Educating the public on the homeless

Homelessnes: Did you know?

http://www.abbotsfordtoday.ca/?p=19564

What do you call the recent arrest of 8 senior members of the UN gang?

An employment opportunity.

Not a pretty reality, but reality nonetheless. A reality highlighted by police statements that the public should not expect these arrests to effect drug supplies, gang activity or gang violence.

I get interesting email ideas and questions from students spanning grade school to university about homelessness, addiction and mental health. This is due to the fact that if you google Abbotsford and homelessness, at or near the top of the results is homelessinabbotsford.com with its email link to me.

I find myself in a philosophical pondering mood. This is, I suspect, as a result of being driven for the past three weeks to pull the Tao of James together. The Tao being a book of stories, quotes, wisdoms, koans etc for meditating and cogitating upon on a journey for illumination and enlightenment.

A lone bouquet of flowers stands guard against the cleanup dumpster under the Peardonville underpass, in forlorn tribute to mark the passing of the homeless man who died under that underpass.

I got an email from a friend about a friend of hers who had lost his job. With the economy in the shape it is he had been unable and is unlikely in the immediate future to find another job. Like so many people he was living paycheque to paycheque with no savings and now found himself looking at not only hunger, but also facing the very real prospect of homelessness.

Watching the 11 PM news on Christmas Days as the last minutes of the Christmas Spirit Season ticked away had me pondering the concept of generosity and what generosity truly incorporates and embodies.

A chill went down my spine and across my soul listening to Vancouver’s new Mayor Gregor Robertson talking about forcing people, “for their own good”, to behave in a manner he judges is an appropriate and wise.

It is the Friday following American Thanksgiving, official opening day of the Greed Season.

I have undertaken to make big changes in the way the City of Abbotsford deals with social issues such as homelessness, addiction, mental illness, housing and affordable housing.

I am running for Abbotsford City Council. It is proving to be an experience.

This is not were I ever expected to find myself but it is where the path of advocacy and promoting change has led me.

Listening to the “we’re asking for your input” advertisements from Gordon Campbell and his BC Liberals two points struck me.

“A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog.” Jack London

Watching the news reports about the desperate state of need for donations at local food banks left me considering the true essence of generosity and charity.

Listening to the Elections Canada radio ads had me pondering the state of democracy in Canada – assuming Canada can still be referred to as a democracy. A claim that strikes me as highly questionable when you give some thought to the matter.

The young woman was sitting there obviously in a great deal of distress, profound pain and in need of help. 

The Access Abbotsford community forum left me considering whether awareness is a necessary and important part of the foundation on which you build a community. Leaving me mulling over the idea that part of being a good citizen is becoming aware, truly aware – not just thinking one is aware.

The only Zen you will find on a mountain top is the Zen you bring with you.

It is a sad comment about the state of our society has that I was not surprised by the news report I was watching, although I was disgusted.

Clearly, crystal clearly, Gordon Campbell just does not get it.

There is a property in Abbotsford that has two underground oil tanks buried on it, probably left from the time in the 1940 – 50s when it was a gas station.

Below is a letter sent to me via www.homelessinabbotsford.com by Anonymous.

Smith-Beck-Harris Cheerios Theory - reaction from the Street

Woe unto anyone of generous spirit and caring heart who dares to feed any hungry person in Jubilee Park as a Pastor and members of his congregation learned.

The preliminary results for the Fraser Valley homeless count are out and no doubt there will be debate about what the numbers mean.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

A dark disturbance in the Force; that may be as close as I can come to putting my feelings upon seeing the addition of the locked gate to the doorway alcove at the Abbotsford District Teachers Association building.

I was talking to a friend the other night and she brought up the fact a mutual acquaintance told her that she was not sure she could run in November’s municipal election because it was much harder to run in Abbotsford’s upcoming municipal election than in past years.

Illegal: adjective  forbidden by law or statute; contrary to or forbidden by official rules, regulations, etc. 

On Wednesday February 20, 2008 there was neither a lunar eclipse not a launch against a falling “spy satellite” as was widely reported.

One size does not fit all. BC Housing is in the process of forcing the Emergency Shelter in Abbotsford to switch to a 24/7 (hours/days) schedule and adopt operational policies dictated by BC Housing.

