Canadians! How should we handle the homeless problem?

[EnderJE]

Although we claim that we're "better" (or "different") then the States, they've done a better job at tackling the panhandlers / homeless then we have. Take a look at the stats between our country and theirs.

What should we do to fix our problem?

BTW, if any of the Americans think that they're better then us in all things, just remember that we've doing better in the illegal immigration problem. If a bunch of illegals protest, we just round them up and send them back.

 

[Island Son]

Where do you get your stats? the most recent ones I found look wayyy different
http://www.warmingfamilies.org/homeless_stats.html

NYC 30,000 in shelters every night vs Toronto 5000 in shelters. But NYC's population (the city, not the area) is only 3x Toronto's.

that said, they're mostly mentally ill or on drugs... at the point where they're too well to be kept but not enough ability to live on their own.

 

[Dry Muscle]

I think it has to start with funding in the right places. Band-aid solutions are useless long term. I made homelessness my thesis back in school, and actually made a documentary and lived on the street for two days. I hand delivered the video to Mel Lastman (former Mayor) at the time. I got a very polite brushoff response by mail by one of his cronies basically saying thank you for your interest, and mentioning the homelessness task force that they had been bragging about. I haven't heard any mention of it in years.

I think it is interesting to note that when I did a placement in Social Services, residents of this city were placed at the bottom of the list, and immigrants were given top notch priority..especially if they were claiming refugee status. Life long residents were expected to submit, whether they were homeless or not, starving or not, the last twenty years of their life on paper, and newcomers were just expected to provide an interpreter for a cheque.

I think Canada needs to back off the humanitarian obligation in exchange for adoration from the rest of the world, and concentrate on their own a little more.

 

[EnderJE]

Where do you get your stats? the most recent ones I found look wayyy different
http://www.warmingfamilies.org/homeless_stats.html

NYC 30,000 in shelters every night vs Toronto 5000 in shelters. But NYC's population (the city, not the area) is only 3x Toronto's.

that said, they're mostly mentally ill or on drugs... at the point where they're too well to be kept but not enough ability to live on their own.

Clearly, I wasn't clear when I said that they handle it better. I didn't say that they have less. However, their numbers are less noticable to the tourists.

 

[EnderJE]

I think Canada needs to back off the humanitarian obligation in exchange for adoration from the rest of the world, and concentrate on their own a little more.

I would agree with this. It's like we're trying to be the world's best friend by helping people clean up their messes.

 

[Island Son]

I would agree with this. It's like we're trying to be the world's best friend by helping people clean up their messes.

with stable gov'ts less people will emigrate as refugees. From a business standpoint, their countries become more prosperous = able to afford what we sell them.

money management; the gov't debt is what now, 500 billion? We have to pay 40 billion a year in interest to the (foreign) bondholders, that's tax money that could be going to public works and social services, instead they got cut to help pay the interest.

But for comparison: the US is 8 trillion in debt and rising. China OWNS the US dollar's value now (about 900 billion of that debt!).

 

[Yarg!]

kill em all.

 

[manny78]

Although we claim that we're "better" (or "different") then the States, they've done a better job at tackling the panhandlers / homeless then we have. Take a look at the stats between our country and theirs.

What should we do to fix our problem?

BTW, if any of the Americans think that they're better then us in all things, just remember that we've doing better in the illegal immigration problem. If a bunch of illegals protest, we just round them up and send them back.

Ship them to Alaska.

 

[ponyfitness]

I would agree with this. It's like we're trying to be the world's best friend by helping people clean up their messes.

Amen to that. We take all of the people that nobody else wants. I think that's the main reason that violent crime in Toronto is skyrocketing. But that has nothing to do with homeless people.

Most homeless people fall into two categories in my experience (and I've volunteered with social services) - those who are sick or on drugs badly and need meds but won't take them and those who don't want to make any effort to help themselves and would rather blame someone else for being on the street. I'm not saying that's 100% but probably 80% of the homeless people out there.

For that 80% I say do what New York did and pack them up and ship them out. People who need help but won't take what's out there make me mad.

I've often thought about what I would do in that situation and what I would do is find a job, even delivering flyers or selling flowers by the road which anyone can do. Apply for subsidized housing and start building a life from the ground up. However, I can imagine if I was addicted to crack or heroin that would be kind of hard.

