Manitoba's War on the marginalised

espressoguy

Nominee Member
Mar 26, 2007
52
2
8
North
I would be interested in knowing how people feel about the following issue: The way we treat the mentally ill in our city.
 

westmanguy

Council Member
Feb 3, 2007
1,651
18
38
Winnipeg is a slum (live in Westman BTW)

Sky high native population and growing which translates into high crime rates.

Our youth steals cars like crazy creating a big mess with MPI.

And the drug problem in this province is evident.

And all our youth is moving to Alberta + BC and Manitoba/Winnipeg's population has been pretty stagnant.

Ick, I just can't wait to leave this province for Alberta or Vancouver.
 

temperance

Electoral Member
Sep 27, 2006
622
16
18
"Sky high native population and growing which translates into high crime rates."


your common sense escapes me --I knew you didnt change ,why would Vancouver and or Albetra want you ,what would you offer???


jealousy will get you no where --lol
 

tamarin

House Member
Jun 12, 2006
3,197
22
38
Oshawa ON
When Winnipeg does make the news in Ontario it usually is for crime. I"ve never been there but it does have a terrible reputation. I don't know what the answers are. But I do know aboriginal leadership is once more in play and where is it?
 

westmanguy

Council Member
Feb 3, 2007
1,651
18
38
Winnipeg has a very high crime rate.

Winnipeg has one of the highest aboriginal population for a city in Canada.

Native leadership needs to step up.

This province has bad reputation and so does Winnipeg.

Used to be Saskatchewan was the "ick" province of Canada, but Manitoba has taken its place there.
 

snfu73

disturber of the peace
Well, no one seems to be actually tackling the question...mental illness. I think mental illness is misunderstood not only in Winnipeg, but in all of Canada. I don't think it is taken seriously enough. A high percentage of people living in the street suffer from severe mental illness...but people don't seem to get this...they see these folks as lazy and living off of the system, and therefore leaches, etc. Well, it's kinda hard to work when you think things like...your boss is going to kill you...or that you are god. Mental illness is a serious issue...but too many people don't understand it...or even bother to understand it.
 

s243a

Council Member
Mar 9, 2007
1,352
15
38
Calgary
Well, no one seems to be actually tackling the question...mental illness. I think mental illness is misunderstood not only in Winnipeg, but in all of Canada. I don't think it is taken seriously enough. A high percentage of people living in the street suffer from severe mental illness...but people don't seem to get this...they see these folks as lazy and living off of the system, and therefore leaches, etc. Well, it's kinda hard to work when you think things like...your boss is going to kill you...or that you are god. Mental illness is a serious issue...but too many people don't understand it...or even bother to understand it.

That may or may not be true. What do you suggest we do?
 

s243a

Council Member
Mar 9, 2007
1,352
15
38
Calgary
Better education on mental illness accessible to the general public...trying to talk more openly about mental illness...disussing these issues in school health classes....kicking people in the shins when they are jerks to the homeless, etc...

And which part may or may not be true?

I'm not convinced everyone on the street is mentally ill. As for your solution, will talking about it really solve the problem? [FONT=&quot]Propaganda is always the first step now isn’t it?[/FONT]
 

snfu73

disturber of the peace
I'm not convinced everyone on the street is mentally ill. As for your solution, will talking about it really solve the problem? [FONT=&quot]Propaganda is always the first step now isn’t it?[/FONT]
No, I'm not convinced everyone on the street is mentally ill either...hence me saying a high population is.

I don't think the problem will ever be solved...people will be people...but, if the situation improves through greater understanding, then, that's moving in the right direction...no? Do you have a better solution?
 

RomSpaceKnight

Council Member
Oct 30, 2006
1,384
23
38
61
London, Ont. Canada
Generally the poor and the underpriveledged commit many of the petty property crimes. In Manitoba the poor nd underpriviedged are native. They commit crimes becuse they are poor and underpriviledged not because they are native.

Every city has homeless mentally challenged folk. Winnipeg is no diff and does as poor a job as every other city in NA.
 

tamarin

House Member
Jun 12, 2006
3,197
22
38
Oshawa ON
So how many financial resources should be put at the disposal of the mentally ill? How much is enough? We are going to go bankrupt at some point in this society funding the various arms of our health network. Alzheimer's and diabetes are already killing us and the numbers are mushrooming.
 

snfu73

disturber of the peace
If you want to put it in financial terms, try looking at it this way....
In 1998, almost 678,000 employed Canadians accumulated more than 39,000 excess person-years of short-term reduced activity associated with depression and another 2 million had over 115,000 person-years of time off associated with distress (Table 2). Among unemployed Canadians, there were more than 76,000 days of reduced activity associated with depression and 224,000 associated with distress.
After adjusting for part-time work, inflation, and the preponderance of cut-down days over bed-days, the total value of lost work time was $2.16 billion. An amount equivalent to $3.86 billion in unpaid work was similarly reported by depressed and distressed persons. The total value of paid and unpaid work lost associated with these conditions was $6.02 billion in 1998 (Table 2).

Mental health issues are very costly. They lead to increased sick time off of work, loss of jobs, early retirement, etc. If these folks could be successfully treated and return to the work force...well, frankly, we all win. So, think of it as an investment....with positive returns. Myself, I don't like to think too much of the financial aspect...I prefer to think of the fact that these are humans who are in need...and that is more important than money.
 

tamarin

House Member
Jun 12, 2006
3,197
22
38
Oshawa ON
Whom are they going to be treated by? And how can we ascertain their qualifications to do so and measure their success? I think the mental health field is overrun with charlatans and hangers-on. We don't need to toss them any more peanuts until we are sure they know what they're doing and not just delivering quack therapy.
 

snfu73

disturber of the peace
Whom are they going to be treated by? And how can we ascertain their qualifications to do so and measure their success? I think the mental health field is overrun with charlatans and hangers-on. We don't need to toss them any more peanuts until we are sure they know what they're doing and not just delivering quack therapy.
Have you had any contact with the mental health field?? Is all your information based on Dr. Phil or something?
 

Lineman

No sparks please
Feb 27, 2006
452
7
18
Winnipeg, Manitoba
I have experience with a family member and the medical profession's "treatment" of mental illness. If there one constant it's that they all are quick to prescribe a "magic pill". After ten years and 4 doctors they've finally figured out it wasn't depression but anxiety. It may seem similar but not when it comes to the medication. We're suffering through 4 weeks of withdrawals and then it's on to another pill. Counselling did wonders but was limited to 4 sessions. Drugs are cheaper I guess:-(
If this is the approach to everyone's problems its no wonder so many suffer. Fill em with pills and send in the next one....