Homeless in Abbotsford, BC

Theft is Theft

In the best of economic times stealing from charitable thrift stores is low. During our current economic climate such theft it is detestable. In Abbotsford this theft has reached a level that can only be characterized as despicable.

Included in the uncharitably dumped items was a console TV set with the back broken open to reveal the tubes. An item that whoever dumped it had to know was garbage.

Normal ...

... is the setting on a dryer. Besides I have a grip on reality ... just not this particular one.

I was speaking with a friend and colleague who disclosed she occasionally feels disorientated when she steps through a doorway, a reaction I experience on occasion myself.

As we know from advances in theoretical physics, reality is made up of an almost infinite number of alternate universes lying side by side parallel to ours. The difference between our universe and the universes that are on either side of ours are so minute that to an observer the differences would be unnoticeable. 

It is only in the universes lying further from our own that differences become noticeable. The further one moves from ones starting universe (U0) the more the target universe (Ux) varies from U0 with the variations increasing as x increases. At a certain point (x + 1 or -x -1 since the universes lie to either side of the universe of origin) the observed universe becomes unrecognizable. From the point of view of the observer from U0 the universes beyond x + 1 (-x-1) become more and more bizarre.

As a result of doorways serving as thresholds between locations (rooms, inside/outside etc.) within ones starting universe U0, the membrane between universes becomes thinned by the ‘rubbing’ of the membrane caused by repeated transitions between locations within U0 (universe of origin).

Under certain circumstances the membrane can become so thin that as one steps through the threshold (doorway) one in fact steps from a location in U0 into a location in U1 or U -1 depending upon whether one is going up levels (+) or down (-) from U0. 

Since the universe adjacent to one’s current starting universe is not noticeably different from U0, when such a transition occurs most humans do not notice that a transition between different universes has occurred.

Some individuals however are sensitive to the moment of transition. This sensitivity manifests as a feeling similar to, and oft accepted as, disorientation.

Thus it is that individuals who are sensitive to the transitions find themselves feeling ‘disoriented’ when transition through doorways.

If transition between universes due to thinning of the membrane has a probability of occurring, say .1x where x is an indeterminably (in our current universe) high number, why do those sensitive to the transition feel the ‘disorientation’ of transition so often?

Remember we are speaking of, for all intents and purposes, an infinite number of universes. As a result, a transition occurring in at least one universe is not an unusual event but an expected event in the totality of parallel universes.

There are, effectively, an infinite number of multiple yous spread across the totality of universes, stepping through an infinite number of thresholds. Mathematically, at random but not infrequent intervals, one of the yous will transition between universes.

Since two* of you cannot occupy the same universe the you that was in the universe you transitioned to is knocked to the next +universe. Like dominos this continues across alternate universes until a universe is reached sufficiently different from U0 that ‘you’ do not exist. Your transition from the starting universe creates a ‘vacuum’ that is filled when the you in the next –universe is pulled in to fill the ‘vacuum’. Again this continues across the alternate universes until a universe is reached sufficiently different from U0 that ‘you’ do not exist.

*two of you cannot occupy the same universe refers only to involuntary transitions. Using the proper science or mysticism can allow a traveller you to transition to a universe without knocking the resident you into the next universe. Extreme caution must be exercised since this circumstance has the potential to result in a universe annihilation event occurring. 

The term starting universe is used in reference to transitions since there is no way to pinpoint ones universe of origin until one transitions into a universe scientifically or mystically advanced enough to be aware of and able to transit between parallel universes.

In universes lacking the advanced scientific or mystic knowledge, the vast majority of transitions that occur go unremarked. In the minority of cases with individuals sensitive to a transition between universes it is usually written off as ‘disorientation’.

Some of those sensitive to transition and curious about the nature of the universe and Reality come to understand what is happening, waiting (hoping) for a transition to a universe that is aware of parallel universes and that transfers between the universes occurs. Hopefully a universe with advanced scientific or mystic knowledge

Generally those aware of the nature of these transfers between universes say nothing to avoid being labelled strange or crazy. As being considered strange and/or crazy is a normal state for me I have no hesitation in sharing the knowledge of why sometimes some people feel ‘disoriented’ when they transition through a threshold (doorway).

It really does not matter what you think about this matter since Reality does not care what you believe – Reality just is.

Healing Garden

The opening ceremonies for the Healing Garden behind the Salvation Army Centre of Hope were held Saturday June 13, 2009. It was an opportunity for local politicians to speak and for thanks to be expressed to those who had donated funds or materials to this project.

While the homeless truly appreciate these donations, we know that without Dave Darbey this area would still be patchy grass and weeds. It was Dave who, looking at patchy grass and weeds, saw what could be. It was Dave Darbey and Judy Williams who lavished the hours and sweat equity into the garden.

