A Yukoner set up a tent outside the legislative building and slept overnight to raise awareness about homelessness, citing personal experiences and a perceived lack of accountability from the Yukon government.
Sylvie Binette reached out to Yukon government ministers but said she hadn’t had much success getting through. In response, she staged a campout from Oct. 24 to 25 as a form of demonstration.
Binette told the News that her demonstration caught the attention of Premier Ranj Pillai. She noted that passers-by overwhelmingly showed support, and the demonstration successfully sparked conversations about government accountability.
She highlighted that while the Yukon government is responsible for tackling poverty and homelessness under the Social Assistance Act, individuals receiving funding from other programs are no longer eligible for social assistance.
“If you get status or you get funding from another program, you can no longer access social assistance from the Yukon government,” Binette said.
The Yukon government’s social assistance program gives individuals the chance to explain their situation to a case worker and build a rapport, helping them transition out of homelessness or destitute poverty, she added.
Binette was met by rally-goers from the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition, who walked from the healing totem to the legislative building the following morning as a show of support to round off their Accountability Week initiative.
That morning, Binette’s son, Xaiver, joined the gathering of supporters. He shared with the News that his experiences with the Safe at Home program had been positive, highlighting its personal approach to dealing with individuals.
“Safe at Home is more on a personal level. You deal with your case worker or a couple people there. It's easier for someone to explore their options like that,” Xaiver said.
Xaiver, who has faced homelessness in Whitehorse, expressed concerns about the barriers between individuals seeking housing and property owners. He pointed out that many landlords hold biases, often based on past experiences with tenants.
These biases can unfairly impact new applicants who are judged on their current circumstances rather than their potential for improvement, he added. Xaiver emphasized the need for a more understanding and supportive approach from both the community and property owners to help individuals secure housing and move forward in their lives.
The protest emphasized the need to assess each individual’s situation on a case-by-case basis.
Contact Jake Howarth at jake.howarth@yukon-news.com
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