Summer Games visitors will see a very different city than last time

By Ivan Morgan

We are hosting the Canada Summer Games in August. It’s kind of a big deal. I remember the last time we hosted them in 1977 – I was 18, and the city was flooded with young people. This is a family paper so let’s suffice it to say I, and many others, had a time. I hope all our young people have half the fun I had.
Getting lots of young people together to compete, have fun and enjoy themselves is always a good idea. It’s an excellent opportunity to showcase our home to the rest of Canada, and the world. There’s even a slogan: “In a place like no other, St. John’s will host a Canada Games like no other.”
Cool!
Around town you see no end of work being done to spruce the place up. Lots of paint and tidying, new buildings, new facilities, very exciting. I remember how proud we were of our city the last time. How much fun it was to host so many young athletes.
Exciting stuff!
Which is why I am a little concerned for this one. I have written about this before, but here we go again.
St. John’s in 2025 is a very different place. We have an out-of-control drug problem in this city. I have lived here most of my life and I have never seen the like. I was downtown recently, pulled over on Water Street while my wife ran into a store. She was all of three minutes. In that time four people – desperate looking people – came up to the car asking me for money. One of the four aggressively demanded it.
We have a problem. Is this going to be the experience our visitors take away? I am not some old crank who thinks the addicts should all just be locked up. These are our fellow citizens. I doubt they give a hoot about the Canada Games. They need help – which they are obviously not getting.
The cops made a huge fentanyl bust here recently, but it will be replaced quicky. Drugs are a very profitable enterprise. There is a big demand for this stuff. Lots of motivation for making and supplying this poison. The motivation problem seems to be on our end. What are we doing about it? I am asking.
A recent downtown pedestrian mall survey showed crime and safety are utmost in the minds of citizens and business owners. Mayor Danny Breen’s solution is to have more police foot patrols downtown. Interestingly, the cops are saying that won’t help. Maybe the cops have a point. Patrols at their best only sweep the problem under the rug, an out-of-sight out-of-mind solution. It’s not against the law to be mentally ill, homeless, or to panhandle for that matter. Pushing desperate people, drug addicted people, mentally ill people, off the streets is a band-aid solution. Or more accurately, it’s no solution.
Various groups in the media are laying the blame for this problem at other’s feet. Some community groups say the solution is to give them more money (surprise surprise). What I am not reading is any real, practical solution. What I am not seeing is leadership on this issue. What is not being offered is a humane, caring solution to help fellow citizens who are – obvious to anyone who goes downtown – in big, big trouble.
Two things are true: the addicts who are harassing us daily desperately need help; and we all deserve to feel safe in our community. What’s the answer? How are these truths resolved? I’m asking. I don’t know the answer and it doesn’t seem anyone else does either.
Not to sound dramatic, but what happens in August when we fill the city with young athletes and their supporters? Is this a concern?
Here’s my guess. These poor people will continue to be ignored, shunted about, treated as an embarrassment. The powers that be will decide to try and hide the problem with cops and private security, pushing these folks off the streets.
My guess is this will be what we see: a solution that solves nothing.
Ivan Morgan can be reached at ivan.morgan@gmail.com