[GB] Rethinking the homeless problem
Guest blogger: Bill Chu, Chair, Canadians for Reconciliation
To clearly stand out a guest blogger entry, all such headlines will begin with [GB].
On February 4, the GCP has an article by Ding Guo who is apparently puzzled by the homeless problem. For readers who emigrated from the former colony of Hong Kong, we grew up in a colonial system where political participation or hope was absent. The only hope given was the freedom to make money for the colony. Under such colonial system, there was no social welfare or safety net to speak of and everyone was forced from birth to swim or sink, to save every cent or risk becoming poor. Helping oneself is the top priority while helping others became a very secondary thought. For most, this was the beginning of a self-centred, individualistic existence. From kindergartens onwards, there are keen competitions in one’s study and the goal of education is not enlightenment but a key to move up the social ladder. In the society, there are hardly any public forums about social injustice as inherent equal right for human beings is too abstract and remote a concept amidst the race to make money. Consequently respect is only given to the rich and elites while those poor and homeless are referred to, as in Mr. Ding’s case, “the symbol of failure” and “the burden of the society”.
For those who emigrated from China, their perspective on the homeless should be a bit better. However in its shift to capitalism, China inherits all its viruses. The prime one being the assumption that an individual in pursuing his own self-interest will promote the good of his community as a whole through a principle called “the invisible hand”. In Adam Smith’s words, a free market will work, as if guided by “an invisible hand”, for the public interest and common good. However as seen through history, monetary considerations have become the overriding and corrupting criteria in every issue: from environment, food safety, gambling expansion to international peace. In the recent global financial meltdown, that invisible hand was caught helping itself through establishments it entrenches e.g. Enron, investment banks, subprime mortgage, Bernard Madoff, etc.. Sadly many including Mr. Ding are mesmerized by the same capitalism dream.
Contrary to what Mr. Ding suggests, the homelessness in BC is by and large the results of social injustice and not some personal lifestyle choice. According to 2008 Metro Vancouver homeless count, the aboriginals comprises 32% of the homeless population. Their migration to the cities is well documented and is largely due to their plight within reserves, a result of being governed as wards of the state under the archaic and colonial Indian Act 1876. While Canada has not signed treaties with First Nations for 2/3 of this Province, it is allowing the rampant granting of development, mining, forestry and other licences on native land. At the same time the natives are not allowed to do the same on their own. While a semi-apology was offered for its role in forcing natives to go through the destructive residential school system, Canada is still doing similar acts by removing huge number of aboriginal children into fostered homes (60% of all fostered children in BC have aboriginal roots). Canada is also one of the only four countries refusing to support UN’s Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People. With on-reserve natives excluded from the protection of Canada Human Rights Act, Canada’s treatment of the natives is the worse human right abuse in Canada.
According to the homeless count, between 2005 and 2008, the proportion of the homeless population aged 45 years and over rose from 31% of the total homeless population to 38%. For this aging group, it would be cruel to say that staying outdoor in the cold is a lifestyle choice. Many older people due to loss of family, job, health or a combination will end up on the street. Note when one does not have an address and phone number, it is unlikely they will find jobs that will be sustainable. Note minimum wage has not been kept up with inflation and our Provincial government undermined it further by the introduction of a $6 training wage. As many people in need can’t get on welfare because they often have to wait 3 weeks, prove they have worked for 2 years, adhere to employment plans, do computer orientations, make more than one appointment to get a cheque, etc., the homeless number has been on the increase.
Obviously, there is a large percentage of the homeless who are mentally sick. That is a result of the Province closing down of Riverview Hospital and allowing the former patients to roam the streets without proper supports. Other homeless individuals may develop mental sickness under the combined influence of drugs, alcohol and depressions. A year ago, the Vancouver Police reported more than 30% of their service calls are related to this group. While some with drug addictions are the results of a wrong choice they made long ago, many addicts were offered drugs by pimps or drug pushers who just want to lure others into prostitution or drug trades. Even for those who want to clean up, the current system does not offer them adequate beds for detox and they often wandered off without being treated.
According to Ding, the homeless “do not deserve to be the focus of the community”. We need to be reminded any human settlement is a social contract between the rich and the poor. There is no society or country which are for the rich only. There is also a famous western saying “history will judge us by how we treat our poor”. For those newer Chinese immigrants who are trying their best to settle in BC, they should not be inflamed to feel jealous of the homeless because help is given. We should be thankful that we have a roof over our head and that if we ever need it, this country unlike our former homelands is gracious enough to provide us with the same help. Finally God is always with the marginalized. In Christ teaching of the judgment day in Matthew 25, mankind will be judged by how we treat the naked, the hungry, the thirsty, the sick , the stranger and the imprisoned. Only those mesmerized by capitalism will worry “future expenses on the homeless will be greater” rather than our alienation and demonization of our less fortunate neighbors.
I can’t post?
no ah… u should be ok gak
There is only one thing I want to respond here.
First of all, who is this Bill Chu person? Was he born and raised in Canada?
