Comments on: The État d’Urgence Experience http://spacingmontreal.ca/2009/11/26/the-etat-durgence-experience/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:15:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Manuel http://spacingmontreal.ca/2009/11/26/the-etat-durgence-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-13415 Manuel Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:16:33 +0000 http://spacingmontreal.ca/?p=4888#comment-13415 "That's the impression I get." Exactly! If you say stuff like that you're just going on your impressions and, really, you don't know what you're talking about. I mean, you can't just go around spouting off your "impressions" when they have no basis in reality. You want them to work? You ready to give them a job? Or what, you propose exterminating them? "That's the impression I get." Exactly! If you say stuff like that you're just going on your impressions and, really, you don't know what you're talking about. I mean, you can't just go around spouting off your "impressions" when they have no basis in reality. You want them to work? You ready to give them a job? Or what, you propose exterminating them?

]]> By: Alanah Heffez http://spacingmontreal.ca/2009/11/26/the-etat-durgence-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-13413 Alanah Heffez Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:50:19 +0000 http://spacingmontreal.ca/?p=4888#comment-13413 I've volunteered for Pops Dans la Rue for the last 3 years and I also have the impression that many kids are on the street because they want to be. Although the reasons they see the street as the best option for them don't exactly speak wonders about the experiences and opportunities they have had. There are also a lot of street kids and even more older homeless people who have mental health problems, as well as plenty of addiction... In all cases, its not as easy as 'get a job.' The homeless do voluntarily deal with the consequences of not working - cold, depression, violence, and sometimes a sense of freedom and community among themselves. But trying to ban them from public spaces or slapping them with costly tickets for minor offences seems unnecessary. An organization like Pops which feeds homeless people uses food as a means of outreach so that if and when the kids do chose to get off the street, they know where to go for help (ie: enrolling in adult ed, getting ID, job experience, and a decent set of clothes to wear to an interview...). It's not a solution, but I think its better than nothing. I've volunteered for Pops Dans la Rue for the last 3 years and I also have the impression that many kids are on the street because they want to be. Although the reasons they see the street as the best option for them don't exactly speak wonders about the experiences and opportunities they have had. There are also a lot of street kids and even more older homeless people who have mental health problems, as well as plenty of addiction...

In all cases, its not as easy as 'get a job.' The homeless do voluntarily deal with the consequences of not working - cold, depression, violence, and sometimes a sense of freedom and community among themselves. But trying to ban them from public spaces or slapping them with costly tickets for minor offences seems unnecessary.

An organization like Pops which feeds homeless people uses food as a means of outreach so that if and when the kids do chose to get off the street, they know where to go for help (ie: enrolling in adult ed, getting ID, job experience, and a decent set of clothes to wear to an interview...). It's not a solution, but I think its better than nothing.

]]> By: TheMontrealGuy http://spacingmontreal.ca/2009/11/26/the-etat-durgence-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-13411 TheMontrealGuy Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:14:56 +0000 http://spacingmontreal.ca/?p=4888#comment-13411 Those "street kids" are homeless because they want to be. Sometimes I talk to them and that's the impression I get. Don't you think if they don't want to work, then they should deal with the consequences? I believe Montreal (and Canada in general) is way too tolerant of parasites. Those "street kids" are homeless because they want to be. Sometimes I talk to them and that's the impression I get. Don't you think if they don't want to work, then they should deal with the consequences? I believe Montreal (and Canada in general) is way too tolerant of parasites.

]]>