Homeless housing is NOT our problem!

You may have noticed that there has been much concern about Vancouver’s poverty and housing issue circulating the news lately and what the government is wanting to do to manage it. Is this a question of trying to actually give these people a better life or are they just trying to eliminate the problem to give Vancouver a better reputation before the Olympics? I realize this has become a problem over the past few years; however, it’s not being dealt with in the best way possible. No wonder more and more people are becoming homeless when you can be provided with everything you need and not expected to give anything back to the general public in return. It almost seems like a good idea for some. There are students who work three jobs to pay for school and the general cost of living. I haven’t seen the government give them anything but a tuition increase. We work hard to put food on the table and provide shelter. Do we receive anything? No. Instead our taxes increase to provide out of work people with food and housing. There is no doubt that conditions of living are harsh on the streets and I realize that many of these people have mental illnesses or addictions. But to suppress the issue by just giving them what they need for nothing in return. Is this the absolute best option there is? Or is it just the fastest and most convenient one before the Olympics begin? Think about it. It’s only going to cover up the problem but in the end, it will not actually solve anything and it will go on for years to come. I have seen people living on the streets that seem quite capable of working, yet it is much easier just to get things handed over to them. Maybe laziness is a factor in all of this. There is no need to change or improve your situation when you are being ultimately rewarded for it. If you actually ask these people, most of them would rather live on the streets instead of working and paying for housing. If we gave them a chance to start a life, some of them would be right back out there. The homeless people of Vancouver are getting used to being mothered by the government. I could almost call it “spoiled.” If you want to see real poverty, go to Thailand or China. Only they aren’t given anything at all but they try to make the best of it because they don’t know any better. Here is an example. A young woman, who often loiters around King George Highway in Surrey and seems quite together asked for money from my friend who then told her to get a job. The woman then replied, “pan-handling is my job.” Here’s a thought to chew on. It may sound utterly ridiculous at first but work around the edges. Make pan-handling taxable! Here’s another idea. Maybe if immigration to British Columbia was cut down, jobs would be more abundant and there would be less people on the streets. It’s not perfect and I honestly don’t know what the solution is. I’m also not going to rack my brain around it because I am not getting paid to do the government’s job. All I am saying is that instead of covering up the problem, get down to the bottom line. Ask what the real issue is behind all of this and then you can resolve it!