91Ô­´´

Face facts: Alcohol is far from harmless

Re: “Two provinces, two approaches to opioid crisis,” column, May 4.

Les Leyne mentions “… strange new disparities in law. Smoking and drinking beer and wine in some local parks is illegal, but using hard drugs is not.”

It seems a majority of us don’t understand how very much harm is caused by cigarettes and alcohol.

Here are two eye-opening facts: the 91Ô­´´ Centre on Substance Use and Addiction recently reported that alcohol and tobacco caused more than 85 per cent of substance-use deaths in 2020.

And even though opioid overdoses cause a tragic and increasing loss of life, and opioid use had an economic cost of $7.1 billion in 2020, the cost attributed to alcohol use was actually even greater – more than double, at $19.7 billion.

In our society, we are surrounded with ads, movies and entertainment that glamorize and normalize substance use.

It’s high time to glamourize a new normal: ensuring that every individual has the skills, knowledge and support to be able to relax, to have fun, and to deal with their problems, all without the use of substances.

It’s also important to model these skills for our children and youth, so they too can have the inner resources to live happy, interesting and meaningful lives without feeling the need to depend on any particular mood-altering substance.

Grace Golightly

Duncan

On Mount Doug, let’s all try to get along

As a professional dog walker, I pride myself by always respecting the area where I walk my dogs. My pack always stays on the trails and has excellent recall, and I always pick up after my pack.

Many professional dog walkers/­citizens have started a “poop pickup day” once a month to help keep Mount Douglas tidy. Good walkers should not be punished by others with no pride in their work.

Recently, myself and other professional dog walkers have been approached by an individual who claims to be a member of “Friends of Mount Doug Park.”

Once we enter the park he approaches us and tells us not to enter the park or we will receive a ticket from a bylaw officer because, he says, commercial dog walkers are not allowed in the park.

This person knows that what he says is not true, but he is trying to intimidate us.

My encounters with bylaw officers are always positive but we need to see them regularly in the park as this is the only way to prevent any issues on the trails. We never see bylaw officers in the park.

Our hope is that all the users of Mount Doug can respect and preserve the parks natural beauty together and co-exist in a friendly, non-bullying manner.

Sarah Constance

Saanich

Let’s not go back to the institutional days

Re: “A well-intentioned experiment gone bad,” commentary, May 3.

While Natexa Verbrugge gets nostalgic about the institutionalized “care” British Columbians with disabilities and mental health issues received in decades past, they say little about the dark realities of institutions in B.C.

In institutions such as Woodlands and Jericho, residents were systematically abused, neglected, and isolated from friends and family.

While Verbrugge discusses the issues some people experienced following ­deinstitutionalization, research shows that the large majority of people with complex disabilities and mental health needs do much better in community settings, including in mental and physical health, quality of living, happiness, and social connectedness.

Institutionalization was not for the good of people subjected to it; it was done because society was uncomfortable with so-called “untouchables” and “lunatics” being part of the community.

Verbrugge also references long-term care homes as a model of success, yet it is these homes that were graveyards during the pandemic, are rife with neglect, and give residents little or no independence in their lives. It is no wonder rates of depression are shown to increase dramatically when someone enters long-term care – just look up 91Ô­´´’s notorious George Pearson Centre if you want to read some horror stories.

One thing Verbrugge is correct about is the need for robust supports, particularly housing with a range of services. This requires the provincial and federal governments to address the housing crisis more boldly, redoubling their efforts in building affordable rental buildings.

Much more could be said about what improvements are needed, but taking us back to the dark days of institutionalization is not the answer and never will be.

Spencer van Vloten

Editor, BCDisability.com

Those mini apartments are not a good idea

A vast number of small apartments is presently permitted or being built throughout the Capital Regional District. The enthusiasm of the politicians is understandable since the constructions are the quickest and most effective way to increase the “housing units built” claims.

But are they the best way to build a community?

Rather than infill residential areas with more apartments, a much better mode would be to infill with small townhouse developments where raising a family is possible.

We need to maintain the community between the single twentysomethings and retirement homes: raising a family in a one-bed apartment is a tough call, if not impossible.

Justifying the proposal for infilling residential areas with mini-apartments on the grounds of a perceived need for student housing was used for the massive inappropriate redevelopment around Shelbourne and McKenzie.

It wasn’t valid then and isn’t now. If the University of Victoria needs student housing then it should follow the highly successful UBC model and build its own.

UBC-style development of the old dog park would more than satisfy their needs without any negative impact on the surrounding community.

The mini-apartment idea simply isn’t a good one. It will not support the community continuity; will degrade residential areas; will cost the local residents a fortune in building the necessary extra infrastructure and services network.

Time to re-think it.

Alec Mitchell

Victoria

Plenty of assaults, deaths in residential schools

I understand that many readers were reactive to the use of the word “murder” in Charla Huber’s recent column without more elaboration on “proof.”

I realize that many individuals have been unaware or indifferent to the numerous disclosures of violent assaults and deaths of Indigenous First Nations children in the residential schools throughout Canada.

This is systemic negligence, oppression is criminal. Federal systems were well aware of abuse, neglect, lack of medical attention and the cloak of silence that operated in systems intended to assimilate, colonize and disconnect children from the influence of their families and community.

It has not been too far in our past that Indigenous First Nations could compel police, lawyers, social workers, teachers, caregivers and others to assist with investigations and interventions that acted to protect children, not merely move them into systems of protective care and adoptions.

You may wonder how this could happen? Many do not understand the intricacies of the conduct of the Indian Act that would gave Indian agents/federal employees discretionary powers to strip Indians of status, and hold standing in court more compelling than the blood relatives and families of vulnerable children.

I applaud Huber for getting reader attention and I hope more readers will put it on themselves to understand the horrific backdrop of multi-generational trauma that continues to limit optimum health of Indigenous First Nations infants, children, youth and families from realizing their full health and vitality in developing full potential as free and independent people.

Mavis Underwood

Tsawout First Nation

Saanichton

Saanich, reduce the time needed for approvals

I congratulate Mayor Dean Murdock and Saanich council for unanimously approving a plan to create much needed housing.

This plan would involve creating a small apartment zone, allowing developers to build three-storey apartments on single family lots.

The majority of lots would not qualify due to lot size and location. It is estimated that about 1,200 lots could qualify.

My concern is that once developers apply, how long will the approval process take before a building permit can be issued and construction started? Simple rezoning and plan approval in Saanich can take up to three years.

This inconceivable amount of time required will render small apartment construction unfeasible considering the time and costs involved, in the vast majority of cases.

While small apartment buildings containing studio and small one-bedroom apartments are desperately needed, the challenge for Saanich will be to greatly reduce the approval process, so this housing type can become a reality.

Tim Hackett

Brentwood Bay

Indigenous names, how do we say them?

I am delighted to see the addition of Salish names for the parks in the Capital Regional District. I just have one request.

I would like to see a phonetic spelling under the Salish name in order to be able to refer to the park appropriately. Some parks have put these on their new signs but not all.

I am not familiar enough with Indigenous languages to be able to say the new names properly without a phonetic spelling.

L.M. Phillippe

Saanichton

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