Community Crisis In Saint John - Mental Health, Substance Abuse & Homelessness

[@atribecalledowens]

"If you want to save the world - save yourself first". The best version of you (the compassionate, loving, patient, joy-rich version) - is a light for others.

[@chunyanmi5643]

When they have a home that they can back up to any time, they will be able to "save themselves". but these people do not have such place to go, how do you expect them to "save themselves first"? "If you want to save the world- save yourself first" does not apply to those who do not have a home to be able to back up to at any given time. They can go to shelter, or rent a place,...but these are not their home. Give them tiny simple basic house to call home, without power or water is ok. They can go home anytime they want. They will sure heal, they will be able to use their own strength to stop addiction. Permanent home!!! Nowadays it's easy and cheap to build.

[@UnionSmokeBreak]

@atribecalledowens you should have asked David about directly profiting off of the drug epidemic. He’s a politician who rents to fresh start. An organization that makes decisions for a community that he should be able to remain unbiased with.

[@JimmyMagee-n8u]

My brother this is a spiritual problem and you're never going to fix it with physical means Last summer I traveled back and forth to pei working on what's called the Atlantic freedom bus Some of you may have saw me on the news CTV global News Shelter on wheels The guys are still in the process of getting that on the road and I pray in Jesus name they will soon When I travel back and forth with this ministry that I was involved with and we went up against the spiritual warfare and I learned and understood what it was and how to get around it I began to see that a lot of these people are not disabled or mentally disordered it is a spiritual demonic oppression and when you show them the truth and they begin to understand why they are like that then the problem is fixed You guys can cut all the branches off that you want from those trees but as long as the route is there you will not get rid of the problem in order to take away the problem completely you must tear out the root of the problem Take a tree you can cut all its branches off you can take all its fruit off of it and you can even chop it in half but if you leave the route that tree is going to continue to grow Now take the person who has an addiction you can take away the drug all you want you can take them off the street you can keep them sober for a while but unless that person gets rid of the route which is in the heart the problem will not go away do you understand what I mean The battle is spiritual it is not physical and it's not going to change for as long as you continue to try to fix it with physical means it will stay and then 5 years you read this message again and you come back and tell me I was wrong you won't be able to you'll see how correct I am

[@JimmyMagee-n8u]

We really need more Christian men and women to rise up who have come out of these addictions and get their asses out there and speak the truth and join what you're doing right here I wish that I knew how to get ahold of you I'm going to find out how to sooner or later I've been hearing God telling me that one day I'm going to send you back to St John and you're going to do ministry there and change the town you're never going to fix a spiritual problem with physical means ever good luck Yet the way this man speaks I assume you love Jesus you have a love for God in your heart or you wouldn't be out doing this continue if everybody would come together as a community as one mind like the Holy Bible teaches you would see a massive change in people wouldn't be dying out there no more

[@soapboxcreature]

@@UnionSmokeBreak What about the Preacher selling merchandise with his hypocrite face on it? LOL. The Preacher is a landlord too. Why is he in a low-income unit instead of his own home? Are taxpayers subsidizing his rent, in addition to paying for him to sit on a stoop and yell at the clouds?

[@davidgoulding1386]

8 years ago, i was homeless in SJ. Im off drug's, im about to get married and have my family back in my life. Every day, i count my blessings that i was able to climb out of my addiction and mental health issues. I've never seen any of your work before, but I'll check out what you provide.

[@AIvey]

I happy for you keep up the fight to move forward never look back…..but offer a hand 🤚 up not hand out….all the best to you and family….

[@davidgoulding1386]

@@AIvey appreciate!

[@axisofjustice50]

I’m a SJ native and retired police officer of 18 years. I love and miss the north end every day. The whole system needs an overhaul haul. Love you all

[@Sagittare-vs3rl]

You know, the faces change but the issues remain. I have been clean since 2012. I spent many years on the streets of Saint John using and selling myself for money. Back then, it wasn't as bad as it is now. It was crack and Dilaudid that were the problems. I understand both sides of the issue. It took many tries but eventually sobriety stuck. I wasted years in and out of the county jail. Would get clean and then go back out and use again. It's a viscous cycle. From my experience, I was just tired. I ended up on the county jail for the last time and after sleeping for 2 days, I felt exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. I sat in my cell and wrote out a treatment plan for myself. I had to go back to court for sentencing and I think they could see a change in me. They actually gave me a chance to help myself. I'll forever be grateful.

