MLA HAS POLITICAL DEATH WISH

It is not often we get to see a grown man committing political suicide. But,
if you've got the stomach for it, consider the death plunge of Lorne
Mayencourt, Liberal MLA for Vancouver-Burrard.

Mayencourt is still making headlines for his attempt, over two months ago,
to chase down and apprehend a mentally ill panhandler whose behaviour the
MLA found objectionable. Apparently the man was yelling "sexual obscenities"
at people. Most of us seeing a man in such an obvious state of aggravation
would tend to walk away. A few might try and get the guy some help.

Few would react the way Mayencourt did. But, after all, he did spend four
nights sleeping outside on the Downtown Eastside just to get a feel for the
plight of the downtrodden souls who regularly inhabit our streets. (He
concluded that aggressive panhandlers were neither homeless nor mentally
ill.)

Not surprisingly then, the champion of the Safe Streets Act figured the
panhandler should be busted. That's why he called the cops. According to one
report, he dialed 911 four times in 36 minutes, because the man was
swearing.

In recounting the events to a reporter last weekend, Mayencourt said: "I
don't care whether he's mentally ill or not. This incident was way, way
beyond an aggressive panhandler."

After what Mayencourt now says was his seven-block pursuit through the West
End that morning, the MLA tried to grab the guy-a citizen's arrest. He ended
up getting slugged and his glasses were broken.

It is hard to determine, given the circumstances as described, which of the
two men was off his meds. Presumably that will come out should the case go
to court. Right now the incident is being considered by a special prosecutor
to see if criminal charges should be laid-against the mentally ill person, I
presume. As overwhelming as you or I might consider this event in our lives,
our intrepid MLA is not one to sit still.

Last week he attacked Vancouver's safe injection site. Well, actually, he
attacked the concept of the site. He said it was useless and a waste of
money.

While the site is not going to solve the city's drug problems all on its
own, there seems little doubt life has improved as a result. The province's
health officer, Dr. Perry Kendall, offered up statistics two weeks ago to
support the argument that the site is the latest step in the city's
successful drug policy

There are 600 injections a day at the site. Illicit drug overdose deaths
have decreased from 1991 in 1998 to 53 in 2004. New cases of HIV have
dropped from 207 in 1997 to 95 cases in 2003. In 1996 there were 377 new
cases of hepatitis C per 100,000 people. In 2003 that was down to 139 per
100,000. And finally, Kendall says, from 1996 to 2003 "there has been a
noted decrease (perhaps not coincidentally) in property offences, break and
enter offences, thefts and thefts from motor vehicles."

All of this may not be solely the result of the safe injection site, but it
is hardly the failure Mayencourt claims.

It is difficult to know, considering the man is the middle of an election
campaign, just which voters would come his way as a result of his actions
and his comments. Even members of his own party are puzzled over his
strategy.

There is, no doubt, more fear among some West End residents over aggressive
panhandling and a perceived rise in crime. And Mayencourt has created a
debate over just how these problems should be handled.

He has chosen to harass people who are mentally ill and is attempting to
discredit a drug policy that appears to be working. These are hardly the
acts of a man who seeks political longevity. It seems more like he is
handing the election to his opponent on a plate.

It is what you would expect from a politician who wants to end it all.