Watching the news during the first weekend of February was disquieting, raising questions and concerns about the Campbell government’s ability to address homelessness, mental illness, addiction, poverty and poverty reduction not only in a suitable but a just way.

… Your first reaction to a report from your own handpicked advisers is
to make excuses rather than consider and address the issues they highlight as
needing action. Exactly what happened with the report released December 13, 2007.

Having a firmly held world view based on one's Ideology is like travelling
through life and the world around you wearing a set of blinders. It narrows
your vision down to tunnel vision, denying one a full and true view of the real
world existing around you.

Why is that Jacob Marley, the true hero of A Christmas Carol, is so oft unappreciated by readers or the
viewing audience? While Scrooge may be the central character of the story, can there be any doubt that the hero of the story is Marley?

What a treat!

"Are you spending Christmas with family?"

With my sisters in the Toronto area and my brother in Newfoundland the answer would appear to be "No", but is that true?

Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon's response time on a matter of bridge infrastructure concern was truly impressive. I had sent him a memo raising concerns about drainage and leakage of bridge structures in Abbotsford and less than 2 weeks later workers were to be found making repairs to the drainage system.

Wishing Every Being a most

Merry christmas and a Joyous New Year

I had the distinct pleasure of watching council give approval to the Spirit Bear Centre Society proposal for a detox/recovery facility for female youth.

Personal experience has taught me that detox/treatment/recovery for youth is non-existent in this area. In truth, services for youth are virtually non-existent in this province.

I do not know Mr. Grant Granger so I cannot say if his words in “Casino’s will strike you Out” in the Saturday December 15th Abbotsford News are a result of prejudice, ignorance or a parochial mind set.

To:    Kevin Falcon, Transportation Minister

From: homelessinabbotsford.com

Re:   bridge leaking/drainage problems

Over lunch at the Salvation Army the other day we pondered the question of whether we were already dead? Debated and discussed the philosophical implications on a personal, metaphysical and nature of the universe/reality level.

If we are dead: is this purgatory? Is this hell ... eternal hell?

I read in the papers that for Food Banks this is the time of year a major portion of their funds are raised and that it is also an important time for food item donations.

In the Abbotsford News of November 22/07 revisiting of Plan A one year later, City Councillor Beck is at least consistent on one matter: he obviously still inhabits the utopian dream world originally conjured up for Plan A.

I have started collecting the bits of paper that seem to be demanded these days for employment, such as First Aid level 1.

A friend sent me this and somehow it just seemed so appropriate after I had just read that a new national study, titled HungerCount 2007, says 720,231 people, a number just shy of the population of New Brunswick, were forced to turn to one of the country's 673 food banks in March to feed themselves or their families.

Why is it ...

"Changing Lanes"

Councilor John Smith still has not answered the most important question concerning the recovery house policy.  

He/she is “just an addict” is an attitude far to prevalent in our society because so often underneath the addict lies a whole other world or person. 

“D’oh”

As I walked past the television an advertisement for the Alanon/Alateen Family Groups came on. This organization is about helping the families and children of alcoholism and addiction get healthy.

It did not look it, but my old VW was a lot roomier on the
inside as a place to live than my current home, my ’87 Duster. I do count my
great blessing that although cramped, it is dry.

I will not be shedding any tears at the departure of city manager Mr. Guthrie since I have felt for years that the city suffered from substandard management as well as pedestrian leadership. By the same token I will not permit council to avoid responsibility for Plan A by attempting to blame it all on Mr.

This is a reply to a discussion I had with someone commenting on one of my articles.

The complete denial of reality contained in your words "no freaking way am I gonna give a handout or support a handout for these slackers" serves to highlight why we continue be plagued by the problems of homelessness and addiction, not to mention so many other issues.

It was good to see the Abbotsford Pentecostal Assembly pancake breakfast recommence after its summer hiatus. Thank you to the Pastor and his assistants.

The Glaring Omission in Mr. Taylor’s August 28, 2007 mission statement in the Abbotsford Post is any Afghanistan mission statement demonstrating that this is a War worth fighting and not merely “a war of politicians and politics”.

The Valium of self-delusion Mr. Taylor speaks of would appear to have been administered to himself.

