Editor, The News:
Re: City wants Sally Ann out (The News, Aug. 26).
I guess the increasing population of our small town attracts a bigger political agenda and bigger political strategies.
The issue of homelessness has been an issue in Maple Ridge for a long time, but it wasn’t until our new mayor came into power that everyone started losing their minds over the situation …
Apparently, I, along with the community, have lost faith is the Salvation Army.
This is a classic political move called deflection.
The Salvation Army provides beds and meals for those in need.
It’s our government’s job to find adequate homes for each person.
Our population is growing massively. Because of this, we should be compensating, like building more mental facilities, and schools.
Yet, it’s our government that closed Riverview hospital. It closed our elementary schools – Mount Crescent and Riverside.
The long-term affects of those kind of moves, I believe, contribute to the current problem we are discussing.
Apparently, it’s also our government’s job to deflect these problems onto charitable organizations, including one in our community that, and let’s not forget, also provides meals for struggling families and children.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve lost faith in our government representation, not the Salvation Army.
Nathan Sands
Maple Ridge
