The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Often dismissed as drunks and bums, the so-called vagrants downtown are Flin Flon's most marginalized citizens. But that isn't stopping city council from hearing their voices on the usefulness of a homeless shelter, struggles with alcoholism and other issues. Gilbert Merasty, a local advocate for First Nations people, recently interviewed seven residents considered to be part of the Main Street loitering problem. He then shared a transcript of those interviews with council, blending them with his own comments, as a way of opening up the lines of communication. 'I think it'd be nice to know what the other side of the (story) is with regards to homelessness, drunkenness,' the engaging Merasty told council at their April 2 meeting. Merasty said the interviewees spoke of how hard it is for them to quit drinking and how no preventative measures are going to stop them. He quoted one subject who said: 'Please walk in our shoes for a day and night before you judge our lot in life. Growing up in reserves was a nightmare and alcohol helps us forget those old days, even for a while.' Merasty said his subjects left their home reserves because of poor conditions, violence and a lack of opportunity, viewing Flin Flon as a good alternative. They told him they would be more inclined to avoid the downtown area if there were a facility on the outskirts of Flin Flon that offered them a place to sleep and drink. As it stands now, Merasty said, these individuals are drinking at locations such as the Duck Pond and a particular residential garage in the downtown area. 'We drink any place we feel we won't be seen or heard,' Merasty quoted them as saying. The interviewees further told Merasty that based on how people treat them, 'we feel like most of us are carrying some kind of contagious disease.' They added: 'The RCMP use excessive force on many occasions when they arrest us and put us in the drunk tank, because they think that we're stupid and we won't say anything.' Merasty questioned society's priorities by stating that Manitoba and Saskatchewan spend about three times more on animal shelters and products than on homeless people. He said homeless people have been freezing to death in Prince Albert, including his own brother. Struggling That illustrated one of Merasty's key points _ Flin Flon is not alone in struggling with homelessness and its associated problems. He said vagrancy, panhandling and public drinking have been visible in Flin Flon since the 1950s. Today, with vagrancy a growing concern downtown, Merasty said he hopes for 'some kind of a mutual understanding' that would 'be advantageous to Flin Flon and to all concerned.' 'I do a lot to try and help my people anyway I can,' said Merasty, who grew up in Channing. See 'Need' on pg. Continued from pg. Coun. Colleen McKee agreed with Merasty that there is insufficient advocacy on behalf of homeless people. She said the number of homeless staying at the Flin Flon Aboriginal Friendship Centre hostel shows a need for a shelter. 'There's no question about that,' replied Merasty. Coun. Tim Babcock invited Merasty to discuss his concerns at the next meeting of council's Social and Community Services Committee. As for the interviewees' allegation of excessive force by police, RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Miles Hiebert said he could no comment on the specific allegation. '...however, I can tell you that all RCMP members are trained in police intervention tactics and responses that are based on the behaviour displayed by our clients and the totality of any given situation,' he told The Reminder. 'Public and police safety are our priority, and I can assure you that RCMP officers take their responsibility to treat all members of the public with fairness and respect very seriously. 'If any member of the public has a complaint of excessive force being used, they are encouraged to make their complaint known to the Detachment Commander or the Commission for Public Complaints and it will be thoroughly investigated.' In an unrelated matter, Merasty told council he opposes the recent First Nations blockades at the Lalor mine near Snow Lake.
