"One-woman campout for housing ends quietly" (Nanaimo Homeless Article)

[TH2008]

One-woman campout for housing ends quietly
Former council candidate pitches a tent at City Hall
Danielle Bell, The Daily News
Published: Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Brunie Brunie took her tent on the front lawn of city hall to tell people not enough is being done to assist homeless people in Nanaimo.

On Monday morning, after two nights, the community activist packed up her sparse belongings after bylaw officers spoke to her shortly before 10 a.m.

Chilled by recent rain, Brunie said she was leaving anyway.

Brunie, who was accompanied by her dog and surrounded by hand-painted signs urging "Campground For Homeless," "All I want for Christmas is a Place to Pitch a Tent," "Right to Life Petition", believes the city should create a homeless camp with washrooms, water and cooking facilities for the impoverished.

Although the city has announced an ambitious affordable housing strategy and plans to spend $50 million during the next five years to create 305 housing units, Brunie says a lack of shelter space and affordable or non-profit housing projects means more immediate resource are needed.

"These (homeless) people are hiding in the bushes. They have no place to be. Isn't this the humane thing to do?" said Brunie. "This whole Christmas giving thing, give them a campground. Socks are not gonna cut it."

About a dozen signatures were collected on a petition that urged all levels of government to "designate ground where people without homes are allowed to erect temporary shelter with toilets, water and cooking facilities."

Brunie said she and several others will continue to circulate similar petitions, which will eventually be forwarded to government officials.

"(Homelessness) is going to keep getting worse because we're in a really bad recession," said Brunie. "I will camp again."

City bylaw manager Randy Churchill said bylaw officers listened to Brunie's stance but camping overnight in parks remains illegal.

DBell@nanaimodailynews.com

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Send your comments on this story to letters@nanaimodailynews.com. Letters must include your first and last names, your hometown and a daytime phone number.

http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailyne...6-da6d3cba3d3d

[riverrat]

I like how she's willing to make some noise. She's got guts if anyone does. Would anybody else here camp out on the lawn at City Hall? I wouldn't - not alone.

[TH2008]

Brunie Brunie wrote:

"(Homelessness) is going to keep getting worse because we're in a really bad recession," said Brunie. "I will camp again."

Brunie Brunie, is correct. This situation will get a lot worse. And there could be a lot more people camping out, who usually don't EVER have to camp out.

Does anyone have the email address for Brunie Brunie? I'd like to invite her to the board to have her say regarding the homeless situation in Nanaimo. If that is not appropriate, then please say so.

--
TH

[vanislandrev]

With a potential depressionin the making there could potentially be A LOT of people (including middle class people) in a position where they could be homeless. I don't know what the answer to it all will be. I would love to camp-out for the homeless, but I have work and school.

[riverrat]

If that is not appropriate, then please say so.

TH, I would only recommend that you immerse yourself slowly into any "business" relationship with Brunie Brunie. The things I've heard about her being really hard to deal with and "not working well with others" - I have no first-hand experience, but the rumours should justify some prudence on your part.

[zedex]

I understand the girl's plight, wnating shelters for the homeless. It is a noble gesture on her part, but I also have to question if it is a solution to the problem.

Remember " Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life".

Should a shelter be a lifelong financial endeavour on our part? Or should it be short term only? { in which case if they are outdoors again, the cycle begins again}

[James Younger]

I have been to many Nanaimo homelessness open houses/forums and have had a say at most. I don`t recall seeing her at any.
At the all candidates meeting she yelled for Harper to supply army tents for the homeless.
She also yelled for coffee and sandwiches at bus exchanges.
I would respect her if she actually did write Harper a letter asking for tents for the homeless.

[All Ages Music Concerts]

One thing I have learned about life and that is there are always others way more unfortunate then ourselves with much more problems to deal with. I place no judgement on this forum but do feel very bad for those that have to sleep in the streets especially on nights as cold as this. Saying get a job to these people goes way beyond that judgement statement. The govenment needs to bring in some form of self-help centres for these people and help them get back on a better track. Some of these people just need a caring place to start and maybe this can get their self respect back. I do not believe anyone on this planet wants to be homeless. I would think their issues are far beyond what we are fully aware in alot of cases.

[queen of the waterfront]

Today I learned a different aspect of homelessness in Nanaimo.
It is now almost three in the morning.
I was awakened about a half an hour ago by loud ringing of my doorbell. i scrambled out of bed from my sound sleep to find a woman on my doorstep.

this woman is not a stranger. I have known her for many years. She is in her fifties and part of a well respected "band" in Nanaimo.She has been to my house before on one occasion,as an invited guest. I did not invite her to drop in at any time, and I had no idea until today that she is homeless.

She said she was just coming from the bar and thought she could sleep on my couch.She said she had nowhere to go.

Well me and my social activism just separated somehow. I was absolutely livid, and also strangely frightened. i live with my son and another roomate, and my young nephew was sleeping on my couch because we are expecting family from Vancouver.

I felt invaded and unsafe.How dare someone just decide that I am a flop house? What gave her the right to just wake myself and my family up in the middle of the night?

Once upon a time I would have said no problem and given her a blanket.I would have ended up with an uninvited guest for months , feeding her, dealing with intrusions at three oclock in the morning. i have done this many times with people that had trouble in their lives.

Tonight I felt threatened and had NO COMPASSION. Truthfully I felt like calling the police.

I told her to leave. I got "I have nowhere to go, i dont want to sleep on the street".

Then she called someone else to pick her up. Oh great ! Another person i dont know at three in the morning. Had she called earlier in the day perhaps I would have responded differently.

i am feeling angry and invaded. I am also feeling that I have lost my fervor for activism and perhaps my compassion for other human beings in their time of trouble. I worked from early this morning at one job,cleaned my house , worked in my garden and the played a gig . I was tired when i went to bed and I have to work again in just a few hours.

How are we going to deal deal with homeless people?
Am i a rotten person for kicking her out to be on the street?

I dont know.

i do know that I feel that my home and my safety have been compromised because i have a reputation for kindness. I dont feel kind right now. I feel angry and resentful.

Random thoughts from a tired human being who isnt as kind as she once was.

[queen of the waterfront]

today awake and not groggy. I wish I had called the police!