TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK

In the past week, this community has run through a long list of
emotions in the wake of the murder of Rodney Hadwyn, the shooting of
police officer Keith Calderwood and the death of Corey Armstrong of
Toronto.

Shock. Disbelief. Fear. Grief. Concern. Sadness. Relief.

Some people have felt paralyzed by not knowing how to help. Others
have stepped forward to support the Hadwyn and Calderwood families as
best they can.

Having two violent incidents in a few short days has shaken us up.
Yes, they happened in different locales and under vastly different
circumstances.

The common thread is the drug culture that underlies the settings of
both deaths. Other attacks have taken place along the railroad tracks,
usually by those looking to grab quick cash for an equally quick high.
In Lindsay, officers were trying to follow through on a drug warrant
when the gunfire began.

Ultimately, we're left with two dead men -- one with roots in this
community -- and an injured police officer who has done so much to
help children within this region.

Const. Calderwood raises money for pediatric cancer by riding from
school to school. He had a close relationship with this Little brother
through Big Brothers Big Sisters and runs a golf tournament in the
late teen's name. He has a young closeknit family.

Thankfully, he is going to recover. However, it is too late for the
other men who died so violently.

We hate the see this happen again.

For any deniers, it's time to stop believing that hard drugs have not
integrated this community and destroyed lives of addicts and their
families. That circle widens every time an addict steals or robs to
feed his or her habit.

Police officers like Const. Calderwood are doing the best they can to
interfere with the business of drug trafficking. However, until we
address the insatiable need for people to get high, we're going to
face more and more problems that lead to that list of emotions all
over again.

No one wants to see their child strung out or resulting to violence to
feed a drug habit. Until we address the mental health and related
issues that lead addicts to this life, we cannot expect anything to
change.

That means more resources for counseling, not just policing. That
means preventing sexual assault and not ignoring it.

Every drug user has his or her own story. We just hate to see them end
with police bullets.