Hell in the Streets
Guest: Mayor Leonard Krog
In this edition of Journal, we examine the “horrors that exist on our streets.” That phrase was used by Leonard Krog, the mayor of Nanaimo to describe what he sees every day in his city.
Others use the euphemism “the disorder in our streets.” But whatever you call it, it certainly denigrates the liveability of so many communities – and it started way before decriminalization.
All across North America, not just in British Columbia, there was a movement in the 1970s, away from institutionalized care for the mentally ill, in part as a result of the movie “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.”
That was a terrifying tale of abuse that no one would support.
However, rather than ask how we could improve the way we care for the severely mentally ill, it was broadly decided that almost no one should be in secured care. Thus, Riverview was closed. A huge mistake, in my opinion.
I realize that the percentage of those who are severely mentally ill and in need of help is small, but to think these individuals would be able to cope on their own, find housing, remember to take their meds, eat properly and be safe is absurd. Instead, so many have become the victims of drug dealers and pimps.
So now, this vulnerable population has to deal with a decriminalization experiment that has increased the public use and abuse of drugs. The drugs are stronger, overdoses are frequent, brain damage too often the consequence. And still there are those who hear of the violent stranger attacks or see individuals lying on the streets in a desperate state but continue to argue against secured care.
Mayor Leonard Krog isn’t one of them. He has been outspoken about the need for a new approach.
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