I think I speak for a lot of folks who read this article, We want this guys name included in the story. He’s on probation and before the courts on other charges, no reason not to print it.

I see again that the cops don’t hesitate to lecture the victim. Seems we need a hangin’ judge in these parts.

Absolutely 100% in agreement to each comment posted above.

I was shopping downtown this afternoon, I reported a shop lifter to the staff as I saw her put stuff in her pack sack. The staff told me they have kicked her out many times, as we were driving down the street saw her hanging out at corner where the needle exchange and the fire pit are located. The needle exchange needs to be moved down to the end of 2nd ave. but NOT IN RESIDENTIAL. As a tax payer I do not support the fire pit, get rid of it.

The local RCMP should check to see if this prolific offender has any outstanding warrants in Ontario, if he does… they should use the new fugitive return fund to send him back to Ontario.

http://www.vicnews.com/news/141987753.html

@bitter:

What is this fit pit you speak of? A local hang out I’m guessing?

46 years old and obviously not learning anything since he is out stealing while on bail for charges of theft. Can the bleeding hearts tell me what good he is ever going to be? Is he going to suddenly straighten up and lead a productive, fulfilled life until retirement time and then we can continue to pay for his existance? Or should we just throw him in the river and be done with it and put our resources towards people that want to be helped?

ps – how the heck did he come up with bail money anyway?

Ifastm3 Go look for yourself, it’s scary it’s not a coffee house for the timid and it should not be set up in our downtown,it needs to disappear. Get this, when you get off the train and you are looking for some place to go. Our tourist Info has a display promoting the Fire Pit. Then we wonder why we are in such a mess.

LOL….maybe do a drive by m3, I wouldn’t park the BMW around there.

The Fire Pit is a cultural drop in centre, but is welcomes anyone, from any walk of life.

It does not support illegal activity, and if you were not so closed minded, you might want to stop in and have a reality check.

Services offered are HIV education and prevention, connection to an Elder for appropriate cultural support.

There are families that attend the fire pit – sharing circles are held, crafts and drumming are offered.

In fact, The Fire Pit is the opposite of what you people assume it to be. There is no violence, people respect one another; certainly there are people who are involved in addiction – the very reason it exists. With addiction comes unsafe sexual activity, which then increases HIV and the costs associated – the Fire Pit is a tool used in prevention.

The Fire Pit partners with various agencies to ensure that those who need access to affordable housing can get that access. Those who need help creating a resume, or finding work can find those services through the Fire Pit. Kids who are so hungry they can’t focus in school have access to nutritional food that nourishes their young minds and bodies.

Y’all are quick to jump on the ‘they should close down’ bandwagon – if not for services such as the Fire Pit, you’d sure see what the results would be in your community.

Don’t be so quick to judge. Go visit. Ask the hard questions. You’ll find people very willing to discuss; very willing to share stories and teach you about the life of some of these people you are so quick to push off the edge of the earth.

How many other communities have Fire Pits in their Downtown?? It sounds like it should be in the Native Friendship Center with the sharing circles ,crafts and drumming . I do not walk on that side of the street. I still think it needs to disappear, I do not know why anyone would want to bring a child in there. I have seen what goes in and what comes out. It sounds like a lot of double book keeping is going on you can get all of these services at the Native Friendship Center.

Likely, many have a “Fire Pit” in their downtown, as it is in downtown where the service is needed.

You can wish it to disappear all you want – clearly, there are people in our fair country who value human lives, as it has received funding for the last 8 years – clearly, making a positive contribution to our city and the issues we face.

Mayhaps you should look into the cost of treating one person who lives with HIV. Last time I checked, it was upwards of 380, 000 for one person, and that was a few years ago. Offering HIV education/prevention saves millions of dollars and countless lives.

Why don’t “they” just go to the Friendship Centre? Because the services are different; they serve different people, with different needs. It is not a one stop shop – and not everyone thrives in the structure of the Friendship Centre.

Why would people want to take kids in their? Because it’s not as you think it is. You are ignorant – walk on the other side of the street if you must – you’d likely be the same type that wouldn’t sit on a bus with ‘those colored people’

clewbbo:

You had a nice speech going there…..and then you ruined it with a “racial issue” comment.

Sorry, after re-reading bitter’s comment, I take that back.

Thanks for standing up for such a great place in our community clewbbo. When I read the nasty comments about it, everything you said echoed in my own mind. You people need to open up and understand that not all of us are sitting high on the hog. The firepit offers a community and bonding tht you clearly can’t understand and probably never will. Enjoy your BMW’s and fancy crap, those people have way more important things in their lives.

