A relatively clean-cut gentleman from New Brunswick asked me for a spare cigarette outside a train platform. He said that he came here for work in construction, but “…now that all the homes are built for the summer, I’m out of a job.” In his home town, he’d often wait inside Tim Hortons in the mornings to see if he could find work of sorts “…but it’s different being homeless here. Nobody wants you hanging around early in the mornings.” His savings had run out, he wasn’t eligible for Employment Insurance, and can’t apply for Alberta Works (welfare) because he doesn’t have an Alberta ID. I asked if he tried the temp agency a couple stops down the train line, and he said that they won’t let him wait around for work there all day, you need a cell phone to be on-call. He said he’s lost two cell phones from theft on the street already. He’s stuck.
“A plane ticket back costs $200, but…” he sounded defeated “…the more time you spend out on the street here, the more you see drugs, the more you think you wanna use ’em…”
It’s close to impossible to find stable work without a fixed address, more so without shelter at all. This man can and would “contribute to society,” if only society would afford him the opportunity. It’s not just a question of will, it’s a question of how? The only way to resolve the vicious cycle of homelessness and addiction is to guarantee housing and employment for all. The first step is to expropriate the parasitic corporate landlords and create real, affordable social housing to break down the biggest barriers to stable employment.
– Landry B., Calgary
