Homeless proposal misses mark

Allen Garr, Vancouver Courier
Published: Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson is doing his best to stay out of the way of the political slush B.C.'s Housing Minister Rich Coleman is kicking up. For the past week Coleman has told us his government wants to force mentally ill homeless people into shelters during extremely cold weather.

It may sound good on the surface. But it allows the provincial government to avoid dealing with the bigger issue here: the lack of treatment facilities. Coleman says the Liberals are rejigging the provincial Mental Health Act to give cops more muscle to make this happen with more ease than is now possible.

And this should interest the shrinks in our audience. Coleman says anyone on the street that refuses a space in a homeless shelter when it is extremely cold out is obviously mentally ill. Never mind the fact that many shelters are infested with bed bugs, won't allow shopping carts or pets and can be particularly perilous places for women.

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