VIA : Northumberland County Mayor Ostrander, Cobourg Mayor Cleveland and Honorable David Piccini
RE : COBOURG ENCAMPMENT JUNE 17, 2024
Good morning gentlemen,
I read in Today’s Northumberland the comments reported by yourself Mr. Ostrander. The subject of housing is not a drug matter. Encampments are a cultural difference to use drugs in the open. These differences are not understood and it is a fact. But on the subject of housing, you promote so well, we should have a report on the vacancy. Accountability is not illegal. Here is what makes me feel uncomfortable when I read your views on the encampment:
“Recently, however, we have seen some of these concerns take an unproductive turn. There has been a rising tone of hostility directed towards those living unsheltered. Blog posts and social media commentary have intensified this negativity, with inflammatory language and unfounded accusations.”
Since the last 5 years Mr. Ostrander nobody took seriously many sex crimes committed against women, children, serious vandalism, criminal trespassing, and much more, which caused physical, emotional and financial costs to our people in our downtown Cobourg, but heard the County’s daily demands to give charity ! Let me be more specific, Cobourg cannot afford to live without rules, because a growing minority of individuals decided to live irresponsibly by using drugs. Downtown Cobourg is not an experimental farm.
It is important to respect all people in a Town that offered warming hubs, help the overdosed, gave them food and services, clothes and bathe them, took care to dispose of their lost lives and so much more.
Advocating for detoxication and help people to become independent in a capitalist system is different than undermining a system under the threats of propaganda ecosystem, inflation, recession and a false welcome to good foreigners and war immigrants, the Old Golden Plough used to be a hub to them.
We have to be a better structured and disciplined society rather than be emotional to drug effects, dilapidate money and give this problem to our Townspeople, hoping houses will hide the addicted and become a cause to the next irresponsible inflation. Let’s look at the culprit in the eye: drugs. We know this problem is not designed to be undertaken by municipal tax dollars. You need to be warned. Nobody holds the particulars of this federal policy or their fiscal response, it has no benchmark, and they are aware. We have to bring a new vision all together.
Meanwhile slogans are very clear. “Quit smoking your lungs are clean and healthy. Quit drugs you will enjoy living healthy and then we will help. Sky is the limit to happiness don’t listen to drugs, Just say No.”
When I was on council I knew our mayor was the father of our Town. He spiritually and with a sense of purpose holds the key to our Town. Mr. Cleveland inherited the problems of others. That brings me to another memory. The words I heard when my husband received in his hands his first law degree: “you should now act like a father to his children .. ” perhaps we should reconsider what is safer to all : No drugs.
Finally I hope you had a good father’s day and you will let your children in your house safe with you and without drugs.
ONE OUT OF MANY COBOURG TAXPAYERS
Johanne Loken
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