Others may have come alongside from time to time to contribute labour, but it was Dave and Judy who were the common denominators as the ponds and cascading water flows were dug with pick and shovel under the blazing sun last summer; as the piles of soil and rock disappeared wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow out of the store parking lot, around the building and into the garden area; as throughout the cold and wet of winter the garden continued to take shape; as places for greenhouse and seating were dug out of the hillsides during the rain and cold of the winter; as that greenhouse produced plants this spring; as over time pant materials were planted; as the Healing Garden was brought to life.

While the homeless may have questioned the sanity (or lack thereof) of Dave and Judy, there was never any question about the labour and love they poured into the Healing Garden to bring it to bloom.

It is because of this labour of love that the Healing Garden is a place of healing. Sitting there listening to the sound of water as it tumbles musically over the stones into the pond one can feel the stress wash away; seeking/finding peace, perhaps even serenity, as the love and good will lavished on creating the Healing Garden touch wounded/battered Spirits.

The official opening does not mean that, as in other public gardens, the Healing Garden is completed. Rather, it merely marks a point in the life of the Garden. Dave Darbey’s vision is not of a static, finished garden but of a garden that, like Life, flows and changes with the seasons and the passage of time. 

It is this continual progression and growth, the additional investment of sweat equity and care, which will continue to make this space a Healing Garden.

It is in the example of Dave Darbey and Judy Williams that the possibility of making Abbotsford a Healing Community, a transcendent place to heal, recover and live lies revealed.

Why not in Abbotsford also?

“Why is there affordable housing being built in Chilliwack and Mission but not in Abbotsford?” was the question posed to me by someone who had recently moved from working on a mental health team in Chilliwack to a mental health team in Abbotsford.

The answer to the question is simple and straightforward - Abbotsford City Council. 

While Abbotsford City Council has been paying lip service to the lamentable lack of affordable housing, hiring social planners and forming advisory committees - City Councils in Chilliwack and Mission have been supporting and standing behind supportive affordable housing projects in their cities. 

As a result Abbotsford has ended up with growing homelessness and affordable housing problem building into a crisis; Chilliwack and Mission meanwhile have been plugging away at actions that result in affordable housing projects getting built in their cities.

‘No money!’ cries city council. ‘Here is $11 million for construction and $650,000 per year for staffing and support services, heck double that and make it two projects’ says the province.

No poverty excuse? No problem equivocate – look for a more suitable location for the Emerson project. 

After the recent exercise of spinelessness by Abbotsford City Council on abandoning the densification called for by their own Official City Plan, what do you think the odds are they will find the backbone to vote for the rezoning needed for the Clearbrook Road to be built?

No doubt a suitable location for these provincially funded housing projects will be found. Unfortunately, based on recent history, the locations will most likely be in Chilliwack or Mission.

It is looking more and more as if the best chance to see affordable housing in Abbotsford will be after the 2010 Olympics when citizens can stand along Highway 1 and watch as some of the units that had housed athletes at the winter games past through Abbotsford on their way to Chilliwack. Where, once reassembled, they will add to Chilliwack’s growing stock of affordable housing.  

Increasing numbers of people, fallout from the economic meltdown, are falling through our inadequate social safety net, landing on the streets and accelerating the increase in the numbers of people without housing and homeless. 

Abbotsford city council has, with its careless disregard for the consequences of its failure to act and provide leadership, allowed this problem to continue to grow to the point of crises.

Council must stop making excuses, find some backbone, provide leadership and actually take an action (action as in something other than words or paper shuffling) that results in actual shovels in the ground on affordable housing projects.

Fairness

I was driving by Tim Felger’s store and looking at the window damage as the radio DJ was speaking of Marc Emery spending 6 - 8 years in an American jail (or serving his sentence in Canada). Arriving home the second item on the 11PM news was about granting an exception to Canadian law for the ex-KGB agent currently taking sanctuary in a church to avoid arrest and deportation.

 All of which left me pondering the state of fairness in the Canadian justice system.

It has been a sad fact of life that those with money can, through their ability to hire high priced legal talent, realistically afford a different brand of justice than the average citizen. By the same token the average citizen can afford a different brand of justice than the poor, the homeless, the addicted or the mentally ill who have no money and are far too often entirely at the mercy of chance as to how they fare within the legal system.

Not a perfectly fair reality, but a reality nonetheless and an issue that, while difficult to remedy, has at least the fairness of being in the public awareness.

