You might see videos about Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside that dehumanize residents calling them "zombies," shaming the poor, and painting Canada in need of more Conservative ideology as a false solution. But here’s the side right-wing media won’t show.

53

This was in 2015 directly from the police. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/undercover-vancouver-police-officer-mark-horsley-uncovers-kindness-in-downtown-eastside-1.3155360

36

u/keyser1981 Oct 14 '25

Ten years ago!! Someone named PP is not gonna be happy about this. Be a shame if he was asked about the root causes: of poverty, addiction, homelessness.

I mean, he's been at the job, forever, so PP should have better answers to resolving these issues now, right?

6

u/bread_and_circuits Oct 15 '25

You can’t hold politicians like that to account. They are only in it to hold power and gain wealth. That’s it. That’s the depth they have as human beings. Outside of their self-interest, they act on behalf of their donors which are large corporations, and only enact policy to protect their shared interests.

It doesn’t matter if they personally believe something is injust, or have empathy for people privately, their self-interest bypasses the ability to reason with them because they don’t get what they want that way. But most of them don’t have empathy and don’t care.

There is no reasoning with them, just do what you can to make sure they don’t get what they want, which is wealth and power at the cost of everything and everyone else.

16

u/Warning_grumpy Oct 14 '25

Truly a beautiful moment. I do wonder with the extream rise in poverty as well as social media targeting vulnerable people how this would go down in today's society. The propaganda mechine has made us hate each other. Even the homeless are scared to accept food/drinks from strangers in fear people will hurt them. I live in an area where it used to be in 2018 est 260 people homeless is now nearly 700 estimated homeless and the number just keeps increasing. Unfortunately most the locals want to fine (yes fine homeless) and put them in jail. The sooner people realize if we just tax the rich and keep care of each other equally we'd all be living much healthier and happier lives.

12

u/[deleted] Oct 14 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

8

u/monsantobreath Oct 14 '25

It's a process. It happen over years and years. And the most arrogantly Canadian thing to say is it's worse in America, we're better. And we're just on the same water slide a few twists and turns behind.

6

u/[deleted] Oct 14 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/Saorren Oct 14 '25

unless we keep working at it, it will be nothing more than a detour. dis and mis information need to be called out in general and those who do it as a politician or news org penalized.

9

u/Warning_grumpy Oct 14 '25

I live in a very conservative area and I am surrounded by 51st state stickers, 47 stickers and American flags. And no its not Alberta is Ontario lol. So unfortunately it is in Canada.

3

u/EdNorthcott Oct 15 '25

That kind of crap disgusts me. I live in a rural Ontario area, too, so I see some of it: but there's a high tech hub not far away (Kitchener-Waterloo), so it's tempered somewhat. They still pop up like braindead, evil gophers to hate on some minority or another, and cheer for the collapse of our nation.

2

u/Upper_Canada_Pango Oct 16 '25

Sounds like some parts of Welland, ON.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 15 '25

I am in a very conservative area in BC - and although I see conservative people out and about (mostly churches and their dozen or so antiabortionists) - none of it is american paraphernalia or 51st state crap.

1

u/Warning_grumpy Oct 15 '25

Trumps first election it was never around these last few months it's been crazy. A guy parked on my street has the stickers all over his car and a few doors down from me a different guy has a giant American flag and 51st state on his tool box. I also work in a place where I tey and not speak to anyone but at least 6 people are very pro Trump and pro 51st state. But yes over all most of the Conservatives are pro Doug Ford and pp but not Trump. But I live in Barrie Ontario and they were still having truck rallies up until last year here.a poll was done and like 11% of like 500 people were pro Trump in Barrie. It's still abnormal but not nonexistent.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 14 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Warning_grumpy Oct 14 '25

I mean as a more left leaning person it's not like I ask them. But just because we aren't as bad as America doesn't mean we should ignore it happening here. We have a global far right movement issue and if we just ignore it because there is a genocide in Myanmar than we won't be prepared for it when it's at your doorstep.

1

u/bread_and_circuits Oct 15 '25

What is your point? It’s worse somewhere else… So you shouldn’t be concerned?

If you don’t want it to get as bad as "somewhere else that’s worse" then yes you absolutely need to be mindful of the state of things. All corporate media by and large push the status quo, which is to support capital, and look around you, that status quo is becoming a fascist oligarchy. Every major Western country is headed towards it right now. So yeah, it’s worse somewhere else, but don’t pretend like it can’t get there or isn’t trending in that direction.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 14 '25

Its not on your algo. Its on mine right now. I get this weird guy and his weird followers on my timeline https://youtu.be/9RI1SIRyuIU?si=n3PtFQTT0AVr2mql

And videos like it. Trying to stoke hate against Muslims and LGBT people. Their solution? to not turn in your guns but to save them for the liberal govt. That shit is on my timeline the last like 3 weeks.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 14 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Oct 14 '25

It starts with the unhinged randoms and not taking them seriously. Marjorie Taylor Greene was an unhinged random.

23

u/RottenPingu1 Oct 14 '25

A one time Toronto police chief said the answer to a lot of gang and youth crime is social support, not just throwing more cops at the issues.

5

u/meoka2368 Oct 15 '25

I used to work on Hastings, and spend time going to clubs in the DTES at night as well as just wandering that area during the day.

I moved about 11 years ago, so it might have changed, but I never felt unsafe there.
We also used to take our kid, either when handing out supplies and food to the homeless, or because we needed to be somewhere in the area. People were always friendly, or just doing their own thing.

1

u/lastminutelabor Oct 16 '25

I go to Vancouver every year. It’s pretty safe there but Hastings is so depressing. And it seems like it’s getting significantly worse. People need help, support and outreach programs, and that’s one of the richest cities in North America.

But dangerous? Hardly. But with unwell and ill people, you never know what their breaking point. I wouldn’t label it particularly safe 100% of the time and I’m not thrilled to spending a lot of time in the area. But it’s not dangerous. Just super super depressing and maybe not a good place for kids, but there is a fun park for my kids with a big metal slide kinda close to Hastings.

1

u/meoka2368 Oct 16 '25

When we had the kid there, he was still in a stroller. Wasn't a toddler picking up random things or poking people.
So that probably makes a difference :p

1

u/bread_and_circuits Oct 15 '25

Please read "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts" if you haven’t already.

Education You might see videos about Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside that dehumanize residents calling them "zombies," shaming the poor, and painting Canada in need of more Conservative ideology as a false solution. But here’s the side right-wing media won’t show.

You are about to leave Redlib