I believe this is a first-tale account of more than just what it's like to live in Vancouver, but what it is to be homeless in Vancouver.
Canada seems to have a lot of political hipocrisy in that we criticize other countries to death about poverty and lack of health care, etc. but our problems with the amount homeless Canadians are huge, and Vancouver, as far as I know, is one of the worst if not the worst. The UN declared that Homelessness should be a National issuu, calling our little homeless "problem" a big issue. That was a few years ago, Canada has done relatively nothing.
A new legislation forcing the homeless in Vancouver city has recently been put up for approval- stating that in extreme weather cases this winter, the homeless can be put inside forcibly. (a fucking clear Canadian Charter of Rights Violation, that has only seemed to matter now, as the 2010 olympics are ready to roll in)
ANYWAY. Matthew Good does his homework, He cares about Canadian politics, as any Canadian should. It's seriously fucking touching knowing that he's writing about this.
Here are the lyrics that give the homelessness crisis away, in my opinion:
Out of the alleys
On needle-strewn fields
(There is a very large heroin addiction problem in Vancouver, undoubtedly among the homeless.
The goverment approved Canada's first safe-needle centre, with much controversy, here. I am not sure if its even still open)
Around here love's a gangster (prostitution, maybe. Or maybe even just that love is hard)
And charity's the brute (If you are homeless, You might often rely on Charities, but there are rules)
Where God deals on Sundays (The Mission/Christian organization that dole hot dinners out on Sundays)
It's 5 blocks of universe (Referring maybe to 5 blocks in particular?)
And aliens for reach
Like invisible ghettos (Nobody pays attention to the homeless here)
Of privledge and grief
And we end up between them
We all live downtown (Homeless populations don't stand much chance of surviving unless downtown)
Paying blood, no parking
(The communities are violent and hard. The no parking line is fantastic in it's irony. )
Sleep on the ground (duh)
Step over ourselves (Maybe, implying that one must step over others to get ahead)
That's what I think. I think its a great song. wow.
I believe this is a first-tale account of more than just what it's like to live in Vancouver, but what it is to be homeless in Vancouver.
Canada seems to have a lot of political hipocrisy in that we criticize other countries to death about poverty and lack of health care, etc. but our problems with the amount homeless Canadians are huge, and Vancouver, as far as I know, is one of the worst if not the worst. The UN declared that Homelessness should be a National issuu, calling our little homeless "problem" a big issue. That was a few years ago, Canada has done relatively nothing.
A new legislation forcing the homeless in Vancouver city has recently been put up for approval- stating that in extreme weather cases this winter, the homeless can be put inside forcibly. (a fucking clear Canadian Charter of Rights Violation, that has only seemed to matter now, as the 2010 olympics are ready to roll in)
ANYWAY. Matthew Good does his homework, He cares about Canadian politics, as any Canadian should. It's seriously fucking touching knowing that he's writing about this.
Here are the lyrics that give the homelessness crisis away, in my opinion:
Out of the alleys On needle-strewn fields
(There is a very large heroin addiction problem in Vancouver, undoubtedly among the homeless. The goverment approved Canada's first safe-needle centre, with much controversy, here. I am not sure if its even still open)
Around here love's a gangster (prostitution, maybe. Or maybe even just that love is hard) And charity's the brute (If you are homeless, You might often rely on Charities, but there are rules) Where God deals on Sundays (The Mission/Christian organization that dole hot dinners out on Sundays)
It's 5 blocks of universe (Referring maybe to 5 blocks in particular?) And aliens for reach Like invisible ghettos (Nobody pays attention to the homeless here) Of privledge and grief
And we end up between them
We all live downtown (Homeless populations don't stand much chance of surviving unless downtown) Paying blood, no parking (The communities are violent and hard. The no parking line is fantastic in it's irony. ) Sleep on the ground (duh) Step over ourselves (Maybe, implying that one must step over others to get ahead)
That's what I think. I think its a great song. wow.
"Referring maybe to 5 blocks in particular?"
"Referring maybe to 5 blocks in particular?"
Hastings between Cambie and Gore is the obvious assumption.
Hastings between Cambie and Gore is the obvious assumption.