SOCIAL CHAOS ON EDMONTON'S STREETS BEGINS WITH ADDICTION

Re: "Good answer to city's fears of murder rate," Opinion, Aug. 11.

It is a sad reality that any public statement made is viewed as a
satisfactory beginning to what is a multi-decade problem with roots
that are societal and reflective in all communities in Alberta.

The Stelmach regime's answer was "safer communities," which failed
miserably. The federal government continues with the American-style
building of more jails while leaving in place legislation that sees
criminal gangs being sanctioned by the courts. In Edmonton, social
initiatives are quashed by community leaders who say: "Build it
anywhere but in my backyard."

With this as the backdrop, as always, the policing agencies are given
the unenviable task of cleaning up a societal mess brought on by
20-plus years of lax illicit drug enforcement and underfunded social
transfers for addicts, coupled with a provincial government that
centralizes all services within regional hubs rather than at the
community level. If there is to be any hope of changing the "street
tough" Edmonton culture it must begin at all levels of government,
including within our public and separate schools, which continue to
churn out young adults whose attitudes toward the better good of
society are non-existent. Drug use begins in our schools and leads,
for some, to lifelong addiction.

While social scientists will continue to define the problem as
multi-faceted, it remains a singular issue, brought on by addiction,
no matter the decade or age of the addict. Until residents and
community agencies whose work has done little to quell addiction
recognize that new approaches and attitudes must be formulated to
deal with the minority who have created the social chaos, expect
little change in Edmonton's homicide rate.

Hopefully whoever takes over the Alberta dictatorship that is the PC
party will quickly implement social policies and priorities that will
work at the provincial level.

As for the federal government, it matters not who is sent to Ottawa,
they quickly forget listening once they have gained their golden pensions.

Grant Dorosh,

Stony Plain