I have just read yet another ridiculous article in the paper regarding feasibility studies of homelessness in the Yukon.
I am pretty sure that the government is well aware that we have issues of homelessness in the territory, I am also pretty sure that the monies spent on that terrible street painting campaign of “You Don’t Belong Here” (vague, condescending, and ineffective) could have been spent on housing, or funding for shelters, et al. (Just how much did that cost?)
As per usual, Glenn Hart maintains his position that we still need more studies on this issue.
What a load of bunk.
Why not just take a gander around town, along the clay cliffs, and anywhere else people are sleeping for lack of proper housing. Disgusting.
The government should be ashamed, instead of devoting man-power and money towards greasing their own palms (you know who you are) we pay (yes we do!) for ridiculous ad campaigns that isolate the very people whom we should be lending a hand to. There is a quote by Hubert Humphreys which states, “The moral test of government is how that government treats those in the dawn of life (the children), those in the twilight of life (the elderly), and those in the shadows of life (the sick, and the needy).” I couldn’t agree more.
I, for one, would like to be a part of a community that treats all its citizens with respect and care. It is time for Yukon territory to show some compassion for those who aren’t as lucky, or cannot afford fancy new townhouses, or multifamily homes (I know, all the government workers need housing too).
When I look around this city, I see huge amounts of infrastructure that could be used to create housing. Yes we need it; the time for studies is over. The time to address these issues is now.
Consider this, if most people in Canada live paycheque to paycheque, and there is no safety net to catch those who fall through the cracks in our broken system, do you ever ask yourself, when will that be me? I know I have, and will again.
Times are tough all over, but we have a responsibility to make sure that all of our citizens are treated to the most basic of human rights: Food and shelter. (And also respect.)
To all the Yukon communities and their governing bodies, I say enough is enough, action now.
Compassion is not weakness. Concern for the unfortunate is not socialism.
Katya McQueen
Whitehorse