He said, “For readers who emigrated from the former colony of Hong Kong, we grew up in a colonial system where political participation or hope was absent. The only hope given was the freedom to make money for the colony. Under such colonial system, there was no social welfare or safety net to speak of and everyone was forced from birth to swim or sink, to save every cent or risk becoming poor.”
I don’t understand how he came up with that conclusion about “no social welfare or safety net to speak of.” Ignorance is the only possible explanation.
Beside that point, whether it was a colonial system with political participation or not has nothing to do with the social policy on welfare.
By that logic, all former communist countries should have the best social welfare policies. After all, that’s what communism means in theory.
Conversely, let’s look at the richest country in the world that proclaims all the crap about Freedom and “1 person 1 vote” Democracy and its homeless problems.
Where should I begin? Hollywood movies depiction of homelessness, Life on the Street to real life drama that happens every day in New York city, Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dalla and etc.? Where is their socail welfare and safety net?
Let’s go back to Vancouver. Well, some people blame riverview hospital … but do they know that most of the homeless bums in Vancouver came from Alberta, Ontario and as far away as Newfoundland?
I have problem posting using my old name and old e-mail address.
Can you check, sn? You can delete this message.
Who is this guy? he has a good point on one or 2 things but then whatever he said after that goes downhill because it shows that he doesn’t understand the issue.
[For those newer Chinese immigrants who are trying their best to settle in BC, they should not be inflamed to feel jealous of the homeless because help is given.]
Chinese immigrants are not jealous of homeless people they actually struggling too … why should his sympathy be any different towards immigrants and homeless? everyone needs help regardless of their wealth. It’s little contradictory that he states homelessness is by choice yet he persists on giving them help that will only keep them homeless. The whole point of them going to the streets in first place was because they wanted to eject themselves out of society.
[Finally God is always with the marginalized. In Christ teaching of the judgment day in Matthew 25, mankind will be judged by how we treat the naked, the hungry, the thirsty, the sick , the stranger and the imprisoned. Only those mesmerized by capitalism will worry “future expenses on the homeless will be greater” rather than our alienation and demonization of our less fortunate neighbors.]
They need rehabilitation and work support services, God is not going to put food on the table or a roof over their heads.
Most of these homeless just simply give up they need to learn that there is no such thing as free living which is why immigrants are working hard so they don’t become homeless.
I bet the daily homeless person is likely to be thinking at least one of these 2 things:
I’m hungry I need food or I need drugs, it’s a basic daily need for them and the homeless problem will continue to be there tomorrow again.
I would not be confident to say that on their incentives will go any further than that.
perhaps his chinese name may give you a better idea. he’s 朱偉光.
he has a strong devotion to many justice issues. his primary hope is to bring peace between the chinese and the first nations people. he’s the one who brought me to the interior to investigate abandoned historic chinese workers’ sites.
you don’t have to agree with him on everything he says (i don’t). but our chinese community needs someone like him to act, not just to talk. he’s quite a rare animal in our community.
I do not have a problem with Mr Chu’s views. I have problems with the responses he gets like ” who is this guy? ” at least he is not anonymous and he is doing something for the homeless. i met him two or three years ago at a function and he was doing this work already.
our failure is our penchant to condemn the condemned .
Not many people seem to know this, but when Adam Smith spoke of the “Invisible Hand,” he assumed efficient government, regulation of the commons, social networks and safety nets as the means by which that hand would and could operate. Government is a mechanism that, ideally, assures safe, reliable and fair transactions between persons. The cop that stands in the marketplace, so that people don’t have to buy their own private security guards, as a simple example.
I’ve just returned to BC from the US and I’m amused to confirm that in practice – in terms of absolute individual liberty – Canada is a far more Libertarian nation. Freedom in theory is not freedom; there is a very large economic component, and for it to exist meaningfully, it must be true for as many people as possible.
Let us not forget how much we each rely on the freedom of other people to make decisions and choices.
I think Canadians seriously underestimate the positive impact that social safety nets have on the economy. First, of course, it tends to keep the economy ticking over in depressed areas and maintains a workforce. Otherwise, you tend to get large population shifts, ghost towns and the like. This, in turn, is a prime source of entrepreneurial opportunity.
That safety net also permits degrees of entrepreneurial risk that would not be otherwise possible. If you KNOW that you won’t starve or be homeless, you will take bigger bets than otherwise. Combined with the general fiscal conservatism of our banks and our governments – compared to the US and other nations, at least – and a system that encourages continuing education and assumes serial careers, we are in much better shape to deal with these difficult times.
The arts play a large part; it all goes into adding value to the social environment, which in turn makes people want to come here, rather than somewhere else. Art is an amazingly entrepreneurial effort, although instead of risking capital, one risks time; building skills and contacts until one becomes an “overnight success.”
Homelessness and particular and poverty in general should be seen as indicators of the social and economic health of a society. There will always be people that for one reason or another, cannot quite manage to cope, and this will be to various degrees. The answer is in part economic – in terms of providing money. But more importantly, it’s a question of there being effective mechanisms in place for information and networking; practical ways in which people can effectively make a difference to one another.