Something wrong in city

Re: Castanet article Attracting the Homeless

As a longtime resident, I have seen the degradation to our town.

When our local politicians of the day supported a prison in our community, I wrote against this and it was the strongest reason in my running for council. Thanks to many, we were able to stop this from coming to Penticton.

However, we were unable to stop it from coming to the valley, and the effects to Penticton have been noted by the RCMP and media. 

The numbers of homeless are growing in our streets. Collectively, they are becoming a danger to us all. Tent communities are developing in larger numbers each summer.

Societally, we need to be looking after our women and children first, not be feeding a largely male, work-capable population. Women are the first responders to the development of society.  It is time men were more cognizant.

Coupled with this, we have a police force that has openly told us they will not be responding to all crime, such as car break-ins – an action supported by this council. 

More homeless and a reluctant police force combined with an absence of political action will become a difficult place to recover from. In the interim, good weather, a prison release rate south of us and BC Housing building more accommodation will eventually embed to our community a layer of crime that is supported by the welfare state that will become what Penticton is.

I thank the very few on council who have the foresight to speak to this. And, yes, this does need to be and election issue. 

Steve Boultbee, Penticton