WE CANNOT SHOVE HELP DOWN PEOPLE'S THROATS

At Union Gospel Mission (UGM), in the heart of Vancouver's Downtown
Eastside, we experience the heartbreaking moments that our guests and
residents share with us on a daily basis. Be it crushing poverty, the
indignities of homelessness, the deadly grip of addiction, or the
horrors of mental illness, this neighbourhood is disproportionately
represented when it comes to human suffering.

I constantly marvel at the resiliency of those who many would believe
to be hopeless. The compassion, courage and grace to survive on the
streets of the Downtown Eastside are qualities I respect and admire
deeply. I am humbled to work for these souls and I learn from them
daily. It is for them that I am writing this.

The Ministry of Housing's Assistance to Shelter Act, which would
allow police to forcibly move people to the door of a homeless
shelter in extreme weather, could very well save lives. It may get
people to a doorstep that can offer them not only a bed and a warm
meal, but also long-term help such as addiction recovery programs and
permanent housing. Nevertheless, UGM can definitively say, without
reservation, you cannot force people to get help. They must choose it
themselves, of their own free will. Anything less is not only
ineffective, but violates principles at the heart of our free society.

I recognize that the goal of this legislation is to provide temporary
shelter in times of immediate need. However, it may do more harm than
good. Once the police have the homeless person at the door of the
shelter, they cannot force them to go inside. So what has been
achieved? By taking someone from everything they know and cherish --
their possessions, pet, or the place they consider home -- you may
have created more instability and mistrust in an individual and a
community that is already unstable and fragmented.

Housing Minister Rich Coleman has done more than many people will
ever know to help house British Columbia's homeless and I can
unequivocally say he has a true heart for our most marginalized
citizens. This government has taken great strides toward ending the
homelessness crisis and for that they should be applauded.

I know we all recognize more needs to be done. UGM believes one true
positive has come from the ensuing conversation regarding this issue,
the understanding that there is a need to mobilize service providers
who can proactively seek out those in need. Our police, while as
determined as they are compassionate, are not trained outreach or
social workers. UGM has been able to help multitudes of people who
are not yet ready for a shelter or other services through our Mobile
Mission Rescue Van, which meets people where they are with food, warm
clothes, blankets, and referrals to other services. It has taken, at
times, multiple interactions with someone to build enough trust where
they will consider alternatives to their current circumstances.

The temporary displacement of people without relationship will only
cause chaos and further entrenchment of the fragile souls that call
our streets home. I celebrate the government's commitment to assign
more resources, but implore them to consider working with the
agencies that know and love this community. By providing funding for
outreach workers, integrated mental health teams and shelters, we
will meet the unique needs of our chronically homeless, thus ensuring
no one else needlessly dies in the cold.

Bill Mollard is president of the Union Gospel Mission Vancouver.