The editor of the Langley Times had an editorial on electoral reform (late August 2007) that was also printed in the Abotsford News. This is my comments on that editorial.

I found myself pondering the possible existence of a universal law of Weirdness or The Weird, along the lines of the law of gravity.

I was leaving the Dragon Fort eatery the other day when I paused to observe an Abbotsford Police Department (APD) officer in an unmarked car stealthily wielding a camera. Looking around to see what or who was being so slyly photographed I recognized the subject of his attention as a new arrival in town.

Kevin Ellis was one of the unknown and faceless people that are only referred to as “homeless”. But when he died July 18th, he became a figurehead for the way those in his situation are treated. In this case, it seems he was treated poorly and shown the dark side of humanity in his final days. In the end, it seems he had only two allies – a fellow homeless man and a complete stranger.

Being in a risk taking mood (or should that feeling suicidal?) I thought I would hazard commenting on recent letters on the treatment animals.

A short time ago a forwarded email came to me asking if I knew anyone in need of help. There was a church group who wanted to help some of their fellow Abbotsfordians in getting on their feet and moving forward with their lives. Towards that end they had requested suggestions for people they could help.

It was not unexpected for me in the course of this week to today, Friday August 10, 2007, be given a letter from the Salvation Army serving notice to move from residence at the Salvation Army.

Evidently in Abbotsford hunger takes the last summer long weekend off. What else explains the “meal gap” from lunch Saturday August 4th through lunch Tuesday August 7th, a gap of 72 long hungry hours - if hunger was not taking a Holiday that is?

Why?

Sometimes the only way to truly understand something is to gain that understanding the hard way, which all to often turns out to be the painful way.

Does anyone understand why we are building basketball courts at Abbotsford Recreation Centre? This when the debacle with Centennial Pool has clearly highlighted the fact that what the Abbotsford sports and recreation scene really needs is another pool.

I do know the reasoning of the city on the matter – I just cannot understand it.

I see from the front page of the July 3, 2007 Abbotsford Times that the NO-FUN pestilence infecting Abbotsford BC has spread to another Fraser Valley community – Chilliwack. Like a plague, Abbotsford’s NO-FUN pestilence is lowering the level of fun in our neighbour Chilliwack.

More Do, infinitely fewer excuses

How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is

To have a thankless child!

I see that our local Abbotsford politicians are planning to further plunder taxpayer’s pockets, in this instance to stuff their own pockets with taxpayer’s hard earned dollars.

Forrest Gump was certainly correct with “Stupid is as Stupid does”. This point was thoroughly demonstrated by a Seattle radio host whom I had the misfortune of listening to on a CNN news report I had caught about a thoughtful approach to homelessness underway in Seattle.

I was speaking to someone I know about Abbotsford’s new recovery house policy. She told me that the intention was not to close the bad houses but to cause them to become recovery houses in fact, not just in name.

I like to celebrate Canada Day by volunteering at Abbotsford’s Canada Day celebration. It is the spirit of volunteerism, sharing and caring that sets Canada so strongly, so clearly apart from our neighbour to the south.

I lost a podmate (roommate) today when he returned to the great outdoors. Lately Income Assistance had been playing their non-assistance games with him; with Income Assistance as the cat and him as the poor cornered, tormented mouse.

While I cannot say I share exactly your frustration over recovery houses, homelessness and crime problems, I can say I too am intensely frustrated over recovery houses, homelessness and the crime fallout from the way people and politicians continue to fail to exercise basic common sense in responding to the situa

I read in the Abbotsford News on Saturday June 23, 2007 about Mr. David Poulette and his big blue bus and would like to extend both thanks and a welcome to Abbotsford.

During this past week I have heard the word community bandied about.

I have always been proud to be a Canadian. Proud of our history, our behaviour, the reputation and perception of Canada held by countries and people around the world. That is until lately.

It transpired that the other day I was listening to Councillor John Smith bloviate the Legend of Compassion Park:  

IF:  not poverty = a living wage  

Usually I just pay no heed to Jeffrey Hanson-Carlson’s drivel with no more than a stray thought as to how much he must be paying the newspaper (www.abbotsfordtim

The crime-ridden Clearbrook neighbourhood in Abbotsfordissued a call for an interesting variation of the NIMBY syndrome, calling on the City of Abbotsford to solve their crime problems by driving this mayhem into other neighbourhoods.

