In my almost twenty years at the kitchen, I had observed a pattern which at first I did not recognize as one. Now that I am able to reflect on it I almost hesitate to say it out loud, but I believe it is one of the factors that create another addict on the welfare or AISH roles. Here is how I finally connected the dots.
About nineteen years ago, our daughter who was helping at the kitchen, befriended a young couple who were also in their teens. At that time these two were only doing weed which my daughter tried to discourage, but they insisted. After our daughter left Red Deer, this couple used the kitchen on a regular basis, each time looking a little more ragged than before.
Even at that time, I noticed a slow degeneration in the way they spoke and reacted to different situations. On speaking with them I learned that they were becoming very heavy users of not only pot, but morphine and occasionally crack. Never in all this time did the thought of work or any other positive activity cross their minds, they chose to opt out.
I’m not exactly sure, but somewhere along the way they were receiving assistance. What with all the services available, they had chosen to just hang out. Food was free, as was clothing and even accommodation, so there really was no reason to work. They dropped out of school as well after grade nine.
Their involvement in the hard drug scene increased, noticeable by the condition of their outward appearance; especially their teeth. You see, heavy crack smokers rot their teeth usually in a short amount of time, so along with other signs, you know what they are doing.
Then about seven or eight years ago, the female of this couple started having health issues which eventually led to her early death, after which the fellow went from bad to worse. Drugs became more of an obsession and his attitude became harsher and much more demanding. His thinking process degenerated even more.
Canadian Mental health stepped in to help and they did for a while, finding him a home, obtaining welfare or AISH for him and so on. Before long, he was back to his antics and his drug use increased again. At this point, he had to be ordered out of the kitchen several times due to offensive behaviour. Then about a year and a half ago he died as the result of an overdose leading to heart failure.
This particular story is sadly not uncommon on the street, as a matter of fact, it is far too common. We often see young people in their early teens opting out of life by joining those on the street, who in turn lead them into the drug culture. From the drug culture, they slowly lose the ability to function normally, and then they can apply to use the welfare system in order to continue using.
While working at the kitchen we constantly had the debate between helping and or enabling, but after some serious thought, I have come to realize that it is not the food or accommodation that produces increasing welfare rolls, rather, there was something in their early years that influenced their decisions toward that lifestyle.
The debates about what to provide or not provide has become a hot and divisive issue in Red Deer with pros and cons being touted almost daily. It should be debated so that help can be given in a constructive and helpful manner, but more than what to provide, we should be working on the issue of stopping or at least slowing down- Progressive Addiction!
Chris Salomons is a Retired Red Deer Resident with a concern for the Downtrodden