Homeless in Abbotsford, BC
I DO NOT, HAVE NOT, WOULD NOT ever suggest throwing money at a problem. I am a REALIST, believing in examining a problem to understand what the situation IS. I am not an Ideologue who, wearing the blinders of ideology, looks at a situation and sees what they want to see, not what really is. There is NO perfect solution. A system dealing with people demands flexibility and denies neat, easy answers. Rigidly applying Ideology guarantees failure. How I came to homelessness: click Backstory below.
It is all in your Perspective.
I was recently reminded that how one feels about or looks at what is happening can very much depend very much on where you are standing. There can easily be two very different ways of seeing the same events, depending on whether one is on the inside or the outside.
I had a discussion with some people involved with the decision making process on actions to take in addressing homelessness. They felt things were moving along nicely, with all necessary speed. Later I had the chance to discuss what was taking place with the homeless. They felt things were moving at a glacial pace on making (non) decisions.
Clearly your view on these matters, whether or not decisions and actions occurred in a timely manner, was dependant on your living arrangements – literally whether you were lining on the outside or the inside of homeless issues. To those living on the outside - on the streets – and waiting on these decisions to obtain access to food, shelter, basic hygienic facilities, counselling and other forms of needed help, timely is pretty much NOW. To those making the decisions and who at the end of the “working day” go home to the comfort of shelter and food, timely does not have a set schedule or the same sense of urgency. When you think about it this difference is not surprising, that those with food and shelter lack the driving motivation for action of those without shelter or food.
Reality is that motivating those responsible for addressing problems to act in a timely manner is often difficult. How then do we provide motivation to those facing the highly complex and perplexing issues of homelessness and poverty? How do you motivate action and overcome the fear of making the tiniest mistake in a situation were even the very best choices are likely to give rise to some negative outcomes?
Creatively! I propose that those faced with making decisions on these issues be given an education immersion course that would enable them to gain first hand experience with the barriers faced by, and the needs of, those living homeless. We send those involved with planning and decision making to live in Compassion Park until some plans, decisions and actions are forthcoming. The City’s recent actions have rendered it unoccupied, clean and available for use. This way those tasked to address these issues gain both education and motivation. I am sure this would provide for planning and action in a much more timely fashion.
I was recently reminded that how one feels about or looks at what is happening can very much depend very much on where you are standing. There can easily be two very different ways of seeing the same events, depending on whether one is on the inside or the outside.
I had a discussion with some people involved with the decision making process on actions to take in addressing homelessness. They felt things were moving along nicely, with all necessary speed. Later I had the chance to discuss what was taking place with the homeless. They felt things were moving at a glacial pace on making (non) decisions.
Clearly your view on these matters, whether or not decisions and actions occurred in a timely manner, was dependant on your living arrangements – literally whether you were lining on the outside or the inside of homeless issues. To those living on the outside - on the streets – and waiting on these decisions to obtain access to food, shelter, basic hygienic facilities, counselling and other forms of needed help, timely is pretty much NOW. To those making the decisions and who at the end of the “working day” go home to the comfort of shelter and food, timely does not have a set schedule or the same sense of urgency. When you think about it this difference is not surprising, that those with food and shelter lack the driving motivation for action of those without shelter or food.
Reality is that motivating those responsible for addressing problems to act in a timely manner is often difficult. How then do we provide motivation to those facing the highly complex and perplexing issues of homelessness and poverty? How do you motivate action and overcome the fear of making the tiniest mistake in a situation were even the very best choices are likely to give rise to some negative outcomes?
Creatively! I propose that those faced with making decisions on these issues be given an education immersion course that would enable them to gain first hand experience with the barriers faced by, and the needs of, those living homeless. We send those involved with planning and decision making to live in Compassion Park until some plans, decisions and actions are forthcoming. The City’s recent actions have rendered it unoccupied, clean and available for use. This way those tasked to address these issues gain both education and motivation. I am sure this would provide for planning and action in a much more timely fashion.
Leadership, Leadership, where for art thou Leadership.
