Homeless

I've figured out a sure fire way to improve Canada! Start by clearing the streets of our cities of all these homeless rabble that are cluttering up the sidewalks and parks.

I live in the GTA, but is it the same all over the nation? Everytime I turn on the news at this time of year, I get inundated with a lead story about how the City of Toronto has declared a "Cold Weather Emergency". Then we hear from all the "Street Nurses", social workers, professional activists etc, who whine about how "we" are not doing enough as a society to take care of the homeless and this will lead to deaths, blah, blah, blah.

The whole thing is just a scam by a self appointed homeless industry to perpetuate it's own existence and reem even more money out of my paycheque every month. Fuck that noise.

I have a different opinion on it. Most homeless are on the street for a reason. Western, capitalist society is the most efficient and abundant system the world has ever seen for providing for its members. But there are always going to be some who can't get with the program. That's too bad, but hey, don't blame me. If it were up to me, we'd solve the problem in a heart beat. I would institutionalize the mentally ill who wander the streets muttering to themselves.

I would just leave the rest to rot, and lock them up if they stepped out of line.

Who really disagrees with me? Don't tell me you guys aren't sick of seeing these suburban teenagers who are bored with their shopping mall upbringing stream into the city each summer to live under bridges, grow a mohawk, and travel from activist ralley to activist ralley.

As for all this talk of "affordable housing", all I can say is this. I worked hard for my house. Somebody should tell these whiners from the homeless lobby that you don't get to wake up after the big 11 year crack party and get all the things for free that the rest of us work our whole lives for.

Most of the programs you speak of are just short term solutions for much deeper problems, and I agree we shouldn't be wasting money on them. Education is failing these people and the ones who are mentally handicapped deserve to be put in instituions where they can get help.

Lawndart, who pissed you off to get all worked up like that???? Just a question ,, LOL Granted there are many who are on the streets who are there by thier own choice, but I think he majority are victems if circumstances beyond thier control.. and NO not all street people are crack heads dude.. With the cutting back of monies for social programs yes unfortunatly a lot of the m,entally challenged folks have been left to thier own devices to survive, and most who never got the education in social survival dont stand a chance on thier own.. I used to volunteer with groups and schools that tried thier best to teach these folks how to make it on thier own. but for the most part they were housed/schooled untill they were old enough that the programs didnt cover them any more and they sere sent off to fend for them selves..As for the crack heads I have no pity for them.. But like I said ther are a lot of people who never got the chance to do better than what they have.. I try to help thoise, by giving them a hand up, not a hand out... There was a man who cried I have no shoes until he met a man that had no feet... Be gratefull you are where you are, and realise had you beenj born to a different mother or father, YOU might have been one of these street people you hate so much...

What a moronic, self-serving, Rand-worshipping simpleton. You know this is same twit that cries when he loses his job, wants cheap education for himself and his family, affordable healthcare for his little boo-boos and government-influenced car insurance premium controls. He’s a hypocrite looking for relevance.

Don’t like the poor? Aren’t you the tough guy? Hey, why not take it out on intellectually/physically challenged kids that are a major source of expense for the public school system? Aren’t they a major expense too? You are a joke…take your neocon agenda and shove it up your ass.

I dunno.. im kinda sick of homeless too, I don't know if anything that the governmanest has tried or is trying is making a difference. In Vancouver there seams to be more and more. And why not? they have it pretty good here, it doens't get really cold.

Here is my solution. There is an old minning town on the northern BC coast that is for sale, 5million or something. The BC governmaen t buys it and sends all the street bums there. They have buildings there, they have a hydro-electric dam for power, there is an old salmon fishery they can make there own food. they can do whatever they want. Its not a jail, they would be free to leave at anytime on the fery that ould make routine trips. But if they are found on the streets again after a warning or so, they would be sent back.

Maybe im just crazy...

Well, you know, my uncle came damn well close to being on the streets in B.C. Luckily his brother lives there and his mother.

He had a good job in Ontario and left for the west coast; beats me why he did that. He's a smoker, and picked butts out of the ash trays in the malls. The thing is, HE'S NOT A BUM!

I think people really need to pull their heads out of their ass *cough* Lawndart, and yes, you too, Trev...don't ban me.

Anyway, the problem is part of the government's fault, and partly some street people's faults.

In Halifax, I think a single person gets $225 a month! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's not even enough to feed and clothe a baby for a month, let alone house, feed, and clothe an adult for a month!

The government, well, what can I say, the stage is set for a weak U.S. style social welfare system and that will make the matter worse. Do you guys really think the government is interested in it's citizens' welfare? :lol:

Now, some street people are on the street as a matter of choice; others are simply not; my uncle is an example of what can happen. What does one do when they work at a minimum wage job, have rent, bills, transportation and food to pay for? If that isn't enough, they still get the shit taxed out of them. The so-called budget, putting the basic tax exemption up to $10K, well that is a damn joke! It should be at least $15K; that is only $1250 dollars a month gross! What's rent now? How much is food? How much is the bus now?

I'm done my rant for now, but may pop back to see if anyone else is deluded.

I personally believe that we could maybe solve 2 problems in one action. The homelss who aren't mentally unable or drug addicts could be enlisted in the millitary. It would not be forced, just shown to them as possibly the best option. The millitary gives them 3 meals a day, a bunk to sleep in and people to converse with. They could recieve training in areas like fire suppression (in case a fire storm happens like here in BC a few years ago), first aid (because that looks really good on a resume) or they could remain in the millitary. It would help solve the homeless people's problem, and it would help our situation with lack of millitary force. What do people think...?

Oh, I remembered something. When we had the big fire sorm in BC 2 years ago they were begging for people. Why could they not grab able, homeless people from the streets and put them on a bus and ship them to fight the fires. My brother fought the fires and in 28 days he made 12 grand or something. He was getting 12.25 and hour, but since the worked 14 hour days, he got 12.25 for the first eight hours, then like 18 and hour up untill the 12 hour mark then 24 and hour for the last two hours of every day. And on the 7th day of straight work, they got double time all day.

I dont know how well that would go over with the professional soldiers, serving with others who are there just to get them off the streets.. Not a motivated group id say..

DMP: Some excellent suggestions! I like both the military and fire fighting options.

Godz, can you substantiate what you are saying with a link, please?

Now you have me suspicious, Godz. Think about it. The government has a weak U.S. style social security net in place, more people end up on the streets because of this, the government then passes a bill that says all able-bodied homeless people must serve for 4 years, which I'm sure the public wouldn't say boo about since they would think it would be for the better to give these people discipline and become productive members of society, and the military now has an endless supply of able-bodied people under their command. Christ, I scared myself with that plan! I always wondered why I had a 666 blemish on my belly!

... I say offer them a hand up, not a hand out...Also 4 years to serve??? Most countries that have a mandatory service, its 1 year. 2 years at most...