At Camp Marjorie, FSIN calls for policy review

As Camp Marjorie enters its second month, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is calling on all levels of government to help the people sleeping in tents in Pepsi Park this fall.

"In a country as wealthy as Canada and in a province as rich as Saskatchewan that's rich in natural resources and wealth and agriculture, we're the bread basket of the world, but it's a national shame and embarrassment when we can't provide for our most vulnerable people," said FSIN Vice-Chief David Pratt.

The tent encampment in the park has been growing since October. While people have been moving in and out, and social services have been providing temporary assistance to some residents, camp spokespeople say there are still around 100 people sleeping there on any given night.

The FSIN is calling on the provincial government to review the policies that may have led to so many people losing their housing or being unable to find or maintain stable housing this fall.

"The [Saskatchewan Income Support] program that's not working," said Pratt.

The province completed its transition to the Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) program at the beginning of September. One of the major changes differentiating SIS from the former Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP) is that housing and utility benefits are paid directly to clients, rather than to landlords first.

Since then, Minister of Social Services Lori Carr said the province has been "hearing anecdotally from landlords that there's a possibility people may end up homeless," but has not yet seen statistics to confirm that.

"The program has only been fully implemented for the past two months," she said. "Before that, the majority of people that were on it are paying their own bills already and they're being successful at it. Now, we've just got to work on the last batch of people that were transitioned over.

"It might take a little bit more intense one-on-one work with those clients, but we're willing to do it."

The Ministry of Social Services is continuing to assess the program, and it may be adjusted in the future.

In the meantime, Carr says the Ministry has been working with Camp Marjorie, and that many of the residents there were not receiving any income support from the province to begin with.

"We've actually been able to sign them up for the program and have started doing some applications for permanent housing for some of these individuals," she said.

So far, Carr says the government has been able to find housing for ten people living at Camp Marjorie, and is working through applications from 20 more.

But while Camp Marjorie's beginning coincided with the province finalizing its transition to SIS, Carr doesn't think the new program caused people to lose their housing.

"I don't believe it's a result of the change over to the new system," she said. "I believe there are many, many reasons that can cause homelessness."

The FSIN is currently working on a memorandum of understanding with the City of Regina as they search for an indoor facility where people can be safely housed this winter.

'A symptom of what Canada needs to do:' FSIN

And Pratt said the federal government also has an important role to play.

Speaking at Camp Marjorie on Monday morning, Pratt said approximately 90 per cent of the people living here are Indigenous, and the federal government has treaty-defined obligations respond to this crisis.

"90 per cent of the people that are homeless and that are in this camp today are because of trauma and underlying issues all related to government policy, all related to residential schools, all related to the theft of our land and being pushed onto the margins and sidelines to live in poverty," he said.

"And what we're seeing right here is a symptom of what Canada needs to do."

FSIN Vice-Chief Heather Bear said the federal government needs to step up with more funding and services for Indigenous people in Regina and throughout the country.

"We need substantial supports in all sectors; mental health, housing, addictions," she said. "And we need people to pay attention. These are human beings here."

"Let's wrap a blanket of love and understanding over our people here that need our help."

For some Camp Marjorie residents, having the FSIN come to the camp and draw attention to the issues here was a meaningful experience.

"All these testimonies really make my heart understand that I'm not alone," said Camp Marjorie resident Billy Jack.

"I'm here with you guys. I'm a human being. I deserve to be treated as such. So there's that. And I really, really appreciate you guys caring. Because anybody can be human, but to be humane you know what I'm saying? That counts."

Evidence of hope

Regina Treaty Status Indian Services (RT/SIS) is one of the community organizations working with residents at Camp Marjorie and advocating for more support services.

For RT/SIS executive director Erica Beaudin, the existence of a tent city in one of Regina's parks is a symptom of long-term problems RT/SIS has been seeing every day for years. But she says Camp Marjorie is also evidence of its residents' courage and hope.

"The fact that they're still here, even in these circumstances, shows that they want to live better lives, that they need better services and that they need to be appreciated for the human beings they are," she said.

And while Beaudin says she is glad to be partnering with the city and other community organizations to get people connected with the supports they need, she says this will need to be a long-term process, not a Band-Aid fix.

"It took us many generations in an urban setting to get where we are today," she said. "It will not take one week. It won't take six weeks. It will take at the very least years in order to help people walk towards exactly that independence that we all should have living here in the City of Regina."