For the sum of $2,800 and loud vocal support of Plan A and Abbotsford City Hall I see that Spirit of BC stands to gain $20,000 from Abbotsford City Hall.

One of the most telling comments on homelessness that came out of Philip Mangano’s visit to Abbotsford was from someone not even in attendance. 

Usually I just pay no heed to Jeffrey Hanson-Carlson’s drivel with no more than a stray thought as to how much he must be paying the newspaper for the privilege of demonstrating to the community his total inanity and lack of understanding on issues.  

However, the level of ignorance about the issue of homelessness he has established with his latest printed nonsense is so vast it demands correction and education; lest anyone be fooled into thinking he has any vestige of understanding of homelessness. 

One does not tend to think of oneself as testimony, but Mr. Philip Mangano during his talk at Centennial Auditorium reminded me that I am testimony to the fact that homelessness can be ended. 

The important keys to my beginning the journey out of homelessness were support and opportunity. I say beginning because I am currently still living in the Supported Independent Living Units at the Salvation Army in Abbotsford. And the most important needs to move on into a stable state of being “homed”? Support and opportunity continue to be the keys. 

Abbotsford City Councilor Christine Caldwell pulled the pin and tossed a live hand grenade, in the form of a letter, into Abbotsford City Hall on Plan A before jetting off to Europe. 

I do not want to get bogged down in arguments about political opportunism or of not having the courage to stand up and put it all on the line for what you believe rather than fleeing to the safety of. 

“Report No. COR 6-2007 dated April 18, 2007, from the Director, Corporate Services, regarding Library Governance (1660-20/FVRL).” Sounds harmless enough does it not? But translated from Abbotsford City Hall bureaucratese to English – we want to rush the citizens into another referendum on another item of vital interest, without consulting those citizens and without having to go to the bother of having to think about and present a plan of what will happen to the Abbotsford Library system if the citizens approve withdrawing from the Fraser Valley Regional Library system.  

Kevin Gillies is quite correct “What we need here – dare I say it – is a little more nightlife”.

Regrettably for we citizens of “Boredomtown” and our pocketbooks, council refuses to see this reality because they do not want any nightlife they do not approve of. Unfortunately they disapprove of any nightlife that falls into the fun category.

Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.

I was planning to heap scorn a society that, with growing homelessness, poverty and affordable housing needs, would spend $1.1 million on a trail. I thought to enquire if Greater Vancouver got $3.7 for trail improvement and Abbotsford got $1.2 million, how was it that when Vancouver got $80 million spent on affordable housing for the homeless Abbotsford got $0.00.  

 Undoubtedly a portion of the blame for the damage that will be done to the Whalers Swim Club, their programs and their ability to be competitive does lie with the contractor. However, despite their finger pointing, senior city staff and council must bear the largest portion of the responsibility for this debacle. 

Warehousing is not a solution, it is only a band-aid. I worry that the public will be misled into thinking this $80 million purchase of hotels by the Liberal government is a solution rather than just the first step of a multi-year long process.  

It is also most worrisome that the Liberal government appears to fail to see any homelessness beyond the boundary of Greater Vancouver. The hundreds of homeless roaming the streets of Abbotsford also are in dire need of shelter Mr. Campbell, what of them? 

A Stairway to Nowhere; how fitting as a symbol for Abbotsford. 

 Over the winter, on the corner of George Ferguson Way and the Mission Highway a mysterious structure has slowly been rising. Once it became obvious that it was a stairway people began to wonder: 1) why build the stairs first? 2) when does the foundation and structure get built and what is it to be? 

With the growing numbers of homeless on the streets of Abbotsford the competition for a place to find shelter or camp is, like housing market of the lower mainland, highly competitive. So it was only a matter of time of time until some were forced to return to the wooded site dubbed Compassion Park. Since late last year a number of people had been quietly coming and going from these woods in order not to disturb the neighbours or attract the attention of Abbotsford City Hall to their homes, however so humble. 

Premier Gordon Campbell: 

Consider the words of that famous businessman Jacob Marley “Mankind was my business”. In choosing to pursue the premiership of British Columbia you made the health and welfare of these citizens “your business” and your “business” is failing badly due to your neglect, fear and unwillingness to provide needed leadership. These issues may not be pleasant, easy to address, popular or without great challenge. 

