. Unfortunately, It has not been for the better. The quality of life has diminished to the point that walking down our city streets have become a health risk and or a personal secuirty issue. I get asked all the time. What do I think is the magic formula. Well I ran in the last election on this principle. But it appears that people were happy with the status quo and we are enduring another four years of the same chaos. In my opinion we must address the white elephant in the room. I do not put the blame on the thousands of homeless. As, I am sure that they are not homeless by choice. People tend to generalize that those homeless are a bunch of drug addicts and or suffering from some sort of mental health issue. What we need to do is undestand the psychology. Being homeless is very stressful. It brings about all kinds of emotions that in all cases are difficult to control. Many have no one to turn to. Many have lost hope in society and use alchohol and drugs to offset the daily pain. A pain that runs far beyond any physical disability. If I had been Mayor. I would have shut down the ‘safe’ injection sites. I would have made sure that everyone dependant on drugs.... that Oshawa was closed for business. I would have worked with police to enforce law. Create special detention centers that no one would be able to leave until such time that they were sober and properly At the facility I would have mental health experts running evaluation on people. Those with addiction would be admitted to hospital for treatment. Those with mental health issues would be given appointment to attend a trained mental health worker to deal with the neurosis. For those homeless, I would offer them temporary shelter at a pre-set wharehouse facility. I would create special work programs. Programs that would give these homeless folk the opportunity to earn money.  Programs like ongoing grass cutting for senior. Garbage pick up throughout the city. Snow removal along all our city streets. The City of Oshawa spent 70 million dollars to the Generals hockey team. 50 million for an outdoor pool in Canada. 30 million on the Ed Broadbent Park. You mean to tell me we can’t invest in helping those in need. Those three projects alone are $150 million. 150 million of your tax dollars... that you the taxpayer will never see a dime and or benefit directly. Imagine having 5,000 homeless in Oshawa. Divide that by 150 million. That would give us $300,00/homeless person in assistance. But wait, 2026 is around the corner. Instead of voting in people with substance, vision and solutions. Guess what... Most likely the status quo will reign supreme again. Sad.