This year Family Day in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario will be observed on February 16, two days after Valentine’s Day. I can think of no better time of the year to discuss the issue of homelessness. The heart of homelessness is, after all, love and the family we are supposed to be toward each other. The very issues we celebrate respectively on these days.
I used the headline above to drive home a point. Of course there are homeless people in Canada but I contend that they are not the problem. The lack of a solution is the problem.
We have the land, we have the resources and we have the skills to build homes. Lots of homes. All kinds of homes. We just don’t have the organizational wherewithal to get it done. Our county is loaded with politicians. All kinds of politicians, but not one of them, not a single one has come up with a good idea to organize a rural barn raiser, let alone help craft proper housing for the homeless.
Solving this puzzle is not easy. Far from it. The issues within this issue are complex and wide in description and circumstance. Behind every homeless person there is a story that may include brutal behaviour, drunkenness, crazy personalities, comprehension difficulties, plain bad luck and more. Each story is unique and must be appreciated.
What we provide in terms of assistance is poorly organized, badly thought out and almost hurriedly thrown together year after year after year.
A food bank in one of the more affluent areas of Toronto operates one evening a week. This particular food bank can only be accessed by walking down a long dark intimidating alley. Once inside, “clients” must take a number and wait in an area where the potential for a raging deranged person to victimize them is real and not uncommon. This is not a place for children. Drunks are not turned away but actually get a sympathetic ear from the poor folks that volunteer at this place, in a sincere attempt to give compassion. The effort is useless from what I have seen. There is no security. To me, the work these volunteers do seems foolish, yet these bumbling do-gooders carry on. They are extraordinarily brave. In my view the notion that this place even operates is outrageous.
I have heard that some homeless men sleep under bridges because they are simply too frightened to go to a shelter for fear of personal harm or abuse.
Some years ago I had a conversation with an executive of a branch of the government and I asked them if our country would provide land to build housing complexes for those who needed shelter. I was told that in fact the government would not only entertain the idea but had offered it many times in the past.
I asked the same executive if the problem was that there was not enough money from the private sector. The executive told me that was the least of all problems and in fact pointed out that out of all the business communities in the country, the real estate industry was well known to be one of the most benevolent of all professional collectives. You need look no further than the pages of REM each month to see reports of fundraising for shelters and the well being of all elements in our society.
The main obstacle I was told was that no one seems to be able to engineer the construction and operation of a truly good working complex for those in need of help.
There is land outside of any city and there can be capital raised even in these tough times. What is missing is a plan.
It seems to me that real estate brokers and sales representatives by the nature of their business have to be creative. So why not ask this industry to come up with a plan? There isn’t a better community to ask, is there?
If you have some ideas may I humbly suggest that you take the time this Family Day and write your community leaders with your suggestions? What would be even better is to become a community leader by listening to the ideas of others and then help implement a solution.
Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email [email protected]
