Human Rights Article Summary

"Booming Alberta faces growing rural homeless problem."

The first subheading was, "Oil boom has raised housing prices in rural and urban areas",
and it taled about how the most number of homeless people currently in Alberta are
from !algary and "dmonton. Appro#imately $,%%% of these people are li&ing near these '
cities. But this does not account for how many there are in rural areas.
Alina Turner, the person who conducted this research came up with a term called "hidden
homelessness", which is another issue rising in Alberta. This tern stands for the
population that ha&e a ris in housing instability. (hich means that those who cannot or
may not be able to afford their house may ha&e a ris in becoming homeless. The term
could also refer to those who li&e in their cars or anywhere but a house.
The second subheading was, "Research highlights homeless rural aboriginals". )n this
section, many researchers found an "intimate interconnection" with aboriginal
communities and the rural homelessness. A *uote from Alina Turner that e#plains the
situation is, "(here&er we ha&e aboriginal communities in pro#imity to or ha&ing access
to rural communities where ser&ices e#ist, you always ha&e an o&er+representation of
aboriginal people in the homeless population." As well, many of the aboriginals are
migrating to communities lie !amrose, Sla&e ,ae, !algary and "dmonton. But the
rural communities can-t pro&ide the support and ser&ices needed. They don-t pro&ide
domestic &iolence shelters or other help.
The third subheading ",ow &acancy rates a problem". Also shows another cause and
issue for homelessness because the low housing rates and &acancy rates create a
weaness to affordable housing. This opinion was stated by ,ars Hallstrom, a professor
at the .ni&ersity of Alberta. He also says that a lot of rural communities focus on
creating re&enue than dealing with homelessness. /o one really thins about ways that
they could help. Hallstrom feels that instead of competing with each other for funding,
we should focus on being more integrated. Also, he sees that social planning needs to be
thought about as well.
The articles from the .ni&ersal 0eclaration of Human Rights that were &iolated are $, 12,
and '3. but )-m only going to tal about number $ and '3.
Article $4 "&eryone has the right to life liberty and security of person. (as clearly
&iolated when Alina Turner presented that there were no domestic &iolence shelters or
other inds of help in the 5irst /ation-s communities. As well, when li&ing on the streets,
anyone can hurt you at any time. And because the homeless are thought of as a lower
status, no one really cares about their safety.
Article '34 617 "&eryone has the right to a standard of li&ing ade*uate for the health and
well+being of himself and of his family including food, clothing, housing and medical
care and necessary social ser&ices, disability, widowhood, old age or lac of li&elihood in
circumstances beyond his control. This article is &iolated because it is not followed
through. )f e&eryone has the right to the things listed, then we wouldn-t ha&e any
homelessness. Those who are struggling to afford would be helped by social ser&ices and
other organi8ations. But ) don-t thin that they are...
(hich leads to my discussion *uestions,
17)f you were in charge of lowing the rates of homelessness, what would you do
to help9
'7)n you opinion, what gender becomes more homeless and why9 Are there
certain age groups that are more homeless9