Open the door—it's cold outside

Catholic New Times, Jan 4, 2004 by Kate Quinn

It's that time of year again. Biting winds nip noses and ears ,and people huddle into their coats, rushing from place to place to ward off the cold.

It's the time when "they" come into public consciousness again, grabbing a headline here and there. It's the time when those who are homeless come in from the shadows and bushes, alleys seeking some of the light, warmth and festive food of this dark season.

It's the time when we respond more fully, not wanting another human being to be cold or hungry or alone at Christmas time.

She came to the city, eager to strike out on her own. She eagerly searched the newspaper, circling apartments to rent. She set out to find a place. She greeted each potential landlord with a smile, until the number of rejections froze her with fear and despair. The anger came later, when she had to call upon her white foster parents to rent a place for her.

The experience of the closed doors took her back to those places of hurt, when children had called her a "wagon burner" or "a squaw" and hadn't invited her into the schoolyard games.

Then, she sought out other Aboriginal people and they drowned their feelings of exclusion in wild parties and alcohol.

One night, a new guest was invited. "Demon Cocaine" called their names and they tasted the seductive, destructive power of this drug. She lost the apartment, evicted because of damage done while partying. She lost her home, and with this, she lost herself.

Edmonton churches and the City are busy again creating shelter spaces. Churches will set up mats in their basements, and existing shelters will add trailers for the cold winter months. In spite of these temporary mat spaces, shelters were so full last winter that the City took drastic action. The underground transit station was opened whenever the temperature dropped radically. Several people still froze to death despite all the measures taken. Similar stories are repeated in cities across the country.

During the winter months, she "crashed" with drug-using friends. Sometimes, there were seven people in a one-bedroom apartment; other times she slept in decrepit houses run by drug dealers. She sold her body for drug money and used the drugs to blot out a consciousness of what had become of her. She felt so ashamed that she couldn't ask her family or outreach groups for help.

In the spring, she found a bush behind a house and crept in to hide from the world. She lay down and curled into the ground, feeling as if Mother Earth was holding her. A stray cat came to visit often and the two comforted each other. She named the buzzing bees "Bee" and "Beatrice" and talked to them as if they were friends. There was no judgment and some times she felt at peace. Four months later she came to a new awareness. She realized the bush was only a shelter, it wasn't a home and she wanted a home. She knew she had to stand up for herself and ask for a home.

Church and community agency leaders, private landlords and government program staff are working together in Edmonton to create more shelters, build more affordable housing and educate people about the causes of homelessness. Many cities have a framework for action, but more must be done.

In December, 2000, the government of Scotland passed a bill to create national policies on homelessness. The bill also defines people as living in "fuel poverty" where "a home cannot be kept warm at a reasonable cost."

What interests me is the vision behind this bill. Scotland has legislated provisions stating that none of its citizens should be homeless or cold.

The test of any government legislation--is the concrete delivery of the vision. There are still people in Scotland who are homeless or suffering from "fuel poverty." However, in Canada, federal and provincial governments undid housing policies and programs in the early nineties.

She asked for help and this time, found an open door. She has a home. But many Canadians are still knocking. Is there political will to open the door? Why not write a Christmas letter to your government representatives?

Kate Quinn writes from Edmonton.