We at at the BR have been watching closely as the Cobourg Municipal election unwinds, it is probably in its final phase – 24 days until election day and two weeks before voting begins. Candidates are jockeying for position. We have vocal candidates, we have  silent candidates we have  candidates who mouth mantras and others who have put the effort  into providing thoughtful positions on most issues.

Councillor Adam Bureau, a candidate for Deputy Mayor has just issued a statement (read it here) that addresses the major issue in this campaign. One that has divided voters and candidates in their approaches to the subject “How to clean up the streets and what to do with the people on the streets who are suffering many afflictions.”

We publish it because we were asked to and it fits into campaign material but it is much more than that, it could be a blueprint for change. It lays out very clearly why he thinks the approach advocated by some candidates – that is the “Sweep the Streets” approach will not work and that another approach is needed. 

A powerful quote from the statement is:

“Not everything is a criminal matter.
We need treatment. We need mental-health services. We need appropriate housing and supportive housing. We need prevention and recovery services. And when laws are broken, we also need appropriate enforcement. Compassion and accountability can exist together.”

Now you may ask what is different in Cllr. Bureau’s approach as opposed to all of the many candidates on the ballot. Here’s the difference; he is open to the idea of services going where the need is, as opposed to Some candidates refusing to consider any services being located in Cobourg.

Just a note to reader:

As you have seen the BR has ben using a bit of AI from time to time. The BR PDF printer automatically attaches an AI generated commentary in a sidebar of a window that displays the print preview. The quote from AI sums up up the document . We leave the reader to draw their own conclusions about the document but here is the AI summary:

“This document is a compelling read because it cuts through the polarized rhetoric often surrounding public safety. It offers a practical framework for how municipalities can shift from reactively “managing symptoms” to proactively addressing root causes, providing a masterclass in how to lead a community through complex, divisive issues with dignity and accountability.”