Photo by Vince Fedoroff
OFFENSIVE TIMING – Members of the security staff at the Yukon government administration building and property management personnel take down the no camping sign near tent city (below) on Friday afternoon. It was erected just 24 hours before the memorial tribute held for the late NDP MLA Steve Cardiff, an advocate of the tenters.
The Yukon government is calling a no camping sign erected in front of tent city an "error”.
The Yukon government is calling a no camping sign erected in front of tent city an "error”.
The blue steel sign, which read "No Camping or Overnight Parking”, was installed at around 2 p.m. Friday and removed within the hour.
"This was not supposed to happen,” Elaine Schiman, a representative of the cabinet communications staff, told the Star this morning.
"It must have been a miscommunication.
As soon as we found out, the sign was removed.” Schiman said the sign was removed quickly partly due to NDP Leader Liz Hanson's swift action in alerting deputy premier Elaine Taylor, and partly because other government representatives saw the sign from their office windows and told other staff.
"We would have removed it whether or not Liz (Hanson) went to talk to Elaine (Taylor),” said Schiman.
As for who ordered the sign put up, Schiman said she did not know. NDP chief of staff Peter Lesniak said in a statement Friday it was staff from the Department of Highways and Public Works.
Schiman said the government isstill undecided whether the sign will go up again this week or later this summer.
"(The no camping sign) is amongst a suite of things being discussed,” she said. "It was a mistake to put it up on Friday, and it may or may not happen in the future.
Briefings and meetings on this issue are happening right now.”
Schiman could not say what other solutions are being discussed.
Aisha Montgomery, communications spokesperson for Highways and Public Works, told the Star this morning that tent city is not a designated campground and "changes need to be made.”
"Errors happen, and we don't want to dwell on that,” said Montgomery.
"We want to focus on the fact that there will be developments on this issue later this week.”
Montgomery confirmed the government will be making an announcement as to how they will handle the tent city situation this week.
Hanson talked to the Star Friday afternoon after the sign was removed.
The NDP leader said she was furious when she saw the sign being erected and immediately went upstairs to talk to Highways and Public Works Minister Archie Lang.
With Lang nowhere in sight, Hanson found Taylor and, according to Lesniak's press release, "proceeded to tear a strip off her. ”
"Taylor seemed to be the only Yukon representative in the whole building,” said Hanson. " She said she knew nothing about it. I said I don't care who gave the order, I just want to know why and expressed my utter disgust around the insensitivity of the timing of all this.”
The sign was erected the day before the late MLA Steve Cardiff's memorial, an act Lesniak called "atrocious”.
The sign was also put up just days before the NDP's public forum on housing solutions, set for 7:00 this evening at the L'AFY building on Strickland Street at Third Avenue.
"This is not a political issue,” said Hanson. "Steve was out there with (the tenters) because they had nowhere to go.
"He was worried about their safety .... The government is saying, ‘We don't care where you go, just get off our lawn. It's unsightly.' That's how they treat the poor.”
Hanson said her anger isn't likely to dissipate.
"The government has done nothing to address this issue,” she said.
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Comments (24)
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Francias Pillman on Jul 27, 2011 at 1:13 pm
No I'm not a hypocrite. You are comparing apples to oranges. And are trying to twist my comment. Yes I did say that. And it has absolutely no revelance to the comment I made here. I was trying to make a point and I shouldn't of used the term unions or government employees. I was making the point of people being jealous at ones who make a better wage. You people don't stop do you? You spend sleepless nights trying to figure out a way to attack me, or discredit what I said. I messed up, and I can admit it. But unfortunately that does'nt make me a hypocrite. You took my comments out of context. And I was'nt attacking CP either. I was simply stating they should be happy with what they have.
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Francias Pillman on Jul 27, 2011 at 12:57 pm
What about all the damage these people are causing to the lawn? I can't believe they are still there. One week, yea OK, you sent a message. But over a month now? Give me a break. The Yukon Party needs to stop worrying about what Liz "handout" Hanson and pals have to say. Their opinion does'nt really matter when you are the ruling party. KICK THEM OUT NOW. I don't want my tax dollars paying for the damage they have done to that area.
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yukonpete on Jul 26, 2011 at 11:05 pm
Francias you are a hypocrite! You wrote (I'm really tired of people who attack unions and government employees. )
But remember what you wrote about the Canada Post Strike? Here I will refresh your memory (Your greed will get you nowhere. Be thankful you have a job. Be thankful you make a good wage. Canada can't sit around for months while you guys bicker about more money. See you next week, because you all will be back on the job. Thank you Mr Harper. Keep this up, Canada post will go private, then you will have no job to strike about. )
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Joel on Jul 26, 2011 at 8:39 am
Last I had heard she was kicked out of the campground for assaulting someone, not plugging in a microwave in her tent....
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bobby bitman on Jul 26, 2011 at 1:34 am
Yukon Pete, You equate your situation with that of Helen Hollywood, and I think that does yourself a disservice. Helen told the Whitehorse Star reporter that she had a $1000 a month apartment in Whitehorse - paid for in full by social assistance. I do not recall how she lost that apartment but do remember that she said it 'had no heat'. Mmm hmmm. Then she got kicked out of the campground for plugging in 500 Watt appliances in the shower area. (a microwave). She moved up here to 'walk the land'. Did not mention working.
