Vancouver’s Unfolding “Povertygate”

The recent revelations of the luxurious spending of the Portland Hotel Society appear to be just the opening chapter in a long tale of corruption and greed. The National Post’s Brian Hutchinson had much to say this morning:

Among the astonishments in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, its heavily subsidized misery and decay, are the politicians. They rule in perpetuity while producing, well, what?
Mr. Small was a handsomely compensated and increasingly well-travelled executive with the PHS Community Services Society (PHS), the biggest, most aggressive social services provider in the neighbourhood, a $28-million-a-year giant funded almost entirely by tax dollars, most from provincial coffers, with millions more in federal funding topping things off.
A smile, she has said, “is worth a thousand bucks.” But a toot across Europe costs a lot more, as she has just discovered. In her case, $34,992.27, at least.

Local pundit, Alex G. Tsakumis, had much to say as well:

I’ve interviewed Mark Townsend three times over the last 9 years. Each time I was convinced he was an out of control grief pimp preying on the downtrodden of the DTES. I personally told Gordon Campbell in 2005 that there was something wrong. He ignored me. I confronted Jenny Kwan–another povertarian fraud–and she ignored me. Libby Davies, whose son Leif had a job at InSite (a shooting gallery) ignored my objections.
The entire street drug normalization industry has been dealt a major blow. It was always in the best interest of Townsend et al, to keep addicts addled and sick–so he and his wife could charge outrageous amounts on holidays, fine wine and limousine rides!
WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE NOT BEING CHARGED??? OUR TAX DOLLARS WERE USED FOR THEIR GOOD TIMES, WHEN WE THOUGHT WE WERE HELPING ADDICTS GET SAFE AND BE BETTER!!! SHAME!!!
“Close to $1-million was put on the Visa Business Platinum Avion credit cards alone, for luxury travel, world famous hotels, fine dining, liquor, floral arrangements, hair salons, spas, limousines.”
The report by the BC Liberals is not enough! What are they hiding? Have they cut a deal with Townsend now that he’s resigning??? The RCMP should be called in. Total misappropriation of public funds…and all under the guise of helping people in the throes of addiction and disease. I hope Townsend and his wife Liz Evans and her $300.00 hairstyles burn in hell…