On the eve of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority hosted a virtual town hall to discuss the proposed temporary day shelter location and logistics in downtown Yellowknife.
The town hall heard a brief opening address from Health and Social Services Minister Julie Green and then deputy minister Bruce Cooper, but relied on department staff whoSA国际影视传媒檝e been in the logistics hotseat to speak to the nuts and bolts.
The event included the same talking points included in Minister Julie GreenSA国际影视传媒檚 Open Letter to the Community, circulated Sept. 13.
Since then, hundreds of Yellowknifers have signed a letter petitioning Yellowknife businesses to support the proposed, temporary downtown shelter, warning they may boycott those who openly oppose it.
The most passionate plea for the shelter on Sept. 29 came from Michael Fatt, a Yellowknife artist and advocate for those experiencing homelessness and dealing with substance abuse.
Fatt told attendees heSA国际影视传媒檇 been homeless his whole life after he was taken from his family in the Sixties Scoop.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been homeless in four provinces and five cities, including Yellowknife,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲interSA国际影视传媒檚 right around the corner. ISA国际影视传媒檓 worried for my friends and family on the streets. WeSA国际影视传媒檝e been through this before. WeSA国际影视传媒檝e lost people.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e failing,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 out there every day, on the front lines. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e my friends.SA国际影视传媒�
He implored those at the forum to open their hearts to the over 300 people in Yellowknife experiencing homelessness, the vast majority of whom are Indigenous and a significant percentage are the living legacy of colonial oppression and residential schools, according to Fatt.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey were here long before us. This is their land,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e not living their lives one bit; theySA国际影视传媒檙e enduring. If we leave them with no options, weSA国际影视传媒檙e killing them.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not the solution, but it is a stepping stone,SA国际影视传媒� he said of the shelter. SA国际影视传媒淚 appeal to your hearts to allow this door to open.SA国际影视传媒�
While presenters for the Health Authority acknowledged SA国际影视传媒渢his will impact the neighbourhood,SA国际影视传媒� they said the plan is to have shelter staff, who know the shelter users and are trained in conflict de-escalation, make hourly patrols around the outside of the facility. They said the department has the staff to do this and they are already trained.
SA国际影视传媒淧atrols are necessary and are something we plan to provide,SA国际影视传媒� a department representative told the audience.
They also said the department is prepared to sign a SA国际影视传媒済ood neighbour agreementSA国际影视传媒� with neighbouring businesses at the former Legion building, located at Franklin Avenue and 48 Street. As well, shelter staff will share their concerns with users regularly and, when appropriate, remind users what it means to be a good neighbour, they committed.
The presenters acknowledged the departmentSA国际影视传媒檚 past communications issues and told Yellowknifers the department has resolved to open communication and collaboration with the community at-large as well as with other departments of the territorial government.
They held up the town hall as a demonstration of the departmentSA国际影视传媒檚 commitment, saying the forum was designed to hear community voices beyond those who live nearby or do business within a 30-metre radius of the proposed site as required by law.
Questions from community members were largely connected to security at the proposed shelter site and whether the department had really considered all the options.
One commenter was concerned about the increased number of people smoking on the busy downtown corner.
In the end, the Health and Social Services minister was frank:
SA国际影视传媒淚t truly is our last option. We do not have any more aces up our sleeve,SA国际影视传媒� Green said.