I would sit with colored people ,how do you know what color I am ??As a tax payer I am wondering how many services I have to pay for that do the same thing?? What about ASAP, what do they do ? what about the Metis services on Queensway and Victoria St., what do they do? How many Government funded services are doing the same thing?
Maybe ignorant people have the right to ask questions as to where their money is going. I have the right to want a safe downtown like other Cities. With all the services we provide we are bring people with problems here. Maybe we should be asking what is the focus of our downtown?

Bitter, you are ignorant, uninformed, and ridiculously narrow minded. There isn’t really anything that can be said to you, to encourage you to open your mind, and possibly change how you think. You’ve got it all figured out.
Hopefully you can sleep without nightmares, having “Seen what goes in, and what comes out.”

Everyone is welcome to their own opinion, whether we agree with it or not. As someone who has worked in the non-profit world for the last 18 years I too have my own opinions.

clewbbo: thank you for taking the time to share your opinion and clarify misconceptions. I agree with you 100%.

Bitter: You’re right – you have the right to know where your tax dollars are going – as Canadian citizens we all have that right. As a board member of Fire Pit I can assure you that there is no ‘double book keeping’ that occurs with our agency. I can also assure you as a past employee of the friendship centre that it does not occur there either. I encourage you to keep your eyes on the classified section of the newspaper – all non profit agencies have annual general meetings and the annual budget is reviewed and audited by an independent accounting firm. Annual general meetings are open to the public and anyone is welcome to attend. You also have the ability to ask your MLA or MP, as it is mostly government agencies that fund non profit agencies.

The reality in Prince George that many people would like to believe that the issues of poverty, crime, addiction don’t exist. If you can’t see it then you don’t have to deal with it. Sadly these issues exist within all of Canada. I wish I had the answer as to what makes a person resilient and bounce back and not fall… But I don’t, and until then I will continue to help as much as I can – I will never give up hope that a human being has the ability to change.

Ugh. Why does the racial card always need to be played?

tory: “The reality in Prince George that many people would like to believe that the issues of poverty, crime, addiction don’t exist. If you can’t see it then you don’t have to deal with it. Sadly these issues exist within all of Canada. I wish I had the answer as to what makes a person resilient and bounce back and not fall…”

I don’t think anyone who has any sort of base in reality believes that that poverty, crime, and addiction don’t exist in PG. But sadly, if you haven’t learned your lesson by a certain point in life, you probably never will. Those are the cold hard facts.

I agree with moving fire pit as for all the agencies which overlap services why can’t we cut back and get more treatment centers in place if they have those type issues more support for the poor more education to the unemployed be proactive and do something to get those people moving forward with their lives I am not judging them at all I just believe places which are there for education are getting a bit old we are educated already move them forward help them to reclaim their lives

Because everyone is racist JohnnyB. As soon as someone hears a truth they don’t like they play that card. The article is about thieves. We don’t like thieves taking our stuff! Why does the RCMP bother to setup sting operations when they can’t keep the bastiges in jail? The guy is obviously a loser and needs to be in jail period.

Park in a well lit area? Right, so the thieves can see if there’s anything in the car before they break in. Duh I have many motion sensor lights and that has scared numerous thieves away. haven’s lost anything for years – touch wood.

“The guy is obviously a loser and needs to be in jail period”
Havent you been reading NoWay? He doesnt need to be in jail, he needs to go to the fire pit and talk about his feelings…

*darn, I almost kept a straight face*

The Guy is from Ontario,has drug problems and had stolen property on him and was stealing a car. Who wants him here?? This is the point I am trying to make about us attracting the wrong people to P.G. with all our services in his direction. The paid government funded people at the Fir Pit could help him find shelter at the London Hotel or the Ranch Motel ,how hard is that. I might be Ignorant and I do have nightmares about the future of the City I was born in. We don’t hear half of what is going on here like the attempted robbery at gun point Sunday in a dept. store. I just want a safe place to live and shop. I have GREAT respect for the Native Friendship Center.

tory40 proverty does equal crime & addiction. I have met and worked with maney rich people that are addicts and turn to crime to help out in the cost of their addiction. I have met many poor people that are the most honest and upstanding people that one could met. What is the difference? One could say that it is how you are raised but that wouldn’t explain why one member of a family turns to crime and another will work at dead end jobs to put a bit of food on the table. Or why a family member turns to drugs and others don’t.

Who says “mayhap” lol