Enough Is Enough: The System Is Broken and We’re All Paying the Price

 

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

Another brutal attack. Another headline. Another person in crisis. And again, the system shrugs. The accused in the recent unprovoked attack on a tourist on Vancouver’s seawall didn’t just “snap out of nowhere”—he was failed, repeatedly, by a system that claims to care.

He was released after a domestic violence incident. He violated his release conditions. He was off his meds, and his own mother was begging for help. Instead, he was sent back to her care—without support, without supervision, without compassion. And now a stranger is left with a broken face and trauma that may last a lifetime.

What more do we need to see to admit the system is not just cracked—it's shattered?

People with mental health issues are suffering. Their families are suffering. And now, total strangers are getting pulled into these cycles of crisis. Police, courts, health services, housing—they’re all operating in silos, ticking boxes instead of saving lives. This isn’t justice. This isn’t care. This is negligence wrapped in bureaucracy.

Enough is enough. This has to be a turning point.

If we truly care about community safety, about human dignity, about preventing tragedy instead of reacting to it, we have to start making real changes—today. Here's where we start:

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5 Ways to Flip the Script and Stop the Cycle

1. Mandatory Mental Health Monitoring Post-Release
   Anyone released on bail with a known mental health diagnosis must be automatically connected to a care team and receive supervised follow-up. No gaps. No exceptions.

2. Create Crisis Support Housing with Wraparound Care
   Families should not be the last line of defense. We need housing solutions that include on-site mental health workers, security, and trauma-informed staff—safe for the individual and the community.

3. Integrated Court-Mental Health Response Teams
   Judges, lawyers, and police should be required to consult with mental health professionals before issuing bail or release conditions for at-risk individuals.

4. Real Accountability for Violations of Release Conditions
   Breaching bail—especially after a violent offense—must trigger immediate review and intervention, not another release slip and crossed fingers.

5. Community-Led Oversight and Advocacy
   The public must have a voice. We need watchdogs, not just in media, but within the system. Survivors, family members, and mental health advocates must be part of policy-making and review boards.

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We say we’re a compassionate society. But compassion means action—not after another person is hurt or killed, but before the damage is done. Let this case not be another forgotten headline. Let it be the beginning of real change.

Because next time, it could be your mother. Your daughter. Your friend. Or you.

#EnoughIsEnough
#FlipTheScript
#MentalHealthJustice
#CommunityCareNow