Turns out there was a small parade going in front of my place. "Youth Honouring Youth"... remembering missing and murdered aboriginal youth.
This is why we need more community youth programs: to provide options besides joining gangs. We also need programs for kids who want to quit gangs. Not that all missing and murdered kids are in gangs... some are innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. We need to starve gangs of new recruits, and incarcerate the ones committing or directing crimes, and rehabilitate those we can.
This is why I volunteered with the Inner City Computer Club: a kid learning to program isn't out on the streets. (Although I was working with immigrants and refugees there, but there are gangs targeting those kids too.)
This is why there shouldn't be a waiting list for addiction rehab programs. I don't care if that means there's normally empty beds costing money, if someone shows up, wanting to get clean, they should be accepted immediately! Yes, they may relapse. So accept them again, and give them another shot. Improve the programs to help prevent relapse. It may not work this time, but perhaps next time it will work.
Improve mental heath programs. Cover psychiatrists and psychologists. Have a referral program, and make sure people know about it. Many people with drug, alcohol, or other addictions are people with mental health problems who are self-medicating.
Some of the stuff that goes on in this city frustrates me. I wish I knew how to help. I wish we had a mayor who cared. (No, the city doesn't decide what medical services are covered, but they could lobby the province and federal government for change.)
