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Crime in Vancouver -- who knew??
Posted by Michael Klassen on September 12, 2007 in Vancouver
Last night's 6 o'clock news spent the opening 10 minutes of hand-wringing coverage on recent gunplay in the Lower Mainland. They interviewed a bunch of Langley soccer moms with kids in tow, cutting away to a ditched and bullet-riddled Hummer. Local tab The Province is devoting a week to coverage on local baddies, and reports indicate "rampant" growth of gangs in Canadian communities.
Are we surprised, or just oblivious to our surroundings?
There are 2 shops within 5 blocks of my home that exclusively sell marijuana grow operation equipment and fertilizers. They call themselves "Garden Supply" shops, but don't expect to find your standard watering cans and tulip bulbs. Instead, you'll find pails of plant growth enhancers, large pots, bags of soil, ducting and air filters to retrofit neighourhood homes into hydroponic greenhouses for potent bud. Cars and trucks come and go every day, stocking and re-stocking to meet public demand for their product.
These are businesses that exist all over Metro Vancouver.
Even Corus Entertainment has run marijuana growth enhancement product ads on their local rock station, CFOX. Clearly corporate decision-makers at this company haven't participated in neighbourhood safety foot patrols, or fret about the street-level decay when family homes substitute for grow ops, or worse, meth labs. Listeners are expected to grin and wink when the announcer speaks about how great our 'yields' will be.
In short, the highly profitable weed business has become a visible part of Canada's mainstream society. Are we surprised then when battles for turf spill into the headlines?
Vancouver can proudly lay claim to being the world's most livable city. For this accomplishment we must credit our community leaders, citizens who care about their city, and yes, even our politicians. For it is they who are doing the real work while many others sacrifice their community's well-being for the sake of a quick buck.
UPDATE: Apparently someone agrees with my assessment on these 'garden shops'.
Tagged: vancouver public safety
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