While it was a refreshing change to finally have heard our City government recognize that Abbotsford has a homeless quandary, they now appear to regret this admission. With the serving of notice, the eviction of the homeless camping in “Compassion Park” and subsequent public statements, there is a dishearteningly familiar sound of the old song and dance performed by the City regarding homelessness, poverty and other social issues. Given that they are moving forward with forming a council advisory committee responsible for addressing social concerns and matters such as the homeless, I expect them to fall back upon that old refrain “we cannot act until we get a committee report – no matter that the situation and need is such that procrastination puts lives at risk. This brings two pictures to mind, first the image of a camel – a horse designed by a committee and secondly, the image of Nero fiddling while Rome burns.
Fiddling around twiddling ones thumbs accomplished nothing, except to allow the situation to worsen and grow. There has been more than enough banal lip service and prevarication on these pressing social issues. Provide some leadership or at least be responsible enough to stop stalling, admit to a lack of any notion of how to proceed, listen to ideas and adopt a policy of not raising barriers but to help efforts by others in the community to address and meet portions of the need.
What is really needed here is Leadership. Take note that Leadership does not involve sitting around ignoring reality, hoping for some kind of miracle or waiting to see which way the people want to head then running to get to the front and an appearance of leadership. Leadership involves having a vision, working to build co-operation and consensus regarding what we want to achieve, A willingness to focus on what we can do, on solutions rather than what we cannot do or how large and complex the problem is. Instead of whining about the responsibility of the Federal and Provincial governments or others, you tell them what you are going to do and what you need them to do. Providing direction to get the citizens of Abbotsford involved in generating ideas, plans and actions, then participating in addressing the needs of their less fortunate fellow citizens. Leading a wide open, far ranging discussion in order to give rise to a compelling vision of how and what we want our community to be. Co-operating and working to contribute to the creation of a community wide movement for change. It is time to accept the challenge, to take action and make our City a vibrant community.
While it was a refreshing change to finally have heard our City government recognize that Abbotsford has a homeless quandary, they now appear to regret this admission. With the serving of notice, the eviction of the homeless camping in “Compassion Park” and subsequent public statements, there is a dishearteningly familiar sound of the old song and dance performed by the City regarding homelessness, poverty and other social issues. Given that they are moving forward with forming a council advisory committee responsible for addressing social concerns and matters such as the homeless, I expect them to fall back upon that old refrain “we cannot act until we get a committee report – no matter that the situation and need is such that procrastination puts lives at risk. This brings two pictures to mind, first the image of a camel – a horse designed by a committee and secondly, the image of Nero fiddling while Rome burns.
Fiddling around twiddling ones thumbs accomplished nothing, except to allow the situation to worsen and grow. There has been more than enough banal lip service and prevarication on these pressing social issues. Provide some leadership or at least be responsible enough to stop stalling, admit to a lack of any notion of how to proceed, listen to ideas and adopt a policy of not raising barriers but to help efforts by others in the community to address and meet portions of the need.
What is really needed here is Leadership. Take note that Leadership does not involve sitting around ignoring reality, hoping for some kind of miracle or waiting to see which way the people want to head then running to get to the front and an appearance of leadership. Leadership involves having a vision, working to build co-operation and consensus regarding what we want to achieve, A willingness to focus on what we can do, on solutions rather than what we cannot do or how large and complex the problem is. Instead of whining about the responsibility of the Federal and Provincial governments or others, you tell them what you are going to do and what you need them to do. Providing direction to get the citizens of Abbotsford involved in generating ideas, plans and actions, then participating in addressing the needs of their less fortunate fellow citizens. Leading a wide open, far ranging discussion in order to give rise to a compelling vision of how and what we want our community to be. Co-operating and working to contribute to the creation of a community wide movement for change. It is time to accept the challenge, to take action and make our City a vibrant community.
Recidivism
Recidivism seems to be the best word to describe the way police are once again treating the homeless. In spite of the claims from City representatives, as reported in the Abbotsford News, that the City and police would be using outreach or social workers to deal with any Homeless forced to sleep in what were deemed “inappropriate” locations this is not what is occurring. Instead the police have quickly relapsed back into their habitual antisocial behaviours of amusing themselves by tormenting the homeless.
