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“Me debunk a Canadian myth? And take my life in my hands?”
That’s not quite how the opening line of the Tragically Hip classic At The Hundredth Meridian goes but the line applies to the following.
The urban myth in need of debunking? Vancouver is not sending busloads of its street population to Prince George (or anywhere else in BC) because of the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
This ridiculous rumour has festered on social media for years, dating back to the 2010 Winter Olympics. Wasn’t true then, either.
In an age where everyone carries a video camera in their pocket, where’s the footage?
Where are the news stories from CKPG, the Prince George Citizen, Vista Radio and the CBC in support of this so-called fact?
Where are the drivers and the passengers from these buses?
There are none because there are none.
Are there new faces living on the streets of Prince George?
Of course there are. Because if they haven't been given any legal restrictions, Canadians have the right to move freely about the country and live in whatever community they so choose.
Are there new faces living on the streets of Fort St. John this spring?
Of course there are. And you know where some of that community’s residents think a busload of those new faces on their streets came from?
Prince George.
They’re wrong, too.
Part of the reason there are always new people coming to live on local streets is the same reason everyone from outlying communities come here. As a regional hub, Prince George has amenities not available anywhere else in B.C. north of Kamloops. Having a regional correctional centre, health care options, social services supports, and specialized housing options here attracts people from across north-central BC.
We all have an obligation in the Prince George business community to do our part to put a stop to this modern-day myth. It damages our city’s reputation and it deflects from addressing the real problems.
We are all dealing with enough incidents of street disorder and crime, homelessness and open drug use, people trying to survive on our streets with addictions and mental health issues, without fighting phantom issues.
Let’s focus on getting all levels of government to do more to address those real and urgent problems. They’re complex enough without adding shallow proclamations and misinformation to the mix.
All the best to you and your business,
Neil
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