[@marcdanieltheriault3955]

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SOBRIETY & MAY GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR ONGOING JOURNEY WITH SOBRIETY👌👍✌️🙏🎚️

[@nerilen1862]

Congratulations on your recovery im very proud of you ❤ we do recover 🥰

[@universesbrat]

I was homeless and living in the shelter off Waterloo the day this was filmed. I got myself housed a month ago. Derricks always outside with his kids and is definitely a light on that street. Watching this today is hard to describe because I was just right there living in the shelter with people in this video. I’d walk by in the mornings on my way to work at 5:30am to see other people living in the shelter had stayed out all night and were laying in the doors to stores and I’d worry about how they could’ve lost their bed. There really isn’t much on Waterloo to help the homelessness going through mental illness or drug problems. Most of the help I got had to be pulled from my own strength. I do however feel entirely grateful for the shelter and the few services that are there to help as I would have been outside everynight losing everything due to the neglect of my family and community. It’s really hard being in that position and really easy to turn to drugs when you have nothing else going for you. One thing I noticed that keeps people stuck on Waterloo is their previous incarcerations and being unable to work. All it takes is one negative circumstance and lack of compassion from community for one person to turn into what people can describe as a menace to the street. The homelessness has gotten out of hand but the lack of concern or empathy has always been there. I was on the bus yesterday to see the tent village under the bridge past Waterloo to see that there’s some real old school camping going on pitching fires up. It’s definitely unsafe for the children. What are we supposed to do when the community is more comfortable funding tourism than housing for our own inhabitants. What are we supposed to do when the people from our own community who we’ve grown up beside don’t care to see where each others lives have landed and wouldn’t pass but a judgemental glance towards someone from their graduating class being in a position on Waterloo. Like they accurately said in the video there’s a lot of problems that go into homelessness and a lot of selfish neglect that enables it. Whether we want to admit it or not, as a community as a humanity we all play a role in homelessness. Im grateful I’m off the street now and I’m extremely grateful for the amount of community I did find there. From the barbecues that they do every weekend to the people who donated food at the shelter. There are few things to be grateful for while there are many things that need to be improved not only in the care operations that are taken for people who have fallen into homelessness for whatever reason. I appreciate this video and look forward to seeing more.

[@universesbrat]

Fentanyl is scary because it’s almost the catch all drug for all opioid addiction and it’s so sad how simply being treated at the hospital could create an addiction that threatens your life. I was never on drugs while I was staying in Waterloo but between my shared experiences of homelessness in Toronto and Saint John I have definitely been offered and have heard enough testimony to understand their perspective. It’s almost just a way of life sometimes. Not that they wish to remain there but they have been established for so long it’s like they forget. One person I met in Toronto, he never even knew. He was born into drug use as his mother was an addict and you can tell he’s still stuck in his childhood the way he spoke to me about what happened. If you listen to the people that sound “crazy” you can truly understand why their experiences have shaped their mind. It’s an unlucky hand.

[@myzjed5576]

You spoke of empathy. I feel that is a major factor in helping people struggling in these positions. You are very right that we all play a role is both the problem but also the solution. I am so glad that you are in a better place. All the best to you. God bless. ❤️

[@soapboxcreature]

Those aren't Derrick's kids. Derrick is a huge hypocrite. He has one child. His own child was / is battling homelessness and addiction. Derrick refused to help his own child, all while promoting himself as The Soapbox Preacher. He thinks he's a celebrity. The narcissism is extreme with this phony.

[@candaistopor1114]

Much love to you, we as a community need to see and support each other ❤Shout out from the north end sj

[@marcroussell8626]

As a Fredericton city bus driver, my heart breaks for all the broken souls I see daily.. Housing and Mental health services are needed.. Bless those on the front lines.. Thank You

[@CrumbRS]

You should reach out to Dr. Eric Weissman from UNBSJ to do an interview. Guy is a Saint, was homless for many years, and I'd love to see his perspectives shared more with the city

[@atribecalledowens]

Would love to interview him.

[@gladiatorgrit]

Crumb, you are from New Brunswick? Fascinating…

[@kevidizzl3]

i watch your vids all the time, been subbed for a while, didnt know you were from here

[@dondarling3275]

Jordan, what I love most about your videos is your curious mind and how comfortable you make people feel as they share their stories. These are complex issues; however, there are solutions. They are well known and have been spoken many times. Do we have the will as a society, maybe even the grit, to provide the essential support so desperately needed? Keep up the fantastic storytelling. Any measure of community success that ignores the reality that our fellow citizens face so many barriers and suffer without their most basic needs being met is a failure to accept those facts in front of our eyes.

[@Jg2727-h9p]

God watch over my grandchildren keep them all clean from this🙏

[@lauradincorn]

Powerful video. You are wonderfully talented - Saint John is lucky to have you. You are a light in this world!

[@tomsmith9281]

That was an incredible video. Thanks for bringing genuine voices and faces to this crisis.

[@RISC-VLIW]

This is such a beautiful video, I go to high school in that area, and it's very very sad to me when I see unhoused people, addicts, and people who clearly aren't having life go their way, I have so many friends and people I know who are even as young as 15 who turned to drug abuse and sadly might just end up in the same situation. It's truly heartbreaking, and I really hope that our community can persevere and overcome this crisis, because we have amazing people who work for amazing non-profit companies who do their absolute best to help these people. Thank you again for making this amazing video, it feels good to know it's being acknowledged and shared, it might really help us make some progress

[@OriginalTeddy]

