tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post4314662840509058468..comments2024-03-28T04:04:03.006-07:00Comments on Paying attention: Harper’s drug flyers a dishonest abuse of tax dollarsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-46046323877893917882008-08-25T20:26:00.000-07:002008-08-25T20:26:00.000-07:00Let's go right back to when the Bank of Nova Scoti...Let's go right back to when the Bank of Nova Scotia was at the corner of Hastings and Columbia. Drug deals were actively carried on in the lobby at the tables where bank deposit and withdrawal papers were placed. I was told to ignore those goings on by the managers. Cops and druggies was the term. The bank closed because of this. The worst incident was when a drug bust went down in front of our customers and the dealer lost all his teeth to a metal shoe horn in the bank/s foyer. That was one of many incidents during my year and a half at that bank. Fast forward to my next career - teacher in an elementary school. Grade six drug dealer - police couldn't do much and principal attitude was don't upset the school board it will cause problems for his promotion. Drug dealer continued to deal drugs in the school successfully. Moved to a new school - same problem- police had their hands tied by not being able to remove the dealer - he was a kid after all and REALLY didn't understand what he was doing. The oldest brother at UBC ran the drugs to his brother in highschool and his youngest brother in elementary school. Again no one dealt with the problem and the administration didn't want to hear about it. New school and new problem. Family of drug runners with the kids doing the dealing and delivery. Everything came to a head when the 'gang' needed to punish one of the runners for using some of 'the money' for a leather jacket. We are talking about a ten year old here. The enforcers came right into the school and came looking for the boy and had absolutely no fear of the call to the office and the police. The police were NOT called as it would not look good for the school. So where does the whole problem of drugs start? With our children and the political, law enforcement, and judiciary let it all happen because of stupid laws that say children are exempt for some stupid reason. The first boy who admitted he was a dealer even told me how he collected his outstanding debts - phone the home of the debtor at 2 or 3 am in the morning and explain to the parent who answered that a debt was owed. You figure out what happened next. This tactic was bragged about on the school ground. Too many people are making too much money for this ever to change. Cynical, you bet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-48075932232920317202008-08-23T10:01:00.000-07:002008-08-23T10:01:00.000-07:00Some Tory MP from Winnipeg blanketed my area of Na...Some Tory MP from Winnipeg blanketed my area of Nanaimo with a free mailer about something even more important to the local community -- barley and barley marketing. <BR/><BR/>What's *wrong* with that party? Do they understand that "West" is not the same as "Prairies"?<BR/><BR/>And what an abuse of taxpayers' money!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-77854003680436585882008-08-23T04:14:00.000-07:002008-08-23T04:14:00.000-07:00I would love to believe that the Harper government...I would love to believe that the Harper government's scare tactics will ward off moderate Canadians, but this level of fear based propaganda has been proven to work throughout our recent history. The sensationalism based around the safety of "our" children from thugs (obviously black, right?), "drug pushers", "junkies" and of course all of the needles just waiting to infect your child (re: the image on the cover of the leaflet) is all designed to manipulate support from parents and people who care about the safety of children in our community. This tactic is based around the idea that they would be negligent or responsible for the endangerment of children if they do anything but agree to a hardline approach to this issue. Logic, compassion, research, education, understanding and all other dialogues surrounding the issue are immediately dismissed and forgotten. It illicits an emotional response from the reader targeting their protective instinct. This is a reaction that defies intellect and logic and rather cements an opinion based on emotion. It's a very basic and primitive manipulation by the expensive marketing teams the conservative government has most definitely hired. I wish I could say that I believe the majority of Canadians will be repulsed by this flyer, but history has shown us people respond to fear and hysteria. Think 9/11. Think Nazi propaganda. I would hate to think that I may have to wear a symbol on my clothes advertising of my addiction like the Nazi's made the Jews. If anyone believes that needle exchange, safe injection sites, and access to other addiction services is not positive then they've never had the great opportunity to meet me. I am a productive, positive, engaging and law abiding citizen who has high goals for a successful career and life who is a full time addict. I'm grateful and dependent on these essential services that keep me safe and healthy. According to the Harper government, because I have this disease (which I work hard to manage, on and off of drugs) I am just a "junkie" who should be institutionalized and forgotten. Hmmmm. I'm your daughter, your sister, your mother, your neighbor, your employee and employer. You'd never recognize me, the "junkie" because I'm not a dangerous person like I've been made out to be I just have a disease. But still the Harper government wants to persecute me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-90475439813289945182008-08-22T19:26:00.000-07:002008-08-22T19:26:00.000-07:00this is one of the tactics to win the elections.this is one of the tactics to win the elections.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-83501969403902565282008-08-22T11:33:00.000-07:002008-08-22T11:33:00.000-07:00Re: The Footnote.....Wouldn't be so sure about tha...Re: The Footnote.....<BR/><BR/>Wouldn't be so sure about that Paul.<BR/><BR/>You don't think they haven't focus-tested this up the whazoo?<BR/><BR/>Because, based on the evidence, it looks like they are trying to make a fear-driven Wedge issue out of this one.<BR/><BR/><BR/>(and then, when they drive back to the middle, will they announce a 'legal drug substitution' initiative'.....?)<BR/><BR/>.RossKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07677239332112652522noreply@blogger.com