NO STREET SMARTS

Terry Kilrea says that if he becomes mayor, there won't be people
living on the streets of Ottawa. When asked how he'll accomplish
that, his answer is "they'll be removed."

Mr. Kilrea isn't the first politician eager to criminalize
homelessness, or to suggest it without considering the practical implications.

He says "living on the street is not an option." Fine. What are the
other options? When the police sweep up the homeless, where will they
take them?

Spaces in supportive housing and shelters are scarce, but that's
fixable with enough public money. Mr. Kilrea says he hasn't
discovered whether his idea will require more funding for social services.

As Mr. Kilrea is fond of saying, "You can't help people if they won't
help themselves." So how will he force people to stay off the
streets? He says people who don't want to help themselves will have
to go "before a judge." He believes the Safe Streets Act (which
criminalizes aggressive panhandling) gives police the authority to
clear Ottawa street people.

If it's incarceration Mr. Kilrea has in mind, he might want to
consider the social effects of putting street youth in jail for weeks
or months. He might also want to consider whether there's any room in
the jails.

And while he's considering all this, he might want to talk to some
homeless people and the agencies that help them. He should educate
himself about the reality on Ottawa's streets before he starts
trumpeting simplistic solutions.