I'm someone who is living in Saint John, in a small condo unit I own, driving a vehicle I bought new a few years ago, and even used to travel a little. A couple of years ago I had a mental breakdown, panic attack or whatever it was... it knocked me on my ass. I barely leave said home now and my social circle is dwindling down to just my appointments. When I do go out, if it's not to dart in and out to run an errand... it's typically to disappear out in the woods on my own. To this day, I've yet to be diagnosed with anything while having ideas of depression, anxiety, panic attacks, stress, etc being thrown around. My psychiatrist came out and said it's simply my personality now and I need to just get back out there again. Sure, OK. Luckily I'm not on the streets (yet) as my life choices before hand has acted as a life preserver for now but I have a lot running through my head concerning my future. I say this to open some peoples eyes that not everyone spiraling towards living on the streets are drug addicts, welfare surfers or ex cons. There's too many people that are one slip up away from starting the process of joining them and falling down the ladder is a hell of a lot quicker than the process of climbing it. Would I lose my mind or start numbing my senses with drugs if I ended up losing everything? I don't know. I don't do drugs. Hell, I don't even drink but those ideas don't seem so far fetched when the shoe is on the other foot. There's soo many factors to this issue and it's been around forever. However it's no coincidence that it spreads like wildfire when ever the government keeps turning the dial up to see how far they can push their citizens. Even more suspicious when they aim to keep every drug on the streets. Almost like drugged out zombies are easier to brush under the rug than people with nothing to lose on a united front. Food for thought.

[@rustythomas7673]

Thanks for this video. As a person who lives here...this is a major issue. It's so bad now. People are trying to help but it's not enough. The last 3 years has been shit. We need to bring more awareness

[@jimacsteelgaming7649]

Thank you for making this video. The folks you interviewed definitely brings to light what the story looks like. Especially for the folks that don't visit this area of Saint John. I was born in this city and now in my mid 40's, it's unbelievable to see the amount of tents in the open in the middle of the day and people in the open, it seems to be multiplying. It always existed but more hidden years ago. Nowadays you see it everywhere. Especially Waterloo Village, and down the hill towards the Haymarket Square Area. The aspect that is good to mention, is that some folks want their freedom and not be controlled by rules that goes along with a steady place to stay. I know that sounds odd, but I think that's a solid reason why so many folks despite their circumstance live in the tents. Thanks again for the video. Nice job. I'm sure it wasn't easy to edit. Cheers friend.

[@BillHillygrower]

The reason its so hard to help and provide help is a couple reason's. This homelessness and drug addiction hasnt just popped up, its been around in saint john my entire life and im 43. Moncton has has a major homelessness issue for the last 8 years because every city in New Brunswick sent their homeless to moncton. The biggest issue with the homeless and drug users is they likely all had many many opportunities offered to them. They need to learn to help themselves. I did. I struggled with addiction for 2o years. But just saying you would do this or that if someone would help me. but do realize they can do just the same as anyone helping them. Its actions needed not words..

[@cali-tm1ec]

I agree so much with this. the help is there but they don't want it. they will all overdose on drugs that have been laced! very sad because it's totally preventable!

[@TheBowhunterinNB]

I am from exmouth street , my parents are still there . This breaks my heart . Open drug use should not be legal .

[@BabsCote]

Thank you for ‘seeing’ these people and giving them a voice. Everyone has a story. ✌🏼❤️

[@candaceb1578]

Yes ived lived here my hole life an have 4 kids now an it's so different then it was when I was younger 😢

[@cali-tm1ec]

I just came across this video today and I'm so very sad to see all what's going on up town. im 57 years old, I've lived in an area where we were cut off from this kind of living. makes my heart so sad to watch this.i had no clue, if I'm honest. things like this don't happen😢

[@ehhcanada]

Sadly new brunswick is very very quickly becoming ontario.drug users will soon far out number the clean. All of the reasons we moved here are no longer the case after only 3 years.

[@cali-tm1ec]

wow this hits me hard. I'm 57 born and raised. I've seen that change over the last 3 yrs as well. I'm so saddened by this video. I don't go to town often so when I do I'm in shock

[@BebeDaul]

This province isn't the province I grew up in. I mourn it so much.

[@justinbrown5820]

No way! Jordan! Great job here. I am deeply proud of you. This is an incredibly important problem in Saint John right now. Thank you for shedding light on this for others who are unaware. Keep up the good work. Thank you.

[@KM-sv5qd]

I’m originally from Saint John. I left in 1983 before it turned 18 went to Toronto frying pan into the fire spent 20 years there and now I live east of Toronto for 21 years, I’m grateful to say I’m a recovering addict. I had a relapsed two years ago that almost killed me. My mental health had already gone downhill really bad so my mental illnesses really crept up on me and I rely on narcotics anonymous and professional help to help me stay clean a day at a time. Streets have no heart the only thing that changes of the faces the game is still the same. It’s a dark cold and it’s eat or be eaten. They’ll eat you up and spit you out. I’m never going back one day at a time and thanks to my beautiful adopted rescue dog.. believe me if I can get clean again and be doing so well anyone can. ❤️🙏

[@cali-tm1ec]

good for you...and I don't know you, but I'm so proud of you for have courage and resolve to save yourself. bravo darling bravo❤️💙

[@shivashanti9357]

So sad! This is a worldwide problem indeed and yes we all need to help out our homeless brothers and sisters no matter where they are! ❤

[@freywayne6574]

There is no easy answer, this reminds me of Grant Avenue in Hamilton late 70's to early 80's, Drug abuse is common in the Construction trades, at least in Ontario, lost many friends and acquaintences to Fentynal, opiods but alcohol is the worst. Either from chronic use or acute events. Saving yourself is the first and biggest step, thanks for such a thought provoking video, sobering to say the least. Peace.

