JOHN HOWARD PROGRAM IS VITAL FOR NANAIMO

If the federal minority Conservative government wanted to court
trouble in the Nanaimo area, there is perhaps no better way than
failing to fund the John Howard Society's transitional housing program.

This is a program that has been running successfully for six years.
While success of this sort is difficult to quantify, it is apparent
that making sure guys recovering from addiction problems have a safe
place to live contributes to both their well-being and ours.

Anyone can go into detox but the big problem is living in a supportive
environment afterward that minimizes the risk of relapse and returning
to the merry-go-round of using, crime, courts and jail.

This program that John Howard has run since 2003 is not an expense,
it's an investment.

It's an investment in people who have messed up their lives with
drugs. But it's also an investment in the community. The program cuts
down on crime and puts guys back to work who can be contributing to
their families and who might otherwise be collecting welfare.

It is would be irresponsible of the Conservatives to fail to renew the
contract for this vital program that expired on Sept. 1.

Several scenarios come to mind when considering the strange way the
Tories are taking control in Ottawa. It's no secret that this
government, from the prime minister on down, is interfering in the
decisions of government staff.

What was a simple decision since 2003 -- to fund this program in
Nanaimo -- may now be awaiting a stamp of approval from a Tory MP.

Of course we cannot forget a factor that may go into such a decision
is that this is in a riding held by and NDP member of Parliament. If
the Conservatives are playing politics with such an important service,
then they have to hang their heads in shame for stooping so low.

The importance of this program is described well by France Tellier,
director of programs for the society.

"After people come out of a treatment facility, they've lost housing,
they've been away from their families. So now, they're in a fragile
state because recovery is a difficult process and it's new," she said.

"We've had a lot of people gain employment, return to school to do
volunteer work in our community. So the success are many."

And the risk of failure is significant. Failing to fund this program
may not lead to an exponential rise in crime, but it will add to
someone's suffering.

Nanaimo social planner John Horn sums it up very well.

"We know that if these guys don't have a place to live they fall into
the drug world really fast."

The other issue that arises here is that the John Howard Society, hit
hard by other government cuts and the economic crisis, will have to
spend and unexpected $16,000 to $18,000 so that if they are forced to
close the program it does not happen over the holiday season.

The implications of losing the program become serious. Does John
Howard cut other programs with the loss of $16,000 or $18,000? And if
the program closes then one full-time and one part-time position will
be lost. The city also loses a vital link in what Horn calls the
"flow" of funding in Nanaimo to tackle the issue of
homelessness.

What has to happen at this point is the city needs to get a message to
Ottawa that this program is needed by this community. Council must
make sure that the MP for Nanaimo-Alberni, James Lunney, knows his
party will not be looked upon well if this program disappears.

We cannot forget either the context in which this is happening. More
people than ever are on social assistance and we know that poverty and
addiction are closely linked.

Pressure needs to be put on this government to maintain a program that
in the long run cuts government spending by cutting down on crime and
keeping guys from going back to jail.

It's too important to fail.