We need to do more to stem the tide of homelessness – Cochrane Times Post

Nov 20, 2024

I was raised knowing many people in my circle of family and friends who have had to deal with troubles and problems that they had no control over. As I grew up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, tragedy and trauma just seemed to be a normal part of life for everyone.

My parents’ generation grew up with limited education and what schooling they had occurred in the Residential School system where they faced abuse, colonization and a sense that they were less than human. As a result, they passed on this trauma to their children. Some families survived to a degree through this communal trauma, but many others were unable to cope. This colonization and oppression resulted in countless people who have had to deal with drug addiction, alcoholism and mental illness.

Many people tried to find a way out of this colonial trap by heading to southern communities in search of opportunities, work, education and efforts to find a way out of poverty. Instead, they found little help on the outside and far more ways to complicate their lives. Once people failed in the attempt to find a life in the south, they faced having to return defeated to their remote community and this was difficult as there was a lack of housing and any kind of dedicated care for dealing with addictions and mental health conditions.

Read More: https://www.cochranetimespost.ca/opinion/we-need-to-do-more-to-stem-the-tide-of-homelessness