[@hoppy564]

Substance abuse is a cancer to our society. More resources are needed to support the victims to detox and rehab/counciling then housing and jobs.

[@nonenone4880]

a drug addict knows all the answers. too many bleeding heart enablers

[@galegrazutis964]

ABSOLUTELY 💯!! The socalled advocate NEVER mention the crime filth and violence these junkies create. Onmy that thaey have had terrible childhoods, or society has failed them. No one has failed them but themselves!

[@youllbeblessed]

I feel so bad for this unborn child 😭

[@galegrazutis964]

@@youllbeblessed ABSOLUTELY he dink ask for this

[@robm9581]

U know absolutely nothing about addiction, they don't need enablers they just know what they want, booze drugs gambling, whatever their addiction is

[@bradleygaudet9151]

Thank you for this captivating video Jordan and for shedding light on what so many of our friends, neighbours and family members are struggling with.

[@alljod]

Thank you for shedding light on this issue.

[@JayceMay-gp4ku]

Hey it’s super cool how Derrick can help these strangers but won’t help his own child because he can’t accept certain things about me. He’s refusing to aid in my recovery and can put on a front for the news, but will not allow me to live with him unless I sacrifice myself and stay a woman to make him comfortable. He’s not about recovery, he’s about putting on a front.

[@ronblizzard368]

Well said! He puts on a great show.

[@soapboxcreature]

What a massive hypocrite and phony attention-seeker. To talk about homelessness and not even mention that your own kid is homeless! LOL. Of all people to become a 'social justice activist'. This MAGA guy who abuses gay kids and screams the n-word and, quote, "Ain't above hitting women" - is 'working' with vulnerable people?! Yikes.

[@soapboxcreature]

Imagine promoting yourself as a homeless activist and never mentioning that your own child is homeless. What a hypocrite.

[@sekovittol3124]

What do you mean by 'stay a woman'?

[@winterblue2120]

​@@sekovittol3124he's transphobic

[@themischiefmisfitpariah]

That man is right but it’s not only provincial government it’s federal too if the government can house refugees they should be able to free up millions to help the homeless and what not

[@shannanbrennan612]

I could be one of these ppl. I took the chance at recovering.. took the help offered. Went to jail. Went to rehab. Lost my kids. Got them back. Graduated the methadone program. Used my skills. Even with mental illness im still able to be on top! Got my shit together, a job. Kept my apt for 5 years. It’s possible.. it really is.

[@candaistopor1114]

I live in saint john and have for years now. Coming from Newfoundland to Saint John NB it was a huge shock. Trying to get a family doctor is a 6 to 8 year wait. Mental health issues are not treated like they should be, there is not enough housing for anyone let alone someone who is homeless. There is a lack in mental health programs, and specialist as well as we need dry houses. We need beds available immediately when someone is willing to go in not days later. It's scary to face a drug free life, there is memories and yourself to face, most who are on drugs have a reason and it's not a happy go lucky reason they are on them.

[@Think_Different-xm1kk]

We would love to team together with you when you’re aiding these people . We advocate for Mental Health. Keep up the good work.

[@youllbeblessed]

That poor unborn baby 😭

[@markmcvixar3029]

Glace Bay, NS had a bad run with drugs. The drug suppliers need to be stopped. I walked on Waterloo street yesterday going to service Canada. I was approached by a prostitute, it was sad. And the kids matter in that area.

[@thestews4273]

I know that girl that had her wallet stolen… her father has just passed away like days ago. I have known her since she was a girl. I used to live there but we got outta there and very thankful. I saw your vids over Freddy and Saint John .. I’ve lived both places now I’m up by Hartland ( strangely how I saw your vids) I also am originally from Ontario.

[@Quarry_Saintwater]

i grew up in the village and it always had an open drug and prostitution market, I even read about a women whos escaped a religious laundry orphanage on Waterloo in the 50,s who entered into the neighborhood prostitution ring There just wasn't the amount of people as there is now so most people could ignore it because there weren't tent city's. Losing loan water farm was a big effect, it was a beautiful sober living farm outside the city.

[@cali-tm1ec]

we need to lobby the government for it to come back! I would work there for minimum wage 7 days a week to help anyone who wanted it

[@WW-sj7zk]

Cant imagine being homeless is Saint John. Place is shitty enough as it is.

[@user-lv9ff8ro1q]

Im tired of the poor me i had a life you write books about and i didn't turn to drugs and alcohol or giving my body up.I have know education and am 51 and have the best life i worked hard for everything i got.So i feel nothing for these people stop with excuses and fix your life and stop afecting others and the amount of trash around the city.Get it together

[@galegrazutis964]

Good on you l wish there were more people with your great attitude. These people blame society the government the rich their up bringi. But never the fact that they made thwrong choices in life. I dont see why the rest of us are forced to ckean up their mess?