It has been close to a year since Compassion Park with several city councillors recently quoted in the newspapers ballyhooing the strides made on the homeless front since the closing of Compassion Park.

Looking at Compassion Park in the spring of 2007 what changes in city behaviour do we find? Well, the notices posted to vacate the park now bear the date March 15, 2007 and …… that’s it. It is truly amazing what progress can be made on homelessness and other growing/pressing social issues with leadership, imagination and intelligent behaviour. Unfortunately for the citizens of our City, Abbotsford City Hall is lacking all three.

I read in a local newspaper that the provincial government actually has a program that will give a grant to study whether cooperation between a school (Yale) and local recreation (ARC) would prove beneficial to local recreation programming. Then the program will pay for capital improvements to need to advance the cooperation.

I was addressing a group of geographers the other day on Abbotsford’s social problems of homelessness, poverty, mental illness, addiction and affordable housing. 

I decided to use their theme of inclusion and diversity to refer to George Carlin and his bit on mutually exclusive words with inclusion and diversity seeming to hover on the verge of being mutually exclusive, joining such examples as politicians & truth.

I have developed a severe dislike for 7PM: zero hour at the shelter, the point in time where those waiting on the seven o’clock rule for whom there is a bed available get in and you tell those for whom there is no room that they must leave and you close the gates. At which point you get to tell anyone who comes that there is no room and that there is nowhere else in Abbotsford, not even a barn, to find shelter in.

I never expected to do so much critiqing of the media, but accurate, in-depth and balanced coverage is so important to creating the changes needed and there is so much bad reporting that I find I must wage a campaign for good reporting/editing in order to achieve the changes I wish to bring about.

As one would expect, people being people, several of them went out of their way to bring the less than complimentary article in the February 22 2007 UCFV Cascade about the Salvation Army to my attention. They seemed very disappointed by my reaction “The future of journalism is sooooooo dim!!”

The changeeverything.ca website had a poll on environmental change and tipping points which got me wondering if societies have a tipping point. Is there a point at which the imbalances within a society become so pronounced that a massive rebalancing with its attendant “natural disasters” is unavoidable?

At this point in considering this question I am not exactly sure what such a rebalancing would look like, but it would undoubtedly be chaotic with a frightening potential for violence.

I saw Mark McCardell on Vancouver’s Global noon hour news on Wednesday February 21, 2007. All I can say about it is that this is precisely this type of media treatment of important issues that dooms Canada and its citizens to poor and misinformed decision making. At a time the country faces important decisions on a wide variety of complex issues, making the need for balanced, thoughtful and intelligent information a must, the media is serving up this kind of misleading, pointless nonsense.

I want to share what may well rank as the most bizarrely weird and surreal occurrence to transpire in entirety of my current existence within this space/time continuum. I am just not sure that the English language, or any language with the possible exception of Navaho, has words capable of expressing the concepts and ideas needed to truly convey the strange eeriness of what took place among the neurons, bio-chemistry and pathways within my brain. I can but endeavour to give you a taste of what was happening in my head when:

So our MLA’s are once again trying to chow down deeper from the public trough. This time they have concocted a very clever scheme to cover their posteriors with the public. We now have a “independent” triumvirate appointed to apply whitewash to the MLA’s quest for salary increases.

Two points to keep in mind about this so-called independent review. The first is that they are chosen by the government, not through a random or “blind” selection process. I do not see anyone on the review that is known as being anti-raise to represent the “they are already overpaid” point of view. Why am I not surprised? Second, where is the ordinary citizen represented on this committee or is the salary issue “to complex” for them to understand.

We throw the term homeless around without stopping to think about exactly what the word homeless means. The way we view the homeless issue, the policies we design to deal with the issue and the effectiveness of these policies in reducing homelessness and its related social ills is directly affected by the definition of homeless. Defining homeless incorrectly will disguise the cause of these social ills resulting in misdiagnoses, with the result that your course of treatment or action will have no effect, may in fact worsen or perpetuate these ills.

