From the "No Shit, Sherlock" files.....
Sorry for the expletive. I have trained to use the English language with grace and facility, but sometimes, it is just necessary.
CBC has just reported that the Proposed addictions recovery centre becomes a hot election topic in St. James. Becomes? It is "the" issue in the Ward and people are passionate on both sides.
I admit that I am biased in that I am totally in favour of this recovery Centre in my backyard, well, it is not literally in my backyard, but I am a country girl, so it is definitely in my back 40. I suppose I have an inherent bias. I have worked in recovery before and there is nothing like it. Being in the presence of people committed to changing their lives for the better and seeing actual beings demonstrating their second chance, or in some cases, their fourth or fourteenth chance, well, it is awe-inspiring. It is an opportunity of a lifetime. And, to see the Oake family, with nothing personally to gain, exposing their private grief for the betterment of us all, is just moving. Also, helping people recover not only strengthens their families, but it actually strengthens the city. No, it won't solve all of our problems, but, it is a step in the right direction.
So, because of this bias, I really have gone out of my way to try and understand the opposition. I have really tried to listen. The arguments change. They don't want to talk to me, at least. When I have tried to listen, they walk away from me.
The one consistent argument is that they don't want to lose green space.
https://spitfiretakesontheworld.blogspot.com/2018/08/seriously-opposition-to-borc-opening-at.html
That is a non-issue. We have green space that every other Ward would be jealous. What we also have is an aging population and little growth and few new businesses. We need growth. We need stimulation.
We actually need this debate. It is getting more people involved, but we have to stop thinking debate is an ugly word. We need to start from what we have in common. If we all sat down and listened, we might find that we have more commonalities than we realize. And, differences don't have to be frightening. Maybe we can different groups working on several issues in different paths. Maybe there can be more than one issue in St. James/Brooklands.
CBC has just reported that the Proposed addictions recovery centre becomes a hot election topic in St. James. Becomes? It is "the" issue in the Ward and people are passionate on both sides.
I admit that I am biased in that I am totally in favour of this recovery Centre in my backyard, well, it is not literally in my backyard, but I am a country girl, so it is definitely in my back 40. I suppose I have an inherent bias. I have worked in recovery before and there is nothing like it. Being in the presence of people committed to changing their lives for the better and seeing actual beings demonstrating their second chance, or in some cases, their fourth or fourteenth chance, well, it is awe-inspiring. It is an opportunity of a lifetime. And, to see the Oake family, with nothing personally to gain, exposing their private grief for the betterment of us all, is just moving. Also, helping people recover not only strengthens their families, but it actually strengthens the city. No, it won't solve all of our problems, but, it is a step in the right direction.
So, because of this bias, I really have gone out of my way to try and understand the opposition. I have really tried to listen. The arguments change. They don't want to talk to me, at least. When I have tried to listen, they walk away from me.
The one consistent argument is that they don't want to lose green space.
https://spitfiretakesontheworld.blogspot.com/2018/08/seriously-opposition-to-borc-opening-at.html
That is a non-issue. We have green space that every other Ward would be jealous. What we also have is an aging population and little growth and few new businesses. We need growth. We need stimulation.
We actually need this debate. It is getting more people involved, but we have to stop thinking debate is an ugly word. We need to start from what we have in common. If we all sat down and listened, we might find that we have more commonalities than we realize. And, differences don't have to be frightening. Maybe we can different groups working on several issues in different paths. Maybe there can be more than one issue in St. James/Brooklands.
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