[@starbright1256]

Agree. Been against many challenges myself. Cleaned up.my act. Working ^ too damn tired for drugs ir booze or friends. Pain yeah we all have something. Grow up & own your shit.

[@clovs]

You worked hard and you were actually paid fairly. We work hard and get paid pennies compared to what money was worth when you were making a life for yourself. We're not on the same playing field AT ALL. You need to get that through your head.

[@Operator75100]

AGREED

[@Ubews]

I remember walking around the street in view with my hockey team as a kid @ 2:58 It's crazy, NS and even Fredericton has gotten terrible for open drug use in the past year. There's a Rejuvenation Program called the, Village of Hope. I spent a little time there and it is honestly exactly what these people are asking for.

[@BebeDaul]

How sad for Sarah's innocent little baby, its life and health ruined before it's even born.

[@rawd506]

Everyone acting like this is a new thing when most of us been dealing with it over ten years. Pretty sad.

[@donnabrooks8492]

Seriously yo nothing new here. It's gotten more crazy however these are things that have should've gotten more attention over a decade ago.

[@cali-tm1ec]

I'm 57 and shocked every time I drive up town. things I never thought I would see. this type of situation only happens in places like Toronto, that's what I thought anyways😢

[@mowlandscape]

Bro I’m 21 I’ve been in SJ my entire life, things really changed after Covid.

[@juliemac2831]

Here’s what I’m thinking. In Ontario, there’s an 18 year waiting list for group homes. Many desperate families have gotten together and purchased a home for their children. Now the govt. runs the home and the families can rest assured that their loved one will always have a home. As well, my daughter worked at a privately run home for people unable to live on their own. The owner of the home gets paid through the residence’s social assistsnce, they run all kinds of programs and help people manage their affairs. Perhaps if the good people of Newfoundland purchased a property, I wonder if the govt. would step in and provide staff? Or perhaps talk to community college social service workers and see if they could volunteer their time? I’m hopeful this idea will perhaps open doors to alternatives. Thank you so much for shining a light on this desperate situation. God bless

[@ys1876]

This is Saint John, New Brunswick.. not St.Johns Newfoundland

[@AlexanderStone]

Excellent documentary explaining this rapidly increasing crisis.

[@jeremybrundle1991]

Good on you to be realizing and covering this. Thank you for stepping up.

[@bamir1]

You've got area 506. Waterloo Street is Area 911

[@missjanus5557]

Piles of this, piles of that? A lack of priority? Awesome? That's what a city council rep has to say? No direction, no ideas, no plans. This confirms this issue is real to Mr. May and not real to City reps. Completely disappointing. Thank you doing the video.

[@clovs]

The mental health aspect can be mostly solved by lessening the amount of poverty our people suffer from. Nearly 30% of NBs children live in poverty and the number who will end up suffering from trauma, neglect, and mental illness will be the majority. Yes we need to immediate help now, but that's also throwing water out of the boat instead of plugging the hole. We need to focus on immediate needs AND the cause of the suffering.

[@redneck_ridge_reptiles]

Very cool man more ppl need to see how bad its gotten in our small towns and citys in nb st stephen, st george , saint john, fredericton and moncton have done a night a day flip in the last 5 years it needs to stop this is the community we are leaving to our kids and kids kids EVERYONE needs to do better has humans ... will it happen idk 🤷‍♂️ will fix it idk 🤷‍♂️ but will it hurt the prob .. deff not

[@MarcoCostantini33]

So sad how many tents you see outside driving in saint john

[@matthewjosiah]

Thanks for bringing these peoples' truths + perspectives into reality for us, Jordan. I'm going to share this with my network and I hope this brings a lot of awareness and action to these issues!

[@kindspiritkids]

It’s so well done. I have such a better understanding of what’s happening over there, a place I easily never see in my own day to day life. Thanks for bringing this info into the light for all to see. I especially loved your closing notes ♥️

[@suzystone244]

Hi Derrick. I just found this channel. DEFINITELY will be diving into your work. There are too many shitheads in this world. The divide is REAL AF

[@LindaLouise625]

I am a senior now.. Was homeless for almost 3 years over 50 years ago. Lucky for me the Military accepted me when I was 18 *Saved my life. I was born in St. John .. spent a LOT of time in the Waterloo area .. King Square .. This makes me want to move back home to help. How can I Help?? :( so so sad for so many souls

[@KittanaEspinoza]

Wow. I met Sarah Humphrey in jail. She’s very friendly. This is very sad. I hope she can get an apartment and it actually helps her.