Primal Scream!! Smash*Demolish*Destroy; Primal Scream!!! Sunder*Disassemble*Disjunction; Primal Stream!!! Stomp*Trample*Crush; Primal Scream – Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! – Primal Scream!! Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh That feels much better. I use to keep things bottled up but that renowned teacher, Experience, has taught me that letting frustration build up is to invite Mr Depression for a most unwanted, unpleasant visit. So I make it a point to “let go” of what is frustrating me – ASAP.

It was a timeless moment of Epiphany, of incredible clarity. I had just finished swimming 1500 metres and was floating in the water when suddenly, it was as though I was floating in deep space and could see all these silver and gold lines of energy weaving together the entire cosmos. In that moment I could see the path to enlightenment, not merely for myself but the path that if I walked it would lead the entire race to enlightenment. The path that would lead from a few intelligent individuals scattered through history and around the globe today to the entire human race achieving intelligence and intelligent behaviour.

Penticton $9.7 million provincial grant secured BEFORE project presented to public; Langley $15 million provincial grant secured BEFORE project presented to public, project modified to maximize grant; Abbotsford $0.00 provincial grant secured BEFORE project presented to public.

 In the Friday Abbotsford Times much gnashing of teeth and cries of “we was robbed” by Abbotsford City Hall. Common sense dictates, for those possessing common sense (which evidence suggests is nonexistent at Abbotsford City Hall) that your maximum leverage on a senior level of government for grants is before you fund the project when they (province; federal) can be blamed for the project not proceeding. This was the case in the recent extortion of $2 million each from both the federal and provincial governments for Stanley Park restoration making Vancouver’s contribution $ZERO$.

 When asked during the referendum campaign why they had not and if they should not have gotten grants BEFORE coming to the taxpayers for approval, as any rational, fiscally responsible City (i.e. Langley, Penticton) would do, Abbotsford City Hall blew off those posing the questions as “naysayers” and “negative people”.

Toronto Star January 10, 2007 Carol Goar

Churning out cogent new studies on poverty wouldn't work, the research team decided. Canadians already knew how bad the problem was.

Making the case for fair wages, affordable housing, decent welfare rates and universal child care wouldn't turn the tide, they agreed. Dozens of advocacy groups were doing that with negligible success.

Free Speech, citizen’s right to access information in city records and the right to hear or express dissenting views seem to have been added to the long list of things, such as fun, forbidden in Abbotsford.

 Apparently City Hall and Council are continuing their assault on these rights. It looks as though the Post’s behaving like a newspaper rather than a cheering section for the City has upset city hall and city politicos. Once upon a time not long ago those unfortunate souls who did not receive the Post delivered to their homes could drop by some of Abbotsford’s city facilities and pickup their copy of the Post. Nevermore.

 !!

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On Tuesday January 9, 2007 I sent a letter to CanWest and various newspapers expressing my thoughts on the complete lack of judgement evidenced by Global’s Vancouver television station and their telethon for Stanley Park. With all the important issues that need funding and public awareness it was to aggravating to remain silent on the insult offered to all those in true need of assistance.

I got an e-mail from the publisher of Something Cool News asking my reaction to a planned fundraiser “Renewal of the Jewel” and comments by John McComb of CKNW’s “The World Today” on Stanley Park and homelessness. He called Stanley Park a “Jewel” and stated fixing it should be a major priority. When it was suggested by a listener that radio air time would better be spent on an issue such as homelessness Mr McComb’s reply was along the lines of “We did a whole week on homelessness on this station. How many shows on homelessness do you want?”

I made the mistake of not allowing sufficient time to have passed in this New Year before I let my mind wander to consideration of how to change Abbotsford from a community to a community. I should have known better than to let my mind ponder such a seemingly impossible task until the season of despair (aka Christmas season) and its mental booby-traps was long past. I most certainly should have been vigilant enough not to miss taking my medication when contemplating such a potentially depressing undertaking. spirit downward spins/ screaming fading lost quiet/ despair triumphant.

Just who is it that is responsible for turning off the Christmas Spirit, for throwing the Switch from ON to OFF?

On Christmas Day less than half of the clients at the Abbotsford Emergency Shelter wanted even a small plate of food and the Shelter itself was just over half full. The free breakfast and turkey dinners around town this Christmas Day had them all as stuffed as the turkeys they had consumed. During the previous two - three weeks there was an abundance of meals, food and care packages for the poor, hungry and homeless. 

