Medicine Hat AB

A Kookum got a $2500 ticket for graffiti today.

Did she use spray paint?

No, she used chalk.

Did she write obscenities on private property?

No, she wrote horrible things like

Bring Back the Medicine

We the People

Unification

All Nations

The Eagles + Angels Work Together Now

Peace Love Happiness

Homelessness is a Problem Here in Medicine Hat

How Many Medicine Hat Police officers does it take to give a ticket?

It took FOUR - not a typo - FOUR - Medicine Hat Police officers in four police vehicles to give one ticket to one kookum. They eventually sent Inspector Jason Graham to talk to her.

Ticket presentation

Officer Guthrie explains the $2500 ticket to Geraldine; 3 other officers are present.

Two of the Four Police Vehicles

These two police vehicles seem to be in a driving lane, one does have the lights activated.

MHPS Vehicles Appear to be in a Driving Lane

Four MHPS Officers to Deal With Graffiti

Inspector Jason Graham speaking with Geraldine

Geraldine has her eagle feather in hand

Graffiti Ticket

The graffiti bylaw was passed in 2006 and has only one specified penalty for applying graffiti - $2500. Geraldine was not given the opportunity to wash off the chalk which she repeatedly said she would be happy to do. (NB - Because Geraldine was hosting the 36 hour challenge, she was deemed to be responsible for the graffiti even if someone else actually did it.)

What is Geraldine Doing and Why?

This is the second year that Geraldine is doing a challenge to bring awareness to the homeless situation in Medicine Hat and our lack of not only shelter space, but also affordable housing. She does not tolerate the use of drugs or alcohol in her presence other than the use of medicinal marijuana. She is making sure that the garbage is being disposed of properly and when passersby hurl insults, she does not retaliate, she returns disrespect with love. I spent a few hours with this group and have seen a lot of public support for what she is doing. I was present when a food delivery company delivered a box of coffee from a generous donor, a car stopped to deliver homemade sandwiches.

Geraldine has started a healing lodge outside of City Hall, it will go for 4 days. After the BB gun attack of two nights ago, Geraldine says it is important to do the healing in the place where they were injured, one of the people attacked was a veteran. Inspector Jason Graham told Geraldine that she can stay there for the four days if she abides by the agreement they made.

Lack of Affordable Housing

The lack of affordable housing is documented in the latest Housing Needs Assessment published on the city website. We needed 2300 units in 2021 to deal with the Affordable Housing Deficit, that lack has only increased in the past 4 years.

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“Unhouseable”

I spoke with a pleasant young man yesterday, he called himself one of the “Unhouseable”. Why is he “unhouseable”?

He has a dog.

The emergency shelter run by the Mustard Seed does not allow pets nor does the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society. Because he will not give up his dog, he has been sleeping outside since June. He is not the only person who is in these circumstances.

BC Housing (the agency responsible for subsidized /affordable housing in the province of BC) has allowed pet ownership since the late 1980s. Their current policy says

A Program Participant may keep one of the following animals as a Pet:

a) up to two birds;
b) one rabbit;
c) fish (aquarium size must comply with the Program Agreement for the Program Accommodation including written consent from BC Housing for any aquarium size 20 gallons or over);
d) one Rodent;
e) one ferret;
f) one cat, if registered with BC Housing; or
g) one dog, except a Vicious or Dangerous Dog, if registered with BC Housing.

Not allowing pets creates a barrier to being able to house people. People become very attached to their pets, it seems cruel to expect them to give up their friend and sometimes a lifeline for their mental health. There are documented benefits to pet ownership, one of them is a reason to keep going.

NIMBYism is Strong in Medicine Hat

Public opinion has shut down a number of initiatives in Medicine Hat over the past 3 years, a strong feeling of NIMBYism is prevalent. I ran into two people at City Hall tonight who seemed to think that the homeless young man “chose” his situation by not taking his dog to the SPCA. That attitude seemed very callous.

The objections to every single location selected for a shelter or a sober living facility has been a barrier to progress in Medicine Hat. The Mustard Seed withdrew an application for a shelter on North Railway in 2022 after objections from the public. They withdrew an application for a sober living facility, again after public outrage. Now they have withdrawn their application for the latest location and winter is not only coming, it is imminent.

The homeless are subject to violence at the hands of the general public. Often it is intoxicated people coming out of bars (aka supervised consumption sites) who think it is great sport to go antagonize and at times attack those who are the lowest point in their lives. Other recent incidents include drive by attacks with BB guns.

The City has not addressed the feeling of NIMBYism in this city except to keep their deliberations on a new shelter location secret from the public because they knew there would be pushback. It did not help at all, there were still objections and once again the Mustard Seed withdrew their application.