Once again it appears that we are facing the total waste of taxpayer dollars as the police squander their time in the pointless harassment of those who have no place to go, while they cry they lack the resources to deal with gangs and violence. A homeless person sleeping in the street is an eye-sore; an armed gang member is a threat to life and limb. Seemingly the City lacks any ability to set priorities in what they should be doing, whether in regards to is truly needed in terms of capital building projects or in setting goals for what the police force should be doing.
Indignant!! That is the best way to describe the effect that this resuming of old police behaviour has had on one of the workers whom the City claimed would now be used instead of heavy handed police (mis)behaviour in order to actually help the homeless get their lives back on track. While the police have never spoken about the homeless to this worker, the homeless have been speaking of repeatedly being awoken and or harassed by the police. Who apparently took the closing of “Compassion Park” as carte blanche for the reopening of “Harass the Homeless Season”.
This police behaviour was such as to result in a suggestion that this unacceptable behaviour required a letter to the editor. Given the reports I had and have been hearing on police activities I had to agree this reprehensible conduct must be denounced. Moreover it needs to stop.
Recidivism seems to be the best word to describe the way police are once again treating the homeless. In spite of the claims from City representatives, as reported in the Abbotsford News, that the City and police would be using outreach or social workers to deal with any Homeless forced to sleep in what were deemed “inappropriate” locations this is not what is occurring. Instead the police have quickly relapsed back into their habitual antisocial behaviours of amusing themselves by tormenting the homeless.
Once again it appears that we are facing the total waste of taxpayer dollars as the police squander their time in the pointless harassment of those who have no place to go, while they cry they lack the resources to deal with gangs and violence. A homeless person sleeping in the street is an eye-sore; an armed gang member is a threat to life and limb. Seemingly the City lacks any ability to set priorities in what they should be doing, whether in regards to is truly needed in terms of capital building projects or in setting goals for what the police force should be doing.
Indignant!! That is the best way to describe the effect that this resuming of old police behaviour has had on one of the workers whom the City claimed would now be used instead of heavy handed police (mis)behaviour in order to actually help the homeless get their lives back on track. While the police have never spoken about the homeless to this worker, the homeless have been speaking of repeatedly being awoken and or harassed by the police. Who apparently took the closing of “Compassion Park” as carte blanche for the reopening of “Harass the Homeless Season”.
This police behaviour was such as to result in a suggestion that this unacceptable behaviour required a letter to the editor. Given the reports I had and have been hearing on police activities I had to agree this reprehensible conduct must be denounced. Moreover it needs to stop.
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or email us at homelessinabbotsford@hotmail.com
Warning Will Robinson! Warning!
Sometimes I wish I had the robot from the old TV series "Lost in Space" so that I could send him, waving his arms and proclaiming "Warning! Warning!, to get the attention of the movers and shakers of this City. Some weeks this wish is stronger than others. This week it is very strong as a result of reading my Email. On the one hand I read about the ground breaking for "Our Place" a 45 bed shelter and drop-in centre in Victoria with day, residential and outreach programs (a facility of the type that Abbotsford so desparately needs) on the other hand was a communication concerning the possibility of having a meeting at the end of June to begin to consider cold/wet weather shelter plans - with the arrival of October and the winter rains looming ever closer. Remember, not only do we need to devise a stratedgy, we need to make all the arrangements and to implement it.
Having been on the streets through last winters deluges, I know just how important shelter is. I ran into a fellow, 112 days sober, who wanted me to pass along his thanks to Street Hope for his survival and sobriety. He believes firmly that it was only because of the presence of Street Hope, providing dry clothing, food and a place/chance to warm up, that he lived through last winter. Further he feels that not only did Street Hope keep hime alive, but that it was the quiet, non-judgmental support and the chance to talk things out that helped him make the choice to seek treatment for his addiction. Unfortunately, Street Hope was evicted, forced to close its doors. Worse, nothing is currently being done to fill this critical need.
Sometimes I wish I had the robot from the old TV series "Lost in Space" so that I could send him, waving his arms and proclaiming "Warning! Warning!, to get the attention of the movers and shakers of this City. Some weeks this wish is stronger than others. This week it is very strong as a result of reading my Email. On the one hand I read about the ground breaking for "Our Place" a 45 bed shelter and drop-in centre in Victoria with day, residential and outreach programs (a facility of the type that Abbotsford so desparately needs) on the other hand was a communication concerning the possibility of having a meeting at the end of June to begin to consider cold/wet weather shelter plans - with the arrival of October and the winter rains looming ever closer. Remember, not only do we need to devise a stratedgy, we need to make all the arrangements and to implement it.
