METH LIKELY TO BLAME FOR VANDALISM

Editor, the News:

Re: Sick and tired of feeling unsafe in Ridge (Letters, July 20).

I would like to respond to a recent letter in your paper by saying that the
author is seriously misguided in blaming vandalism and crime on people
who've left welfare.

We know that the majority of people who have left income assistance have
done so for jobs or education.

These are people who, through our employment programs, have worked hard to
become independent.

A job reinforces their self-esteem and gives them considerably imroved
earnings upon which to build a stable future for themselves and their families.

The crime problem this writer describes is more likely to be a result of
drug addiction - most notably to crystal methamphetamines. This is one of
the most potent and miserable scourges to move through our neighbourhoods
in a long time.

We must stand together and act with strength and purpose to fight this menace.

Our government is totally committed to working with federal and provincial
agencies across the country, along with every community in B.C., to
implement a decisive, integrated strategy for addressing this problem.

This strategy will involve aggressively fighting the production,
trafficking and increase in crystal meth use, as well as exploring new ways
to deal with street and property crimes committed by offenders to support
their addiction.

Moreover, the Premier's Task Force of municipal and provincial leaders
continues to pursue a multi-level, coordinated approach to mounting
sustainable, long-term solutions for homelessness, mental illness and
addiction.

Claude Richmond, Minister of Employment and Income Assistance