In reply to the letter that the homeless could be housed in the army camp, I for one am not sure that you have ever met or spoken to any of the many homeless people living in camps throughout our city and other cities.
The government military is to protect us from threats of war, not from housing the homeless part-time.
What our society does need to do is crack down, giving harsher sentences for the street pushers who sell hard, very addictive and lethal drugs to those who are addicted, and also crack down on prescription drugs,which are so freely given out by family doctors and psychiatrists.
A lot of people start off by being hooked through their own doctor and then get cut off and have to look on the street for their drug of choice.
Open up more facilities to deal with drug addiction and have free service as long as you have a medical card.
Our society also needs to open up more beds in mental institutions instead of closing them down like the did in Port Coquitlam, for instance, placing hundreds of mental patients to live on the streets.
I have seen first-hand, living in Vancouver and working in Stanley Park, many homeless shelters.
I have spoken to a few of the individuals who say they were in a mental institute and released because of government cutbacks or who are addicted to drugs, and they do not want to live in an actual shelter at night because their belongings are not safe.
Housing the homeless in our army camp is not an option ever.
Patti Mondor
Vernon