Ford Appointee David Eke – Empty-Headed Windbag That He Is – Should Be Fired Off Niagara’s Police Services Board
A News Commentary by Niagara At Large Reporter and Publisher Doug Draper
Posted December 16th, 2022 on Niagara At Large
Niagara Regional Police Board Board C-Chair Doug Ford Appointee David Eke suggests intitutionalization for homeless people
I found myself barely able to stop a blood vessel from bursting this morning when I picked up a copy of The St. Catharines Standard to a front-page story with a headline that read; “Eke suggests locking away homeless people.”
Who is David Eke?
His full name is David Eke and he was a former Niagara-on-the-Lake town councillor and eventually a Lord Mayor who also sat on Niagara’s Regional Council going back about a decade ago.
He was a rather affable fellow when you met in one on one, but never the brightest light on the tree, and he had a cringe worthy reputation at regional council meetings of getting up and pontificating for very many long minutes on end. And at the end of all that pontificating, many were left saying ‘we will never get that time back.’
Yet now, here is David Eke, serving as Co-Chair of the Niagara Regional Police Services Board, thanks to his appointment to the board by the Ontario Doug Ford government in 2019, then reappointed by Ford again this November 2022, suggesting at a police board meeting this week that police should sweep up any homeless people considered to be mentally ill and have them ‘forcibly institutionalized’.
To his credit, Niagara’s Chief of Police, Brian MacCullough, responded that homelessness “is not a crime.”
As a result of many factors, homelessness is growing in Niagara and across the country. We need to work on some real answers that shows some compassion for those who are living out onthe streets.
Homelessness is also a situation in Niagara and other regions of Ontario that is growing due to the soaring costs of rental units and homes, and it is an issue that desperately needs to be addressed with intelligence and compassion.
It needs to be addressed outside the ignorance of Eke who, believe it or not, went on to reportedly say; “Back in the 1920s, mental health became very prominent and we developed a lot of institutions to serve people.”
Well back in the 1920s they did a lot of other things, like chain people considered mentally ill down in basements or strap them to gurneys and give them electric shock treatments.
Eke’s input at this Niagara Regional Police Services Board meeting were totally repulsive and unbecoming of anyone sitting in a position of responsibility.
David Eke should be fired off this board immediately,, but he probably won’t be.
After all, he was appointed by the Ford government.
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Niagara At Large 
When it comes to appointing people into positions of power the Ford government brings this to a new level. Apparently the Fuhrer Doug Ford is now assuming complete control over the selection of the next Chief Justice of Ontario. The Toronto Star reports today that the process appears to permit the government to appoint a candidate of its choosing through an opaque process that avoids meaningful consultation with the institutional court and deviates from established practices. Sound familiar. We can only imagine who Mr. Ford will pick for the facilitator in the Region.
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1920s-30s Germany
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Thanks Doug for continuing to be a voice for Niagara
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Back in the 1970’s when they shut down many institutions for the mentally ill they failed to have adequate services in place to meet the needs of those who NEED HELP. That was cruel….Still, today; approximately 50 years later NOT one government has succeeded in instituting proper care for those in need of mental health services. The majority of homeless people DO NOT need be institutionalized. Perhaps, less than 1% might need that to get back on track to be able to help themselves and increase compliance with meds and use of our dismal services. A very complex issue and we won’t benefit from having idiots who appoint idiots to power positions. I could write a book on the long term harms that Ford is creating to an already suffering society. Citizens need to VOTE and make our voices heard so some solutions can begin! We need to behave like a democracy NOW because we are losing it in front of our very own eyes. Compassion is needed too: Not apathy ( which can be a symptom of helplessness). We are not helpless and healing our environment and society as a whole will take time. Our taxes should not be making Ford and his buddies richer!
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