In a report to Parliament, Federal Housing Advocate Marie-Josée Houle recommended that MPs think about decriminalizing drug trafficking in tent cities.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, this proposal was among “potential solutions shared with the Advocate during her engagement so far.”“Suggestions for government included…decriminalizing drug possession for personal use as well as the sharing or selling of drugs for subsistence to support personal drug use costs as well as the sharing or selling of drugs,” said the report. The proposal was highlighted under the title Treat Encampment Residents with Dignity and Respect.“Today, the fundamental right of encampment residents to exist as equal members of society and to live a life with dignity is at stake in Canada,” said the report Upholding Dignity and Human Rights: The Federal Housing Advocate’s Review of Homeless Encampments.“Failure to provide access to basic services and meet the essential needs of encampment residents are not only a breach of the human right to housing and the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, but they may also amount to cruel and inhumane treatment,” wrote Houle.The report listed what Houle described as “potential solutions shared with the Advocate during her engagement so far” on homelessness. “The report is intended to provide the foundation for deeper reflection on these issues over the coming months,” she wrote.“Potential solutions” include a ban on tent city evictions, revisions to municipal bylaws “to ensure they recognize the need to protect rather than punish encampment residents” and provision of free toilets, showers, food and free dental care, free fire extinguishers and private security “to deter threats while not harassing residents,” said Upholding Dignity.IMAGEThe report also suggested Parliament “establish memorials to remember people experiencing homelessness,” “strengthen the regulation of landlords and housing providers to ensure they meet human rights” and “include ‘social condition’ as a status protected against discrimination” under the Canadian Human Rights Act.Advocate Houle announced that she will publish a final report with recommendations in 2024.“Recognizing housing as a human rights means government ‘duty bearers’ at all levels have legal obligations to protect this right for everyone and especially for people whose right to housing is being violated,” wrote Houle.The report, following an August 16 audit, revealed that only 40% of homeless people who received money from the $3.7 billion Reaching Home program found housing.Of 13,057 homeless people given federal aid in 2020, only 5,323 or 40%, “remained housed or successfully exited the program” after a full year, said a department of Social Development report Evaluation of Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.