I am far more concerned with popularity of the party involved becoming the deciding factor as to how the law is or is not applied. Politics is a popularity contest and one only has to take a honest, objective look at our cities, provinces and country to see how badly popularity can be as a basis to make policy or apply policy on.

Worse, it seems to being played out in the media. Contrast the tone of the current reporting on the ex-KGB officer who has taken refuge within a Vancouver church with the reporting that was done when an illegal immigrant from India took shelter in a Sikh temple. While the circumstances are not exactly the same, the principle is.

Marc Emery is not a friend of Stephen Harper or his Conservative party and is not the type of person or character that any of the opposition parties will stand up on a matter of principle over.

Personally I would gladly kick Mr. Emery’s ass over many of his actions and behaviours. But … as a matter of principle he should not have had to cut a deal and serve prison time because the Canadian government (and most Canadians) don’t like him or what he stands for.

Remember what Mr. Emery was doing in Canada was legal for him to be doing in Canada. The failure of the government from the start to say no, under these circumstances we will not extradite him, has far reaching consequences (just ask other Canadians abandoned in foreign jails to foreign legal systems) as well as fairness issues.

I caught an interview with Salman Rushdie on CBC’s The Hour. What would have happened if Iran (or another Islamic country) had asked for his extradition to face charges for writing the Satanic Verses? What do you think the public’s reaction would be and in light of public and world reaction, what would the Canadian government have done? Refused the extradition request.

Fairness?

I have seen no editorial outrage or public outcry at the damage done to Tim Felger’s front store windows or the shooting out of the truck’s and rear store windows. Considering the extremely close watch the police, the city and outraged citizens keep on Mr. Felger and his establishment and the extent of the damage done and the time it would take, it is troubling that someone had that time and that no suspects have been found. 

Over the years Mr. Felger has made himself very unpopular in Abbotsford particularly with city council and the police, but in fairness that should not affect the handling of the criminal damage done to his store.

Fairness requires that whether we like or dislike the people, like or dislike the situation, that like or dislike does not affect the outcome.  

In suggesting that the law treat the ex-KGB agent differently ‘because he deserves it’; in tolerating the government not refusing to extradite Mr. Emery ‘because he deserves it’; in tolerating the damage done to Mr. Felger’s store and way he is treated ‘because he deserves it’; we increase the unfairness of the system and decrease our own rights and protections.

Fairness does not just protect the Felger’s of the world. Fairness protects us all and we abandon Fairness ‘because he (they) do not deserve it’ at our own peril.

The Blame Game.

Wednesday June 3, 2009: the day that Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party unveiled their new strategy for denying responsibility for the consequences Canadians are suffering for Harper’s actions, policies and ideology - ‘The Secret of Success is knowing who to Blame for Your Failures.’

Henceforth, rather than have any Conservative MP (or the Prime Minister) accepting accountability for what occurs on their watch and under their direction, failures will be blamed on staff members.

Although … given the issues Canadians as a people and a country face, and in light of Harper and the Conservatives demonstrated inability to comprehend or understand the myriad issues (including what it means to be Canadian) that exist outside their limited ideology, there may not be enough government employees for Harper and the Conservatives to blame their failures on.

The appeal that not taking responsibility for failure has for anyone in the shoes of Harper and the Conservatives is understandable.

An affordable housing crisis in Canada? Increasing homelessness because of the lack of affordable housing? Canadian workers who’s EI has run out ending up homeless? Increasing numbers of Canadians and Canadian children living in poverty and in danger of homelessness? Government policies the transfer wealth to the wealthy while more than 90% of Canadians become less wealthy to fund this transfer of wealth? Problems and complications caused by the denial of the recession and refusal to acknowledge the depth and affects of the recession on the Canadian economy and working Canadians? … …

All staff’s fault; Stephen Harper and the Conservatives are not, in their worldview anyway, in any way responsible for any negative consequences of their polices and actions. 

A $50 Billion deficit? Staff should have told/convinced Harper and the Conservatives that cutting the GST when the economy was booming, rather than using the money to reduce the national debt, maintaining the higher cash flow and maintaining the option of using GST cuts as stimulus during a recession, was as poor a decision as fiscally responsible Canadians with common sense pointed out, at the time the GST cuts were announced, it was.

No, for Stephen Harper and the Conservatives a good scapegoat is as welcome (more welcome?) as solutions to the issues.  

I suppose it is only a matter of time before Mr Harper and the Conservatives, desperate to find any success to take credit for, create successes out of their sea of failures by simply redefining the meaning of success. ‘Stephen Harper today stated that the Conservatives had been SUCESSFUL at preventing the deficit from ballooning to $100 billion dollars.’

No need to accept responsibility and address the issues – just blame your failures on others and redefine what success is.