XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, van.general   
   XPost: vic.general, nanaimo.general   
   From: ConsRCons@govt.cda   
      
   We should be reminded that before the election, Christy Clark spent $11   
   million of ourtax dollars to host Indian bollywood dancingin Vancouver.   
   She was catering to the ethnic vote - which is very sizeable in the city   
   - and she won the election through her planning and our tax dollars.   
      
   But not a word about committing our tax dollars to a much more serious,   
   and worthwhile cause:  getting the mentally ill off our streets and into   
   facilities that can treat them.   
   That would have been a much better investment for the taxpayers - in   
   security, in lower policing and health costs and in judicial processing   
   costs.   
      
   But then, we voted in a rightwing government, for which those are never   
   priorities. Power for themselves and profits for companies - those are   
   their priorities.   
   And enough of us fell for it again.   
   ________________________________________________   
      
      
   The Globe and Mail - September 13, 2013   
      
      
   Vancouver mental health crisis demands resources, Robertson says   
      
   Mayor compares untreated mental illness problem to HIV/AIDS epidemic   
      
      
      
   The city of Vancouver's issues with mental health have reached a crisis   
   point, says Mayor Gregor Robertson, who is calling on senior levels of   
   government for urgently needed resources.   
      
   At a joint news conference with Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu on Friday   
   morning, the Mayor likened the city's current mental health situation to   
   the HIV/AIDS epidemic 15 years ago.   
      
   "We are now in a situation where there are hundreds of people with   
   severe but untreated mental illnesses that are at a high risk to both   
   themselves and residents of the city," he said.   
      
   "This is on par with, if not more serious than, what Vancouver faced   
   over a decade ago."   
      
   The emergency room at St. Paul's Hospital has seen a 43-per-cent   
   increase in people with severe mental illness and/or addiction over the   
   past three years, according to the Vancouver Police Department.   
      
   Similarly, the VPD has seen a 16-per-cent increase in apprehensions   
   under Section 28 of the Mental Health Act between 2010 and 2012.   
      
   Mayor Robertson wrote to Premier Christy Clark, Health Minister Terry   
   Lake and Justice Minister Suzanne Anton about a month ago but has   
   received "no direct response," he said.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)