[@mariposalibertad]

This is such a beautiful message, Jonathan. Thank you to you and your family

[@atribecalledowens]

Me Jordan 😊

[@JimmyMagee-n8u]

Msny in Saint John in that lifestyle know who I am because I was born and raised in Saint John I know a lot of the faces I'm seeing in this video One day I'll come back to St John and I'll open the ministry and it'll be a biblical bible-believing Ministry which will cause the streets to become cleaned up of addiction because we will bring Jesus Christ into the lives of the people and he is the only one going to change that problem that you got down there it was a flying biblical laws that has been keeping me sober for 6 years now I hit my first needle at age 17 and I did not stop until 34 I remember sitting in jail and thinking to myself 34 and I turn 34 in jail I turn 33 in jail I turn 32 and 31 all in jail and do you want to know something my birthday is Christmas Eve I truly got to call those years didn't I and I deserved it too Put one day God's going to send me back and unlike the church is you're seeing in your town today who have no power as it is written in the book of Acts you will see that power flow through the ministry I bring in to your town my old town I'm very aware of who the bigger guys are in St John and I stay clear of them at the same time I'm coming back one day in Jesus Christ is coming with me and we're going to clean up Saint John all in God's perfect timing and I'll teach you why your physical means are not going to help a spiritual problem This is spiritual more than anything else and when you begin to understand spiritual warfare and how to drive out the strong man that Jesus Christ tells us about that problem will not go away it will continue and it will get worse If you want to take what the devil has placed upon your land you must first tie up the strong man bind him and then you can go in and you can take everything he owns the hearts of the people stuck in addiction and oppression it is a spiritual problem and you're not going to fix it with physical means ever

[@travisgallant9654]

Preach the good news jesus saves and delivers ! I have been 8 years clean through Christ ! John 3:17

[@myzjed5576]

Empathy, empathy, empathy. ❤️❤️❤️

[@ronblizzard368]

Derrick doesn't even live on Waterloo St. He owns a house on the peninsula.

[@atribecalledowens]

Is that really relevant my friend? Is that what upset you most after watching this video?

[@soapboxcreature]

@@atribecalledowens I'm most upset that this guy steals valour (and funds) from war veterans by pretending to be too mentally ill to work.

[@atribecalledowens]

"@soapboxcreature • 4 hours ago @atribecalledowens I'm most upset that this guy steals valour (and funds) from war veterans by pretending to be too mentally ill to work." Did you create a burner account and accidentally reply from it? It appears this account was created a few hours ago. I wonder why? I spoke at the end of the video about being a light in a dark world OR being a person who contributes to society in a negative way. Which of these two paths do you believe you're speaking from? Even if what you claim is true - what do you expect to gain from your words? Is it helping people in need - or simply building yourself up by putting others down? Would you and everyone else be served better by not speaking at all?

[@soapboxcreature]

@@atribecalledowens I'm not ronblizzard. I replied to him because it seems like the Preacher hasn't fooled him either. It is true, yes. If you'd like, I can share receipts. I am shining a light of truth on the Preacher's malevolent darkness. What am I gaining? Nothing. In fact, I am putting myself in danger by speaking out, but it's the right thing to do. It's wrong to pretend to be mentally disabled to mooch off taxpayers and steal from deserving veterans. Although, it is pretty crazy to be on disability benefits as 'too mentally ill to work', but at the same time advertising your 'work' with the mentally ill! Such irony, the mind boggles! If the Preacher wants to be some sort of celebrity and is out there promoting himself, as a wannabe public figure, he exposes himself to criticism. You seem like a nice person - you really shouldn't affiliate yourself with this narcissist.

[@soapboxcreature]

@@atribecalledowens Strange, I replied to you earlier and it disappeared. I'm not ronblizzard. I replied to him because he seems to be aware of the Preacher's true nature. I am shining a light of truth on the Preacher's darkness. It is true, yes - if you'd like, I can share receipts. It is wrong to pretend to be too mentally ill to work, in order to take from taxpayers and war veterans. It is wild to claim to be too mentally ill to work, but then advertise your 'work' with the mentally ill.

[@doktor_ghul]

Doktor G'Hul has been trying to find sources like this. Walking around north end , I see discaarded needles and other crap, but I never see the people. This is the source of the people's story...and that's what I want to understand. New subscriber.

[@Eatzbugs]

The lack of understanding as to what addiction is and how it can be “cured” is astounding. Here’s a house, now go live your best life

[@marcdanieltheriault3955]

SO SAD, I WAS BORN IN SAINT JOHN(LIVED THERE TILL I STARTED SCHOOL IN MIRAMICHI). WAS IN SAINT JOHN TODAY(FOR UNION MEETING) & TRULY SAD TO SEE THE HOMELESS, DRUG ADDICTS ETC..WAS DRIVING OUT & AT AN INTERSECTION(TO GET ON HIGHWAY) & WOMAN BEGGAR LOOKING/PANHANDLING, I ROLLED DOWN WINDOW OF MY TRUCK & GAVE HER A CANDY BAR. THIS IS SO RAMPANT AFTER 8 YEARS OF TRUDEAU TYRANNICAL DICTATORSHIP. I PRAY FOR THESE LOST SOULS ON THE STREETS, FJT & LETS MAKE CANADA GREAT AGAIN GODBLESS🙏

[@JustSusan]

It's the same situation in Moncton. Sad.

[@atribecalledowens]

Worldwide issues 🙏🏾

[@elizabethgriffith2702]

Good documentary.

