Oops, forgot to post my story from the Globe today earlier than this. But here it is. A look at what’s going on, as the city and province try to figure out where all those 500 people now camping out at First United and a warehouse near Great Northern and in city buildings under the Granville Bridge are going to go.
Something for Homelessness Minister Rich Coleman to figure out, along with everything else.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Gorewell // Mar 4, 2009 at 12:22 pm
How about back to Ontario? This is why this should be a federal issue.
2 Petra Hoffmann // Mar 5, 2009 at 10:45 am
Hi Frances,
I do not for one minute agree with the homeless numbers we are given by the media. Have you ever heard of a “Homeless REALTOR?”
Pls. check out my blog:
Question: Other than the people that sleep on the street….What is homelessness?
Good question!! It hits a really tender note with me this one, because there are a lot more people homeless than what we see on the News. I myself have written a blurb to Global News in regards to this matter. In my opinion, when a single mother runs into some financial difficulties, and ends up at her friend’s and families homes with a child and a dog, and sleeps on different couches (couch surfing…I have heard it called), is that not being homeless?
Do you have any idea folks, how many of those “homeless” numbers there really are? Probably not, because they are NOT accounted for in the statistics given by our government and media sources. I, myself happen to know more than one or two of these individuals, and I would be willing to bet, so do you!
How about this, and it still blows my mind to think about. I know her well…it is a woman who moved from one of the Gulf Islands, back to Vancouver, was in the process of looking for a place, whilst living at her girlfriends, with her daughter, and a dog whom she had to leave in the car. Before she knew what happened, she got into a car accident, totalled her car, and the rest of her belongings, inclusive of all there shoes, boots, and winter coats were stolen, because the trunk did not lock. (Long story…short)
At the same time this woman had ended up signing up as a REALTOR with an office downtown. Unable now to pay the office fees (about $1200/month), she ended up homeless for almost a year. None of her work colleagues ever knew and most of her friends did not know also, because she was so ashamed. It got so bad for a while that she and her daughter had to stay with different people because there was not enough room anywhere for them both. MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE SEPARATED FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS and it was one of the most horrible times of our lives!
Petrabilities
http://petrabilities.blogspot.com/
3 not running for mayor // Mar 5, 2009 at 11:33 pm
This is not a dig at but a serious question. Why did she leave to move here? Usually people that move have a plan, what caused hers to fall thru? If she had a job right away why was she not able to find accommodations right away even if it meant staying in a basement suite in the burbs. Is she still “homeless”?
4 audreylaferriere // Mar 7, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Not only are the Gregor shelters closing the regular col wet weather shelters are closing as well on March 31st. In total I estimate the amount of street homeless outside will increase by 900. There is a new foundation out there called Streetohome composed of professionals and real estate developers. The City and Province government gave this foundation $1,000,000. The least this foundation should do is make minimalist shelters (sleeping on the floor in old bulidings) available and not worry about 15 year plans and negotiating with the federal government for special tax deductions for the rich if the rich donate to this foundation. What ever happened to giving money without strings attached.
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