Once again I must climb up on my soapbox. I have just read Hanna Peterson’s article and, while the pepper spray incident appears to be an unfortunate circumstance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, it is a great introduction to another oration of the plight of “the poor homeless living on the streets”. She has come up with the same stale, obvious solution to the problem -- throw more money at it. The downtown street people don’t want or deserve a church or a hotel -- if they did they wouldn’t be where they are. They need to earn it. If a person is given something, they may not understand the value of it. Only when a person actually works for something do they appreciate it’s value and can take pride in that accomplishment.
I am not sure that Neil Godbout’s solution is any better, but at least if you give the street people the option of a community to live in they might take an interest and possibly some pride in their surroundings and maintain some semblance of order and cleanliness. This need not and should not come without a cost to these people. If the city and government is going to support these people, they should pay back in kind. They, instead of the bylaw compliance staff, police officers, and downtown merchants, should be the ones responsible for the daily clean up of the rest of the street crawlers. Perhaps, because they know the people still on the streets, they might be able to talk to some of them and convince them to try and change. Also it might give them a sense of pride and accomplishment
Having worked for the Corrections Branch of B.C. I have seen what inmates are capable of accomplishing when they are motivated. It is truly inspiring. These people came from both the upper and lowest sides of society but when they decided it was time for a change the results were amazing. If they can accomplish this I can only hope that the street people can do the same.
Bob Stewart
Prince George
