PROBLEM HIDDEN

Is anyone really surprised by last week's cuts to the federal
government's Supporting Communities Partnership Initiatives (SCPI)
fund that provides housing support to marginalized members of
communities such as Ottawa?

How can we be when federal finance minister Jim Flaherty is once again
in charge of our public funds? When he was Ontario's treasurer, the
Conservative provincial government did the same thing. The first step
was to cut the advocacy programs assisting "special interest groups,"
and then cut the actual affordable-housing programs. That way there is
no one to speak up for or organize these individuals who don't
traditionally have a voice within society. Politicians tend to ignore
the homeless, the addicted and the mentally ill: They don't vote, they
don't pay taxes; they don't even have homes.

Under our Charter of Rights, disadvantaged citizens should still have
access to basic-needs services. Affordable housing is one of the most
pressing issues in our society today -- for those without it. Without
these advocates, those who have housing no longer need to be bothered
by hearing about it. That means there's no longer a problem.

CHRISTINE CULHAM

Ottawa