On December 26th the switch was thrown, the Spirit turned off for another year and greed was out in full force prowling the Boxing Day Sales. And the Shelter was again full of the homeless who were once more cold, hungry and unwanted.

Might as well just burn the money...

No wonder the City of Abbotsford is always claiming to have NO MONEY to invest in reducing poverty, homelessness, addiction and other pressing social issues. When you like to waste money in $60,000,000.00 chunks, you would tend to find yourself a little short of cash.

They will have lots of excuses, which they will call explanations or reasons, why Abbotsford paying $75 million when Langley is only paying $15 million does not mean Abbotsford is overpaying by $60,000,000.00. Although why they believe and expect taxpayers to believe paying $75 million for what someone else pays $15 million isn’t overpaying …

For me the weeks around Christmas have always been a period of desolation and darkness, my focus to simply survive. This past week has been a struggle to overcome the urge to close the blinds, turn up the music and retreat under the covers. It has been an act of self-discipline to merely get out of bed and out the door into the world.

Sunday I was feeling somewhat melancholy having missed the Lost Checkered Sox performance Friday night. As a practitioner of good mental hygiene I realized a change of outlook was needed. So I decided to take advantage of the crisp, sunny fall day to sit in the sun contemplating and cogitating upon lost checkered socks and what their relationship to the Great washing machine mystery.

I speak of course of the apparent appetite of washing machines for devouring the odd sock. We all know that the idea of washing machines eating socks is ridiculous. Which leaves us to address what exactly is the fate of a missing sock and where do they go?

The appalling ignorance of basic economic reality demonstrated by recent letters and comments based upon the erroneous assumption that only those wealthy enough to own property pay into city tax-coffers does help explain the poor decision making by voters for municipal, provincial and federal representatives.

I got a chuckle from the reports on the Christmas tree kafuffle at Seattle airport. The chuckle arose from annoyance at all the e-mails and newspaper letters from people demanding we keep Christ in Christmas and suggesting I (we) are un-Canadian of un-Spiritual if we do not support their exclusionary demands.

OK, I admit to a little smugness over these self-labelled Christians being reminded that this season “belongs” in part to an earlier faith in Judaism. Lest others feel the need to stake their religions claim to this season, I concede that this Season traces it roots back to early pagan Winter Solstice celebrations. In fact the timing of Christmas is a result of the early christian church feeling the need to have a celebration at year’s end/turning to allow them to compete against the pagan faiths for followers.

The “it is OUR season” ranting has reached a level of annoyance such that I cannot help being amused at anything that serves to hoist these self-labelled Christians on their own petard by establishing earlier claims to the season for other Faiths and belief systems. I have grown tired of this holier than thou, this is OUR celebration, exclude those who do not believe exactly what we do attitude of these self-labelled Christians.

Mr. Dave Murray of the Abbotsford Food Bank deserves kudos not only for the hours he put in preparing a plan for and during the Extreme Weather the City experienced but for the example he sets for having one’s priorities in order. He used Food Bank funds to fill the pressing need for mattresses and sleeping bags, knowing the need to replenish these funds would cause extra work. Lives saved vs. extra work? Sadly, experience has shown that all too few in the City have this same generosity of spirit.

Ouch! A friend called Sunday to smack my nose for being to hard on the City in my letter on Extreme Weather planning. It made for an interesting discussion. Although, when the major contribution by the City to Extreme Weather planning, in the main part, is to not put up barriers …

I thought of Kevin George Ellis the other night and the abysmal way MSA Hospital treated this dying man (see tribute to the fallen http://www.somethingcool.ca/backissues/073106/). Even worse than the way they treated Kevin is the fact that they continue to deliver substandard health care to the homeless putting their lives at risk. And, in the case I am thinking of, perhaps putting the health of the general public at risk.

It is past cold, into the realm of bitchin’ cold. With all the snow on the ground, the fierce wind and the cold, the weather is life threatening. Many of the Abbotsford residents living on the streets have been sought whatever shelter, at whatever “price” they must “pay”, just to survive. For the first time in Abbotsford there is an Extreme Weather Plan in place and the coordinator of the plan has been checking up on the current population of the Salvation Army’s emergency shelter in case it is necessary to open additional beds.