I want to introduce you to Carl. Carl is one of the coyotes who live in our park, Gage Park, in Ward 3, just east of downtown Hamilton, Ontario. Perhaps you are one of the 62,100 people who have watch the video of him trying to catch a squirrel.
Carl is popular, people love him or hate him, and hundreds are quick to weigh in on his living situation. Carl shares his home with about 50 people who also live in Gage Park. 10 more live across the street at the Delta parkette and just over the tracks and on the escarpment there are dozens more people trying to survive outside as overnight temperatures are dropping. There are over 150 people sleeping in tents and under tarps in my neighbourhood and over 300 in my city.
I camped outside one night this week. I was well prepared and it was still a bit of a challenge. The photo of my mug in the morning testifies to the temperatures.
I've been thinking about Carl, how he is known and has a name. In contrast I also thought about the woman on the nearby escarpment. I've referred to her in my mind as "the shopping cart woman". I see her on my morning bike rides. I usually hear her screaming from in her tiny broken tent or screaming at me when we meet on the trail.
During a cold morning ride last week, I didn't hear her, I looked over to the area where she lives. It's a debri filled knoll that she has called home for at least 4 months. There she was, sitting on a rock completely without clothing. It was 3° Celsius.
I haven't stopped to find out her name, between the screaming and nakedness, it hasn't felt like a good time. Somehow I convince myself that slowing slightly and looking for her, looking to see if she's still alive is somehow a service. Maybe it somehow eases my conscience.
I justify to myself that if I stopped and checked on everyone, there would be no bike ride. I've talked to city staff and they have reassure me that outreach workers are checking on every unhoused person but I'm skeptical. They also say that permanent supportive housing is under construction, while I know there is not one single unit of supportive housing currently being constructed in Hamilton right now. How is it possible that this woman is living in this state right here in my neighbourhood. Is this what "being checked-in on" looks like?
Carl has a name and even two Facebook profiles. He's well fed and people take note of his coat, his last meal and how his limp is improving. Do we care about our unhoused human neighbours as much as Carl?
Do I...do we...all just wash our hands of responsibility for a nameless unhoused neighbour, "the shopping cart woman", who is clearly unwell and may not survive the winter?
