Tag Archives: Canadian homelss crisis

Being Erased

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This is for the people who are suffering in the DTES and beyond, for the homeless, the vulnerable, the sick, the elderly, the veterans, the workers, the used and abused whose suffering and hardship has too long been ignored.

Erased on Hastings Street, British Columbia, a photo illustration by TS Ni hUiginn
This image of the DTES is from my archive
 Being Erased,

Being Ignored,

Being vulnerable and ill and violated and abused by those who are responsible for your protection and care.
Erased in Vancouver, British Columbia, a photo illustration by TS Ni hUiginn
This image of the DTES is from my archive
We know how it began,

the question is

Why doesn’t it end?
Erased at Vancouver Art Gallery, British Columbia, a photo illustration by TS Ni hUiginn
We are all in the same boat,
don't feel left out,
 your turn will soon come.
Erased in Victoria British Columbia, a photo illustration by TS Ni hUiginn

With protectors like these who needs enemies.

Minnie the Hep Cat

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“Minnie’s a hep cat now.”

Cab Calloway

No one I know is aware of Minnie’s background but I met this particular Tabby not that long ago when the kitty was homeless. Homelessness is not only a human affair, pets share these realities with their owners and perhaps it is easier to discuss this problem using a kitty as the subject rather than a person.

  • A photograph of a stray tabby taken cat by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiggin
  • A photograph of a stray tabby taken cat by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiggin
  • A photograph of a stray tabby taken cat by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiggin

When I first became acquainted with Minnie, she was officially Skinny Minnie having been out on her own for who know’s how long but she hadn’t eaten properly for some time by the looks of her. A little girl who lived in the community let me know of the kitties plight. Little girls are often kitty sensitive but this kitty would not eat the food she left out. Minnie was not a Moocher, she was definitely a Hep Cat so it was not until I made friend with her that she would come and dine on the kibble I brought her. She was also very fond of Cab Calloway tunes which we found we both had in common and we became fast friends.

  • A photograph of a stray tabby taken cat by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiggin
  • A photograph of a stray tabby taken cat by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiggin
  • A photograph of a stray tabby taken cat by Salish photographer TS Ni hUiggin

After that it whenever I went out Minnie tagged along, she was outdoorsy and rather proud, the question was would she adapt to being inside or would she freak out and run away. I carefully brought her inside, prepared to be ripped to shreds. Fortunately for all parties she did agree to indoor life and a lovely widow adopted her and the two of them are very cosy and happy today.

Homelessness, inflation and despair is now the norm in western cultures. For many years now housing insecurity and ever growing numbers of people being left homeless for no fault of their own and with no end in sight is adding to the ever increasing stress in our communities. The homelessness crisis is largely ignored by governments and the media but we all know it is very real and it affects all of us daily. It is important not to add to the despair by being unnecessarily cruel to those who are truly vulnerable and instead put energies into working together with others to fix the systematic and legislative ills that are creating these hardships for all of us.