Editor, The News:
Re: Standing up to tent squatters (B.C. Views, May 24).
I was at the Anita Place homeless camp on Friday afternoon, May 19. While I was there, one of the residents had to be revived with naloxone twice – a life was saved. Had that person overdosed somewhere in the bushes, they would probably be dead.
Right there, at that moment, the camp proved its value and justified its existence.
Tom Fletcher makes a living as a provocative, even antagonistic journalist. He has been stirring the pot and spreading alt-truths for the political right for decades.
This is Canada – municipal and provincial boundaries are not relevant to caring for our sick and needy. See the Canadian Charter, specifically Section 7.
Ivan Drury and his team at the homeless camp may be from away, but they are serving a real local need at a critical time, building awareness and saving lives.
This is a crisis. These are humans we are dealing with. What Mr. Drury is doing is really no different than what the American Freedom Fighters did when they came from the north to help the black population in the south.
It is all about respect, dignity and human rights.
It should be simple. Maple Ridge needs their help. We should be saying thank you.
Dan Olson
Maple Ridge