Having been on the streets through last winters deluges, I know just how important shelter is. I ran into a fellow, 112 days sober, who wanted me to pass along his thanks to Street Hope for his survival and sobriety. He believes firmly that it was only because of the presence of Street Hope, providing dry clothing, food and a place/chance to warm up, that he lived through last winter. Further he feels that not only did Street Hope keep hime alive, but that it was the quiet, non-judgmental support and the chance to talk things out that helped him make the choice to seek treatment for his addiction. Unfortunately, Street Hope was evicted, forced to close its doors. Worse, nothing is currently being done to fill this critical need.
It is easy, and to a certain extent understandable, not to feel a sense of urgency when you have a nice warm place to shelter from the elements and no experience at being at the mercy of the elements. We need a drop-in centre, more stable shelter availability and to maintain human contact/caring. We really need to make haste less slowly.
Lessons to be learned in the Woods?
On June 1, 2006 the city served notice to the homeless residing in “Compassion Park” that they had 72 hours to move, following through this action and closing the camp. I will address this City invasion separately because I want to examine some of the important lessons to be learned from the Woods rather than have these lessons lost or obscured in an argument about this action. Rather than being irrational - as all to many of those who want to find excuses for sitting around doing nothing, bury their head in the sand and pretend all is right and wonderful in their community – I would rather take a look at some of the important lessons we can gain from the past weeks. With homelessness growing not only across the nation, specifically in Abbotsford, it is an issue that demands action. This is such a complex issue, a problem with so many facets to it that it truly takes a community to respond in any meaningful way.
1) For years those who believe you handle difficult issues by sitting on your ... posteriors and hoping someone somewhere finds an easy solution for you, have cried “We cannot do anything or the homeless hordes (or is that hordes of homeless?) will descend upon Abbotsford, savage and pillage the city!” Even around the discussion tables of the past few weeks, where those struggling to address homelessness gathered, some have worried that the city would attract a large influx of homeless. However, even with the coverage on television and newspapers in Vancouver there has been no flood. I went on record and told those who worried about this it would not happen because running off to Abbotsford to camp in the woods was/is not a wise survival strategy or move. Being homeless does not mean being stupid, which you would have to be to move from food, shelter and services you know to the unknown. When you are use to worrying about where your next meal is going to come from and where you will find shelter for the night, going in search for Nirvana is not on top of one’s ‘To Do’ list. Surviving is. So, we now have demonstrated proof that taking rational actions to address Abbotsford’s homeless issues will not draw masses of homeless to Abbotsford. I extend my condolences, for their loss of a favourite excuse, to those who want to use a flood of homeless as an excuse OR a scare tactic in order to do nothing.
2) Most people I have spoken to seem to agree that it is ridiculous to consider $325 an adequate amount to cover shelter costs in the lower mainland. One of the good things about the last few weeks is that the mayors of the lower mainland’s cities have spoken together about addressing issues of homelessness. With issues such as the shelter allowance and the homeless there is the possibility of applying enough political leverage to get the Liberals to act in a rational manner as opposed to their past blind denial of reality when it clashed with their ideological belief’s. Given the fact that many of the issues connected to the homeless and poverty demand rational thought and actions in order to be addressed and given that the provincial Liberals and federal Conservatives wish to continue to blindly follow their beliefs and dogma while ignoring the overwhelming evidence that these approaches not only fail but contribute to worsening the situation, it is only by building political consensus at a grassroots level that we will be able to apply enough pressure on those senior levels of government to begin to get them to act in a rational, thoughtful manner to deal with these complex, messy but needing our attention issues.
