Editorial – Time to Get Tough on Crime and Bring Our Town Back Or It Will Be Lost Forever

Pete Fisher
12 months ago
• Categories: Editorial

We are 10 days into the new year and things don’t look promising for the future the way it’s starting out.

World wide events haven’t changed yet, but who would expect it in less than 14 days.

What we’re talking about are things locally and maybe, not so locally.

Brookside Encampment (aka Resort) is still flourishing. Better and bigger tents seem to be coming. And stoves are in place.

Employees with Infrastructure Ontario, specifically the communications department get paid regularly and yet there is no accountability.

The place looks like hell.

Now with the bus shelter gone either because of damage, or maybe partially because it’s the local hangout for people who want to smoke legally, or illegally from The Warming Hub it seems to be another loss for society and another notch in the town for losing the fight.

Speaking of which, with all illegal and deadly drugs floating around town, can anyone remember the last time there was a significant drug bust? Not just in Cobourg, but in Northumberland County.

Overdoses aka “drug poisonings” are sometimes more than a daily occurrence, yet our little “war on drugs” seems to be non existent.

The fight on deadly drugs has to be a constant. Society has to get back to the “norm” it was or it will be lost forever.

Whether it’s bylaw or criminal law, they must be enforced.

Tweak Easy used to hold events every Friday in Henley Arcade.

Those meetings have moved long ago to Victoria Park across from St. Peter’s Church where they still meet.

They are held the same time every Friday – yet only once from what we understand have by-law been present.

Why?

If our society wants to try to get back to the ”normal” we once had, we have to use the resources at our disposal.

So if people are using deadly drugs in Victoria Park and they can’t be charged criminally – that’s one thing. But the illegal drugs are just that “illegal” and can and should be seized. Along with that, the no smoking bylaw for the parks is likely year round. Why not enforce it.

A civil society is run by rules that people living in that society live by and respect.

Cobourg seems to be getting divided and sub-divided on groups that seem to have their own way of dealing with the problems of society like drug abuse, homelessness and mental illness. Grants and fundraisers help them run – but let’s lay the cards on the table and show our hands.

Funding that is given yearly to groups must be also looked at in terms of how much success is it having year after year. Show the success stories and be damn proud of them. And if they are there that’s amazing. But if the goal isn’t being met, it obviously isn’t the right solution and funding should be looked at elsewhere.

Finances in the town, province and country are getting tighter. We must support what works in helping people get back on their feet. To be contributing members of society.

It’s time once and for all to get tough on crime.

The bottom line is we need to take our town back before it’s lost forever.