[@seanpaulroach]

Well done. Wonderful presentation.

[@michaellarocque2926]

hard to have sympathy for an addict who says they dont need rehab,, they need an apartment....because we know thats bull

[@chrisbriggs5044]

I was told the city is building a 160 unit with 1 and 2 bedroom appartment for these people who are struggling with mental issues that lead to drug addiction and that dark road is not the same as it used to be 10,15,20 years ago (Is this a good or bad idea?). I quit school in grade six and lived in the south end from when I was born until I was 28. I moved to pei when I was 28 and tried to start out new but it was not easy and I moved back to saint john and continued to live a wild life and then tried pei again and eventually I started to see a new way to live life. I was heading for the bottom or I was at my bottom but but seeing a new perspective on life gave me the vision of the life I want to live. I know alot of those people in this video and my family who live uptown see them very often and I'm uptown whenever I get free time. If there is anyway I can help let me know I know people who just want to be heard and tell they're story.

[@Scotiatims]

we need to publicly have voices and not be silenced, oppressed, trapped in community with our abusers and ones who are supporting/enabling or abusing themselves ....I am not an addict but have been seriously affected, let down by the 'system' and when trying to get 'help', tell the truth about the abuse....soon to be homeless in Windsor, Nova Scotia, being silenced and oppressed in the community I was adopted into......msgs, emails can't be reached from my area ....are blocked......no in person supports anymore just the corrupt internet that can easily delete and silence ........so much abuse and so much silencing happening

[@davidkincade]

Excellent video. Thanks for creating it. Important issue.

[@heaveymelt]

It's sad what goes on in the world it's really getting bad in all our little towns and city's in canada and usa

[@lilmomma6112]

Ill tell you the process that needs to take place first there needs to be a staffed rooming house to monitor residents and their needs then they need to have those needs treated mental health drugs whatever THEN from there be tranferred to appropriate housing you cant take someone off the steet and plop them in a building they are not used to neighbors and how to act around them trust me i know first hand my landlord works with these people and every single time its been problematic i get everyone needs and deserves housing but there needs to some sort of help inbetween the streets and an apartment you just CANT put people straight into apartments with vulnerable kids and elderly it doesnt work i dont live far from derrik and what he sees is very true my own kid has seen people od right around our house we would love more than anything to get out but we cant afford the rents they are asking these days we are extremely lucky because we moved here when rents started increasing and this was a decent deal however if something happened theres no way in the world my family could afford the rents these days we have 1 min wage income and struggle just to get by we are barly keeping our heads above water at this point i dont even eat breakfast or lunch to make sure the kids eat every day

[@cali-tm1ec]

we had these types of housing over west side about 20-25 years ago. I used to work in a few before I went into the medical field. Are they not there anymore? I know when you turn onto the road where the old centre are was, there were a few right there. I though we were going in a good direction back then. the gov obviously changed their direction?

[@lilmomma6112]

@@cali-tm1ec i have never heard of those buildings i am aware of 1 in the city but it was recently sold and the new people are treating the residents so bad that someone tried to unalive themself and the residents are reaching out to find who to contact about the new owners but no one is listening to them

[@cali-tm1ec]

@@lilmomma6112 if it's privately owned they would have to tell the police if there is abuse going on. if it's through the government I'm thinking someone at the mercantile building might be able to point you in the right direction. or the patient care rep at the regional. I'm pretty sure the ones I'm talking about were sponsored through the mercantile centre. they had social workers checking in on them and they were very involved if I remember correctly. I'm thinking one of the houses was red or dark pink? was a 3 or 4 story house that kept 6 to 8 residents.....keep up the great work your doing!! 💙🙏

[@cali-tm1ec]

@@lilmomma6112 if it is privately owned it would have to be reported to the police if there is abuse going on. otherwise if it's funded by the government I'm thinking the mercantile center would be the best bet to possibly help. they were very involved in these houses I'm thinking about. keep up the great work 💙🙏

[@NorthStarInfo]

I teach my daughters that a homeless person is no different than any other people, they've seen better days in the past, and with little help from us, they will restore their lives back.

[@edisonkillingelephants]

So, you essentially lie to your child. Great parenting my wife and I invested thousands into her brother's addiction guess what he ended up the same way every time then he DIED!!!

[@vanessab2726]

Jesus Christ can set you free. ❤

[@FirstLast-yq1ps]

my brother died because safe supply made it easy for someone to slip fentanyl in a drug he was peer pressured into trying. the coroner said if he had a tolerance to either drug he might’ve survived. he was not an addict. he had just been promoted to head chef of a copper mine in Saskatchewan and his friends in Port Alberny wanted to celebrate

[@thomasr5121]

Moncton is getting bad, I see it daily on my bus routes.

[@angelicrebel89]

Lone Water Farm got shut down? wow that was a horible decision

[@Dustandfuzz]

It really was.

[@Unkownsource01]

God bless you this shit is crazy!!