3) Personal contact and follow may well be the most important and necessary ingredients in any plan designed to help people. The actions taken over the past few weeks have resulted in those residing in the Park getting onto income assistance, but without any direct one-on-one help they have remained living in the park, frozen in place. Been there, done that myself. The process of becoming homeless, of living homeless and the way society treats the homeless inflicts a great deal of psychological damage, especially to one’s self-esteem. The result of this is that self-doubt, fear of making a bad choice, lack of self-confidence and not trusting your own judgment paralyze you. You need a sounding board, a friend, someone to help you decide what to do and if needed, drag you around to accomplish what you have decided needs to be done. Further to this, the changes involved in moving off the streets and into some form of housing are stressful. Going to work every day, job training, dealing with coworkers, customers and bosses are each a major change and a major source of stress. Lacking any support to deal with all this stress, people trying to get their lives back on track are in grave danger of ending back on the streets – homeless. This is especially true for those who are also struggling with addiction. Not only for those who are trying to get off the streets but also for those coming out of treatment and into or back into our community. I have witnessed to many people, who coming out of treatment without any contacts and support, end up slipping back into their old behaviours and back into their addictions.
4) In the beginning there were many people stopping and dropping off donations at the Park. They had so much food donated that residents of the Park were not coming to eat at the Salvation Army, their donated rations being more abundant and tasty. Over the weeks of the camp’s existence the donations tapered off and the Park inhabitants had to again turn to Salvation Army for food – a food program that is in for the long haul. The important point here is that most people tend to have a short attention span while this issue and its associated problems require a long-term commitment in order to be effective and accomplish anything useful. Since success needs community involvement, one must design one’s plans so as to draw people in over time and get their interest engaged so that they remain involved for the longer haul.
On June 1, 2006 the city served notice to the homeless residing in “Compassion Park” that they had 72 hours to move, following through this action and closing the camp. I will address this City invasion separately because I want to examine some of the important lessons to be learned from the Woods rather than have these lessons lost or obscured in an argument about this action. Rather than being irrational - as all to many of those who want to find excuses for sitting around doing nothing, bury their head in the sand and pretend all is right and wonderful in their community – I would rather take a look at some of the important lessons we can gain from the past weeks. With homelessness growing not only across the nation, specifically in Abbotsford, it is an issue that demands action. This is such a complex issue, a problem with so many facets to it that it truly takes a community to respond in any meaningful way.
1) For years those who believe you handle difficult issues by sitting on your ... posteriors and hoping someone somewhere finds an easy solution for you, have cried “We cannot do anything or the homeless hordes (or is that hordes of homeless?) will descend upon Abbotsford, savage and pillage the city!” Even around the discussion tables of the past few weeks, where those struggling to address homelessness gathered, some have worried that the city would attract a large influx of homeless. However, even with the coverage on television and newspapers in Vancouver there has been no flood. I went on record and told those who worried about this it would not happen because running off to Abbotsford to camp in the woods was/is not a wise survival strategy or move. Being homeless does not mean being stupid, which you would have to be to move from food, shelter and services you know to the unknown. When you are use to worrying about where your next meal is going to come from and where you will find shelter for the night, going in search for Nirvana is not on top of one’s ‘To Do’ list. Surviving is. So, we now have demonstrated proof that taking rational actions to address Abbotsford’s homeless issues will not draw masses of homeless to Abbotsford. I extend my condolences, for their loss of a favourite excuse, to those who want to use a flood of homeless as an excuse OR a scare tactic in order to do nothing.
2) Most people I have spoken to seem to agree that it is ridiculous to consider $325 an adequate amount to cover shelter costs in the lower mainland. One of the good things about the last few weeks is that the mayors of the lower mainland’s cities have spoken together about addressing issues of homelessness. With issues such as the shelter allowance and the homeless there is the possibility of applying enough political leverage to get the Liberals to act in a rational manner as opposed to their past blind denial of reality when it clashed with their ideological belief’s. Given the fact that many of the issues connected to the homeless and poverty demand rational thought and actions in order to be addressed and given that the provincial Liberals and federal Conservatives wish to continue to blindly follow their beliefs and dogma while ignoring the overwhelming evidence that these approaches not only fail but contribute to worsening the situation, it is only by building political consensus at a grassroots level that we will be able to apply enough pressure on those senior levels of government to begin to get them to act in a rational, thoughtful manner to deal with these complex, messy but needing our attention issues.
