Saskatchewan is home to the expanding herd of Sacred Cows. What is a Sacred Cow? It is a figure of speech for an idea, custom or institution held, especially unreasonably, as it is considered immune from questioning and above criticism. The Queen Mother of Sacred Cows is health care. We are stuck with a 60-year-old health care system that cannot be examined for efficiency or improvements without the opposing political party creating public histrionics and accusations about the privatization of healthcare.

The only thing allowable is feeding this cow’s insatiable appetite for cash. And so, it shall be until she utters her last moo! Following right behind her is the Princess Royale, the Sacred Cow of public education. This institution has produced student outcomes where we are second last in the country for math, third worst in reading, and middle of the pack in science. Although we spend $12,459 per capita (on last reporting the national average is $13,332), we must remember public education is no longer about academia, it incorporates social, health, judicial and parental needs. This little heifer is a growing girl, and she too has an appetite for cash. Now, we are anxiously awaiting the birth of a new little princess, the Sacred Cow of homelessness. Before you start tossing cow patties my way, let me clearly state that this musing intends merely to toss some personal observations and ideas around before politicians, looking for a cheap score today, create another long-term financial drain on the public purse with less than stellar results.  

My first observation is that the overwhelming majority of the public care about the plight of homeless people struggling to survive on the street, especially during the frigid winter. Secondly, that as much as people might care they do not want to personally engage with the homeless. Lastly, no one in the city wants a homeless shelter in their neighbourhood be it business or residential. There is no one size fits all solution to the growing homelessness dilemma. Not all the homeless suffer from mental health issues. Not all the homeless are addicted to alcohol and/or drugs. (Although I suspect if they are left on the street long enough, they may eventually succumb to those addictions.) Some of our homeless are people who fell on tough times financially and couldn’t pay the rent or mortgage especially when the COVID pandemic hit. And once you go down the homeless rabbit hole, you cannot get out without help.

If we are going to live with today’s decisions for a long time, can we try to get it right from the start? Let us start with responsibility, since pretty much every candidate in the current civic election has made fixing homelessness their election campaign issue. The cost of creating and operating homeless shelters falls primarily on the provincial government, NOT the civic government. It is not part of the city’s mandate to use property tax dollars to pay the capital or operating expenses for shelters. It is incumbent upon the civic government to facilitate the provincial government in finding suitable locations for shelters, while at the same time protecting property owners and residents in the city. Yes, we will bear the extra cost of fire and policing, but we are doing that anyway.

Touching on the Fairhaven shelter, Chief Mark Arcand and the Tribal Council have it right in that simply providing a night’s shelter is not going to solve homelessness. What they got wrong was the location. But it sounds like Arcand’s Wellness Centre could be defined as transitional housing which is providing in-house support to homeless people and helping them to become healthy, productive, responsible, and independent. I suspect this type of support is necessary to assist those who have hit tough times and just need a helping hand to get back on their feet. Arcand seems a little peeved that he was not consulted on the location of the new shelter, which I assume is not permanent given the City’s long-term plan for DEED. However, he did raise a good point about the Alberta organization contracted to operate this new shelter as they have no experience with First Nations people.

He said, “When I see a Christian organization coming to take care of the First Nations people again, I have a problem with that.” Fair enough given the generational damage on First Nations resulting from the residential schools. Strange that the folks who made this decision did not see this reaction coming. Speaking of First Nations, several times Arcand has touched on the growing number of homeless First Nations in our city and that they come from around the province. I believe this to be true. Perhaps it is time to have the federal government to come the table with some cash and provide shelters and services to First Nations since it would qualify as a federal responsibility. With respect to the homeless suffering with mental health disorders and/or addictions, at this point day-to-day survival is about the best that can be done along with encouragement to get the help they need.

People can be apprehended on the short term if they pose a danger to themselves or others, but no one can be forced to accept treatment for health or addiction issues and the treatment does not work unless the person seeking treatment wants to recover. During this civic campaign one mayoralty candidate, Cary Tarasoff, offered a constructive solution to our homeless shelter issues and pointed to programs being used in Alberta. There is no need to re-invent the wheel. The most appealing of the several options are the modular portable units.

Nomodic is a construction company boasts of innovative and flexible modular and prefabricated construction solutions. Check out the city of Wetaskiwinn, Alberta and its success in sheltering the homeless. Homeward Trust’s pallet homes (sort of like tiny houses) may be a viable option. (I can see some of these structures sitting on the vacant land between Idylwyld and the police station.) The point is homeless people need more than mere shelter from the elements. They need to feel safe and thus diverse types of shelters may be required. And they need hope for a better future. Don’t we all.

The last word on responsibility is directed at us, the public. We are responsible to elect people who will do the job on our behalf and do it to the benefit of all concerned. Every four years we have to get off our butts, find out about the candidates running for elected office, select one that you are confident will to the job and then Vote!

ehnatyshyn@gmail.com

– Elaine Hnatyshyn