[@kram4478silo]

This city is shit …. It’s really going now… Irving will leave soon….. it’s time to plan to leave this tax pit

[@MrOxymoron68]

i think its a lack of jobs,its a dirty depressing city and drugs and dealers are takeing that void.u cant keep talking resources for more and more people and expect the people not doing drugs to pay for all of that through taxes.plus most of them like saraha wont help them selfs even though when there drugs run out and its cold now i want help till the chq comes in..lol..unreal.

[@michaelg1237]

So glad this got recommend to me

[@shannanbrennan612]

St. John’s Newfoundland is the same way.

[@78ramcharger53]

We need a system that once they ask for help they must have to stay in the program for 6 mths, we also need funding to have these programs. If this doesn't happen then there is little to no chance for them.

[@JimmyMagee-n8u]

The main problem is people continue to try to fix a spiritual problem with physical means and you will never fix a spiritual issue with physical means You need to pray you need to understand spiritual warfare and understand how to pray against it and then when you drive out the strong man you will see a change and that takes a lot of time to an effort This is a spiritual issue and until you truly understand this the problem will grow worse

[@user-hj1xh7en6e]

Very well said my friend!

[@cheesefrank]

Drug use isn’t directly related to poverty. Lots and lots of rich kids use drugs. I’ve seen drug users range from poor families to ultra rich. It’s an unfounded excuse. It’s a mental issue.

[@Unkownsource01]

Don’t forget rising crime rates, domestic and violence crime rates increasing and nobody says a word

[@barbie8670]

Great video !👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@eviled77]

Love your videos.

[@NightFriendly21]

Did you ask these people for their consent?

[@atribecalledowens]

Which people?

[@gaild.9311]

yes, check out 8:55.

[@iminyourcity4001]

even if he didn’t who cares? karen🤡

[@SuckOnBofaDeez]

​@@iminyourcity4001 real shit lol 90% of the people in this video are a bunch of clowns anyways

[@JimmyMagee-n8u]

The main problem is people continue to try to fix a spiritual problem with physical means and you will never fix a spiritual issue with physical means You need to pray you need to understand spiritual warfare and understand how to pray against it and then when you drive out the strong man you will see a change and that takes a lot of time to an effort I do not disagree that some of them struggle with mental health disabilities book all of them that you think is a disability I'm telling you right now no it's not it is demonic oppression and when you understand Deliverance in Ministry biblical means in spiritual aspects when you understand what it means to tie up the strong man bind him and take all he owns then the land will be healed and the people as wel You go and study the statistics you're going to find out that the most high success rate in the highest success rates are of those who teach the recovery guys the word of God about Jesus Christ and I'm one of those people that overcome and exactly that

[@jasonobrien1019]

It's sad man that's my city

[@marissascott780]

Nice video hopefully thwy got something for there participation

[@simpstroke4156]

Waterloo village is wild lol 😂

[@thetimehascome7441]

The mental health system needs an overhall

[@kram4478silo]

Woke policies lead to this

[@JimmyMagee-n8u]

The real truth is you all need the Lord Jesus Christ and then when you understand the spiritual warfare behind the problem then you can go and you can learn how to pray in a effective way that it will drive out the curse that is upon the land because that's what it is it is a curse that somebody put their and because the Christians in your town do not understand warfare and spiritual means is Why it got to where it did Y'all need Jesus Christ

[@soapboxcreature]

Derrick was in the military, but he never served a tour or deployment. And he didn't retire. He claims to be mentally ill for disability benefits. Since he never served anywhere, he made up the most ridiculous story about being traumatized by a drunken barracks party when he was 19 and passed out with his pants down and the others mocked him. He said that traumatized him for life and he's too sick to work. Stealing from taxpayers and legitimate war veterans. This is a form of stolen valour, if you ask me, taking from real veterans. It's shameful. He should get a job if he wants to 'do work'. He certainly shouldn't be allowed around vulnerable people!

[@debe2955]

Wow that's messed up, he shouldn't get any money from the army if he has not fought... I don't watch his videos, got a weird vibe from him, now I know why!

[@soapboxcreature]

Yep, he complains about people on welfare and not working, meanwhile he is doing the same but taking a bigger piece of the pie - so he feels superior to them. That probably explains the sudden interest in the homeless - people he can be 'better than'. He also owns a house in the country. He could have had his girlfriend and kids live there with him, nice and safe. But I'm sure he didn't want the gf having any claim to his house! So instead he rents out the house as a landlord. And stays in his girlfriend's rental on Waterloo, which, rumor has it, is subsidized.

[@Dddddxx901]

No lock them up but not in a harsh way food shelter and get them clean a jail can be used for different purposes but people don't see it that way

[@rowdyraven2009]

Number #1...There need be good people in government who are making the decisions we all must live by and not ego filled sociopaths who will do anything for money. Number #2 Include indigenous elders who know how to care for the earth should be implemented into the Canadian government. Number # 3.. Bring back decriminalization of hard drug use. These sociopaths who sat around a table who decided this... alone is insane.. Our streets and parks and all around and filled with the outcome . Legally aiding addicts to perpetuate this is insanity. Use these monies instead towards detox centers, homelessness housing and counseling.. GET THE SOCIOPATHS OUT OF GOVERNMENT !!!!!!