3) Personal contact and follow may well be the most important and necessary ingredients in any plan designed to help people. The actions taken over the past few weeks have resulted in those residing in the Park getting onto income assistance, but without any direct one-on-one help they have remained living in the park, frozen in place. Been there, done that myself. The process of becoming homeless, of living homeless and the way society treats the homeless inflicts a great deal of psychological damage, especially to one’s self-esteem. The result of this is that self-doubt, fear of making a bad choice, lack of self-confidence and not trusting your own judgment paralyze you. You need a sounding board, a friend, someone to help you decide what to do and if needed, drag you around to accomplish what you have decided needs to be done. Further to this, the changes involved in moving off the streets and into some form of housing are stressful. Going to work every day, job training, dealing with coworkers, customers and bosses are each a major change and a major source of stress. Lacking any support to deal with all this stress, people trying to get their lives back on track are in grave danger of ending back on the streets – homeless. This is especially true for those who are also struggling with addiction. Not only for those who are trying to get off the streets but also for those coming out of treatment and into or back into our community. I have witnessed to many people, who coming out of treatment without any contacts and support, end up slipping back into their old behaviours and back into their addictions.
4) In the beginning there were many people stopping and dropping off donations at the Park. They had so much food donated that residents of the Park were not coming to eat at the Salvation Army, their donated rations being more abundant and tasty. Over the weeks of the camp’s existence the donations tapered off and the Park inhabitants had to again turn to Salvation Army for food – a food program that is in for the long haul. The important point here is that most people tend to have a short attention span while this issue and its associated problems require a long-term commitment in order to be effective and accomplish anything useful. Since success needs community involvement, one must design one’s plans so as to draw people in over time and get their interest engaged so that they remain involved for the longer haul.
Back on the merry-go-round of pointless behaviour.
On June 1, 2006 the forces of the city government descended upon “Compassion Park” in force to serve notice to the homeless camping there that the pointless game of tag, previously waged by the City, was about to begin again in 48 hours. Once again the taxpayers dollars are to be wasted in chasing the homeless around the city, as opposed to investing these funds in actually addressing the issues and causes of homelessness, the city government choosing to waste dollars in behaviour that accomplishes nothing. They might just as well build a bonfire in front of City Hall and shovel a pile of taxpayer dollars into it. As a demonstration of their commitment to wasting the taxpayers hard earned dollars, they dispatched a department manager, bylaw officers and police officers to deliver this notice. I am sure they could come up with some excuse for this wasteful overkill, but the fact is that all that was needed to deliver the notice was 1 person. Makes me wonder in just how many other ways the city is squandering money.
But then anyone who talks to management in that Tower of Babel called City Hall soon realizes that the people responsible for planning, budgeting and spending their money have no real sense of economic reality. This is probably why they are so over-paid, as they require exorbitant salaries to offset their total lack of economic sense. I had the displeasure of witnessing this total lack of any basic understanding of reality in a discussion with one of the city’s department managers. He stated that there was no money available to act as seed money for undertaking the complex task of beginning to deal with homelessness. When asked if some of the money that would be saved by not pointlessly chasing the homeless around the city could not be used in order to actually accomplish something, it was stated that there would be no such savings. I cannot remember all of the convoluted argument the minions of the city used, but apparently a dollar saved by not being stupid is not a dollar available to be spent intelligently.
The police spend countless hours chasing, harassing and generally dealing with the homeless. All these hours add up into hundreds of thousands (a million+?) of dollars in salary. So much so that the police needed millions of more dollars (driving the tax increases into the stratosphere) in order to meet other policing needs in the community. This argument also applies to the all the salary dollars of city employees engaged in the fruitless pursuit of the homeless, more thousands or hundreds of thousand dollars. From my business/economic point of view, if you do not spend all those dollars in a wasteful pursuit of the homeless, then you have saved those dollars. True, the city may decide that the money should be spent in other ways rather than in reducing the city taxes, but they owe it to the taxpayers to clearly state what they will be spending this money on so that the taxpayers can evaluate this spending - otherwise what is the point of bothering with a budget? So it would appear to me that if the city adopted a sensible approach to the issues of homelessness and poverty, stopped wasting all those taxpayer dollars, there would be several hundred thousands of dollars available every year to help fund facilities and services to address these issues. Not to mention that a portion of these savings would also provide the ability to either address other pressing needs or some tax relief.
