Denise Savoie
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SAVOIE AND NDP CALL FOR NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY ON HOMELESSNESS CRISIS
OTTAWA – Victoria MP Denise Savoie joined NDP Leader Jack Layton today in calling on the Conservative government to declare a national state of emergency.
“The rising number of homeless people on the streets of this country is a disgrace and we need federal action now to establish emergency shelters and put money into essential services to keep people safe this winter,” Layton said.
Savoie said the situation in Victoria merits drastic action. “Our recent bout of extreme weather strained our existing resources. Shelter staff were saying they wouldn’t be able to go on without more help. The federal government should be supplying that additional help.”
According to Human Resources and Social Development Canada there are 150,000 to 250,000 people in Canada living on the street right now. Declaring a state of emergency will give the federal government the power to immediately establish emergency shelters and allocate the money necessary for essential services.
“Declaring a state of emergency will allow us to deal with the crisis we are facing and will also serve as a wake-up call for the federal government on the need to set up a national housing program so the travesty of homelessness will end,” said NDP Homelessness critic Irene Mathyssen.
“Average Canadians feel that Canada’s homelessness crisis exposes a deep social injustice in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and it is time to address it once and for all,” said Layton.