SURREY HAS A DRUG PROBLEM? NO, SERIOUSLY

So let's get this straight: an amateur filmmaker from Surrey, who is also
an admitted drug addict, has made what he's calling a documentary about the
city's drug problems called Crackass: The Surrey Movie.

And he wonders why some of the city's politicians don't take him seriously?
We wonder why any of them would.

First of all, the title of the movie itself - spoofed from the American
film Jackass: The Movie, in which some guys do a bunch of silly, dangerous
and sometimes disgusting stunts - indicates Marko, the creator of Crackass,
isn't even serious about addressing Surrey's social problems.

Then there's Marko himself, who admits to using drugs and destroys any
credibility he could have by refusing to give his last name or provide the
entire movie to the media.

He's also managed to alienate average residents by plastering his community
with explicit posters.

But worst of all, he's hurting his own cause. Surrey certainly has drug
problems - the city's even working on a social plan to address issues like
drug abuse, crime and homelessness.

Marko, for his part, may have some real insight into these issues, having
grown up in Surrey and supposedly experienced its drug scene. But his
approach is all wrong, and because of it, his message is mired in contempt
and sarcasm, and therefore too easily dismissed.

Few of those in a position with enough power to make a difference will have
the patience and perseverance to see through all that.