No, I do not think that the city should or could be solely responsible for providing funding to address these types of social problems. However, using money saved by adopting intelligent behaviour as seed money to provide leadership in this crucial area seems sensible to me, if not to the politicians and bureaucrats of City Hall. Of course sensible action on the question of the homeless seems to be somewhat lacking at this time.
On June 1, 2006 the forces of the city government descended upon “Compassion Park” in force to serve notice to the homeless camping there that the pointless game of tag, previously waged by the City, was about to begin again in 48 hours. Once again the taxpayers dollars are to be wasted in chasing the homeless around the city, as opposed to investing these funds in actually addressing the issues and causes of homelessness, the city government choosing to waste dollars in behaviour that accomplishes nothing. They might just as well build a bonfire in front of City Hall and shovel a pile of taxpayer dollars into it. As a demonstration of their commitment to wasting the taxpayers hard earned dollars, they dispatched a department manager, bylaw officers and police officers to deliver this notice. I am sure they could come up with some excuse for this wasteful overkill, but the fact is that all that was needed to deliver the notice was 1 person. Makes me wonder in just how many other ways the city is squandering money.
But then anyone who talks to management in that Tower of Babel called City Hall soon realizes that the people responsible for planning, budgeting and spending their money have no real sense of economic reality. This is probably why they are so over-paid, as they require exorbitant salaries to offset their total lack of economic sense. I had the displeasure of witnessing this total lack of any basic understanding of reality in a discussion with one of the city’s department managers. He stated that there was no money available to act as seed money for undertaking the complex task of beginning to deal with homelessness. When asked if some of the money that would be saved by not pointlessly chasing the homeless around the city could not be used in order to actually accomplish something, it was stated that there would be no such savings. I cannot remember all of the convoluted argument the minions of the city used, but apparently a dollar saved by not being stupid is not a dollar available to be spent intelligently.
The police spend countless hours chasing, harassing and generally dealing with the homeless. All these hours add up into hundreds of thousands (a million+?) of dollars in salary. So much so that the police needed millions of more dollars (driving the tax increases into the stratosphere) in order to meet other policing needs in the community. This argument also applies to the all the salary dollars of city employees engaged in the fruitless pursuit of the homeless, more thousands or hundreds of thousand dollars. From my business/economic point of view, if you do not spend all those dollars in a wasteful pursuit of the homeless, then you have saved those dollars. True, the city may decide that the money should be spent in other ways rather than in reducing the city taxes, but they owe it to the taxpayers to clearly state what they will be spending this money on so that the taxpayers can evaluate this spending - otherwise what is the point of bothering with a budget? So it would appear to me that if the city adopted a sensible approach to the issues of homelessness and poverty, stopped wasting all those taxpayer dollars, there would be several hundred thousands of dollars available every year to help fund facilities and services to address these issues. Not to mention that a portion of these savings would also provide the ability to either address other pressing needs or some tax relief.
No, I do not think that the city should or could be solely responsible for providing funding to address these types of social problems. However, using money saved by adopting intelligent behaviour as seed money to provide leadership in this crucial area seems sensible to me, if not to the politicians and bureaucrats of City Hall. Of course sensible action on the question of the homeless seems to be somewhat lacking at this time.
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- March 2008
- April 2008
- May 2008
- June 2008
- July 2008
- August 2008
- September 2008
- October 2008
- November 2008
- December 2008
- January 2009
- February 2009
- March 2009
- April 2009
- May 2009
- June 2009
- July 2009
- August 2009
- September 2009
- October 2009
- November 2009
- December 2009
- January 2010
- February 2010
- March 2010
- April 2010
- May 2010
- June 2010
- July 2010
- August 2010
- September 2010
- October 2010
- November 2010
- December 2010
- January 2011
- February 2011
- March 2011
- April 2011
- May 2011
- June 2011
- July 2011
- August 2011
- September 2011
- October 2011
- November 2011
- December 2011
- January 2012
- February 2012
ATOM 0.3