Treat homeless as individuals

Dear editor: Hi, my name is Sandi and I am homeless. I am writing today to ask that the people and businesses in Penticton think outside the box and treat the homeless as individuals not as a group.

There are many reasons for this, one being that contrary to the media belief that all we need is housing first, this is not necessarily true.

For some people housing might be a goal, not a first step in getting off the streets.

Some need a place to get clean to apply for housing. We need to take smaller steps before the big step of getting a place to live. We need food first, in order to be well enough to look for housing.

In Penticton they have one meal a day, which is lunch at the soup kitchen. That and one supper, one breakfast a week is not enough.

The mission in Kelowna has meals and snacks throughout the day. That is a real start of helping the homeless, taking these smaller steps.

BC Housing as well as our only shelter is a pick and choose system in Penticton. If BC Housing does not want you, you do not get housing. I can say that because I have been homeless for over a year and three months.

There is no reason not to house me, I even was vetted as one of the most urgent people that needed housing. There is no reason for me not to be housed after a year trying.

See, the media is helping BC Housings smoke screen to make people think there is a lack of housing in Penticton, but really there is not that great need.

I say this because Fairhaven evicted six people in a one-week span. BC Housing then was insisting that people be put in Fairhaven because of the empty beds.

I was there when a couple got housing within two weeks of even meeting BC Housing, and now are kicked out. Why are there people that are homeless with no good reason but for the fact that BC Housing holds all the power?

They have help getting that power with the media only telling their side about the issues of the homeless. The homeless have never been asked individually what they need to get off the streets or progress forward in life.

I have seen very little in regards of talking one to one to each homeless individual. I think that both the homeless and society needs to change the way they think. I mean instead of sitting and listening to what is needed go ask the person.

I know the businesses get angry because of the mess the homeless leave and the fact they hang around causing trouble often. If we had a patio with two torches and half an overhang to get out of the rain and cold, like Kelowna, then maybe less people would hang in doorways. We have nothing to get out of the rain and heat.

Housing can be a final answer to steps that are taking to help us. It though is not the only thing. I ask that anybody that can do an interview in media or otherwise, come down to the street level and ask us, each one what needs to change to help that person.

Then and only then will we be able to progress beyond the Band-Aid fix to actually be able to house the homeless.

Please check out Penticton’s new page on Facebook, Penticton Stories, where the homeless speak out. It is a place where you can read first-hand what it is like to be homeless. Sandra Hall Penticton vote. The fact is we have made extensive efforts to meet with the union to get a deal for our employees for many months now.

The union refused to meet with us until early in 2018 and after several days of bargaining they walked away from the table after proposing a shocking 62 per cent average increase in wages with some positions increasing over 80 per cent, on top of significant increases to benefits.

These increases are in addition to the generous tips the majority of these unionized positions receive from customers. As you might expect, proposing a 60 per cent to 80 per cent wage increase is not reasonable for any business.

We want our employees and the community to be fully informed on what is at stake. Hard Rock Casino Coquitlam has been on strike since May 11 – several weeks later the parties are no closer to resolution. Caesars Windsor employees went on strike for two months and achieved essentially the same deal that they rejected in April. Given this, it is unfortunate that the union has been unwilling to be more reasonable.

The president of the union has claimed that casino service providers are making “billions of dollars.” This statement is false and does not consider that, according the BCLC Community Impact Report, 88 cents of every dollar played in B.C. goes back into the Province and funds important services like health care and education.

We know that a strike will be harmful to our employees and our customers – therefore, Gateway is serious about getting an agreement and have applied for mediation and we are hopeful that the union comes to mediation on June 15 with more reasonable expectations so that a resolution can be achieved.

In closing, we remain committed to having respectful discussions with the union to achieve a mutually agreeable contract that is reasonable and responsible for both our employees and Gateway. However, regardless of the outcome, we will be open for business and hope you will come visit us soon. Tanya Gabara Public relations director, Gateway Casinos & Entertainment park your bike in a secure compound so you know it will be there after the concert.

It’s time to Copenhagenize Penticton to alleviate parking problems which are going to get worse while at the same time provide safe cycling corridors for tourists and locals to enjoy. Brian Hughes Penticton local food systems need to supply a variety of products.

In most cases a smaller distribution area would allow consumers to purchase eggs, milk, and cheese locally instead of from the other side of the country.

President Trump is banging the wrong drum: NAFTA creates a cross border flow of $1-million a minute or $2-billion a day. The annual $640-million dairy industry is an inconsequential factor.

That said, Canada needs to get rid of supply management. Quality sells. Canadian cheese is far superior to the rubber that passes for American cheese and the watery butter Americans serve their consumers. Elvena Slump

Penticton