I do not know what it is about this time of year in Abbotsford that drives politicians to spring a SURPRISE! upon the homeless.
Five days before the second anniversary of the City of Abbotsford’s internationally condemned assault upon the human rights, mental and physical health of the homeless [June 4th, 2013] wherein the City of Abbotsford [literally] deployed chicken shit as a biological weapon against the homeless, the City of Abbotsford and the Federal Conservative Government announced federal support [funding] for the City of Abbotsford’s latest assault upon the human rights, spiritual, mental and physical wellbeing of the homeless-in-abbotsford.
An announcement rife with irony. An announcement, an assault, that falls into the category of being …… well, being chicken shit [urbandictionary.com: cowardly, wimpy (weak, ineffectual, timid)] action.
In light of the fact that late on a Friday is the time conventionally used for announcements where it is desirable [from the viewpoint of the people or organization making the announcement] to manage the news to lessen publicity of the announcement , a Saturday announcement in Abbotsford suggests Conservative MP Ed Fast and the federal conservative party are aware of the BAD NEWS content/level of the announcement.
Given that Housing First is the only approach demonstrated to be effective in addressing the issue compounded of substance use/mental illness/homelessness; that the Federally funded At Home project demonstrated the effectiveness of Housing First; that the Federal Conservative Government in April 2014 refocused the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) to using the Housing First Approach; the City of Abbotsford’s continuing actions and behaviours vis-à-vis the homeless; the City of Abbotsford’s clear violation of two of the fundamental foundation principles of the Housing First approach , notably with the Abbotsford Social Development Advisory Committee, the Abbottsford Homeless Task Force and the current Abbotsford homeless Advisory; the recent demonstration by the Abbotsford Homeless Task Force and the Abbotsford Homeless Advisory of 1) the lack of understanding of Housing First, 2) a lack of commitment to reducing homelessness in Abbotsford via the use of Housing First and 3) a lack of awareness, knowledge and understanding of the state of homelessness/mental health/substance use/housing/services/service providers in Abbotsford, Fraser Health, the Lower Mainland and BC; and the B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit against the City of Abbotsford by Abbotsford’s homeless that starts June 29, 2015…….
….. the Federal Conservatives could not have taken a worse action for the homeless, the mentally ill, substance users, the city of Abbotsford and its citizens than to have given Homelessness Partnering Strategy funds, funds intended to establish Housing First in Abbotsford to address our growing social issues/crisis centered around homelessness, to Abbotsford’s municipal government, politicians and bureaucrats.
Talk about kicking them while they are down.
Housing First is the only approach that has demonstrated its ability to reduce homelessness through recovery, as opposed to our current system of recycling people repeatedly through services and the system.
Giving Homelessness Partnering Strategy funds intended to establish Housing First in the community to the City of Abbotsford, is to guarantee that Housing First will not be established in Abbotsford [labelling something Housing First does not make it Housing First in more than name] and to condemn the homeless to recycling through services that become even more inadequate as budget pressures and realities reduce funding and thus service levels year by year while the number of homeless continues to increase year over year.
In light of the extremely detrimental effect this decision by Ed Fast, the Federal Conservatives, Abbotsford’s mayor, council and bureaucrats will have on the ability of Abbotsford’s homeless to achieve recovery I wonder if the judge in Pivot’s June 29 court case would issue an injunction until the case is heard, a decision of the case is rendered and outcomes/remedies are set out?