 

[thewanderer690]

Clearly, I wasn't clear when I said that they handle it better. I didn't say that they have less. However, their numbers are less noticable to the tourists.

lol go to santa monica or hollywood if you are a tourist and you will notice the homeless people especially santa monica which smells like shit

 

[HiDnGoD]

I've often thought about what I would do in that situation and what I would do is find a job, even delivering flyers or selling flowers by the road which anyone can do. Apply for subsidized housing and start building a life from the ground up. However, I can imagine if I was addicted to crack or heroin that would be kind of hard.

I have a close friend who was >< this close to being homeless. He's got cancer, fibromyalgia, bad arthritis, & a type of epilepsy. He lived with me for 5 of the past 10 years, trying to work through his situation. Eventually he couldn't work anymore, & he applied for disability & subsidized housing. The fucking hoops they made him jump through, losing his paperwork, & missing deadlines because of their inefficiencies. Then he's left with next to nothing to live on.

 

[EnderJE]

with stable gov'ts less people will emigrate as refugees. From a business standpoint, their countries become more prosperous = able to afford what we sell them.

money management; the gov't debt is what now, 500 billion? We have to pay 40 billion a year in interest to the (foreign) bondholders, that's tax money that could be going to public works and social services, instead they got cut to help pay the interest.

But for comparison: the US is 8 trillion in debt and rising. China OWNS the US dollar's value now (about 900 billion of that debt!).

Sorry, I'm not getting the point. Are you saying that it's okay or explaining why?

 

[seizer]

We should just let the homeless sort out their own problems.



































bwahaahahaahha, ya right

 

[EnderJE]

Amen to that. We take all of the people that nobody else wants. I think that's the main reason that violent crime in Toronto is skyrocketing. But that has nothing to do with homeless people.

Most homeless people fall into two categories in my experience (and I've volunteered with social services) - those who are sick or on drugs badly and need meds but won't take them and those who don't want to make any effort to help themselves and would rather blame someone else for being on the street. I'm not saying that's 100% but probably 80% of the homeless people out there.

For that 80% I say do what New York did and pack them up and ship them out. People who need help but won't take what's out there make me mad.

I've often thought about what I would do in that situation and what I would do is find a job, even delivering flyers or selling flowers by the road which anyone can do. Apply for subsidized housing and start building a life from the ground up. However, I can imagine if I was addicted to crack or heroin that would be kind of hard.

I can't comment on why people are homeless because I don't have the stats. I remember some of my friends in HS decided to be homeless for awhile becasue they were "oppressed" at home (damned 12 pm curfew) and the local charity eatery for homeless people had HOT staff. I pretended to be homeless as well and joined them from time to time.

Clearly, not all people are like that.

 

[EnderJE]

lol go to santa monica or hollywood if you are a tourist and you will notice the homeless people especially santa monica which smells like shit

Then Santa Monica should take notes from New York.

 

[Island Son]

Sorry, I'm not getting the point. Are you saying that it's okay or explaining why?

sorry, i rambled.
more of a why the gov't isn't as caring as it used to be.
in new york it's more like "get off the streets" than "get a job and give back in taxes". I'd say reduce debt = get more money into the economy = build more affordable housing + have more social workers + less welfare. I'd add a tax break for businesses that hire people on the poverty line so they could increase the minimum wage. And I'd have some youth-only (maybe 19 and under) and family-only shelters , I hate seeing kids on the street.

 

[Razorguns]

i love how la hospitals treats them.

when they call ambulances to give them a nigths sleep and meal -- hospitals pay cabs to take them downtown la and dump 'em. Otherwise they never leave the hospital. They had an expose on that.

I don't feel sorry for them. Most are able-bodied and EASILY can do those "jobs that americans don't want" that mexicans do.

You rarely see a homeless immigrant. I wonder why.

 

[EnderJE]

You rarely see a homeless immigrant. I wonder why.

Actually, funny story.

I've got a friend who's a social worker in Toronto. Everytime I see her, she gives me great stories on how immigrants take care of their kids and how trashy white people are.

 

[Spanky11]

target practice.

I feel no pity for them.