I think this is about more than affordable housing. This is about homeless shelters for people like Helen so we no longer spend our time, focus and money trying to set her up in an apartment which she despises anyway.
I have always seen that there are different classes of people economically and with respect to benefits and assistance in this territory, government workers and working poor (private sector workers), being two of the predominant groups. There are also First Nations who have safety nets that others do not have. There are the elderly, the disabled, the addicts, and those who simply choose not to work and value other things. Each needs to be addressed individually and it is a big mistake to pretend everybody is in the same situation.
In my opinion, the working poor are being totally taken advantage of in comparison with government wages vs. work expected in this territory. Perhaps minimum wage should go up dramatically to the level of the lowest paid gov't worker at the City of Whitehorse, and everyone can pay an extra 15 cents for their coffee, and an extra 3 cents a litre for gas. I would be absolutely fine with that. Hey, maybe a work comparison should be done in one of these 'studies by consultants' and an equal pay for equal value wage adjustment can be done between private sector and gov't worker remuneration.
I notice that Rick Carp from the Chamber of Commerce wants stricter rules for landlords so private employees can find and keep affordable housing. Well, maybe he should pay those employees more money so they come up to a level more similar to the average wage up here. How many residential rental properties does Rick Carp provide to the market anyway?
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Francias Pillman on Jul 25, 2011 at 10:49 am
Sorry yukon pete, I for one do not own a home in this town. I guess I missed out on the rush. I guess you would label me greedy as well? I'm really tired of people who attack unions and government employees. You attack them because of one aspect. They make a good wage. #1 Go complain to the employers that pay those wages, not the employees. They don't determine their salary. #2 Your attacks are nothing but jealously veiled in hypocrisy. How am I greedy? Please explain that. I can't judge everyone, but I will judge a good percentage of people. Stop talking fairy tales and talk reality. There are a lot of lazy people in this town. They want what you and I have for free. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. Stop portraying everyone who doesn't make a good wage as some sort of victim. Go to school, whatever. People have all the opportunity in this world to better themselves. The majority choose not to. Your communist manifesto will never work. On a side note, I wouldn't worry about those house prices. People are laughing all the way to the bank, now. A correction is coming no matter what anyone wants to say. I'm not that stupid to buy a house at these prices. People are in for a rude awakening. As quickly as all that imaginary wealth was created, quickly it will disappear
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yukonpete on Jul 24, 2011 at 7:14 am
You know what makes me sick? All you greedy people who have no understanding or ability to walk in the shoes of others! You all think these people are just ALL welfare cases and that's not true. It is about affordable housing. I would not be surprised if most of you greedy people are some of the overpaid City or YTG employees and home owners who purchased a house 10 years ago at 20-30% of its current value. You are the only people who can really afford anything up here anymore. It's easy to judge people less fortunate isn't it? We all must be after free houses and your tax dollars right? I think YTG and COW employees are over paid on my tax dollars.
I have been employed my whole life and have never been on welfare or EI. I'm lucky to make about $45K but after I pay rent, food and bills I got nothing left! A person doing my same job at YTG makes about $75k plus all the benefits and I can guarantee I work much harder!
What about the poor people who earn $30K? Or $20K How can they afford anything? Like I said its people who own a home and have overpaid jobs who are the most greedy and judgmental of all!
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Francias Pillman on Jul 21, 2011 at 8:24 am
Building a homeless shelter will encourage the problem you are trying to fix. Look at the new jail. Brand new digs for the losers of society. Better go commit a violent crime before winter hits. Who is going to pay to feed all those mouths Bobby? Money don't grow on trees. Until these people take responsibility for their own lives, keep throwing money at a problem that will only get worse. These people are not victims. The majority are lazy and feel society owes them the world. The gall of it all, camping outside of the Government expecting a house at the snap of a finger. Newsflash, GO GET A JOB. You are owed nothing. For the people that do work and can't find a place, I have more sympathy for you people as you are actually contributing to society. Not just sitting there with your hands out saying gimmie, gimmie, gimmie. I wish I could lay around all day in tent city but I have a responsibility called a JOB. if you are able bodied and are not looking for work why should you get anything? What makes you deserving of things that take hard work and commitment for free? Absolutely nothing.
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bobby bitman on Jul 21, 2011 at 4:42 am
Erraticus makes a good point. Enormous funding goes as 'welfare' to the mining industry in the form of roads, electrical lines, cleaning up their environmental disasters left behind, free land to utterly destroy, not to mention paying hundreds of government workers to create maps for them, to monitor their industry and so on.
Yet this typhoon of money going out the window to a very rich industry is never commented on.
Our royalties are an absolute joke in return for the mess and plunder of the mining industry.
Yet we aim a lot of vitriol against the small fish who are looking for freebies.
I think we are sick of being ripped off, and feel that we can understand and target the small players, ("welfare bums"), so we take our frustration out on them. Not that they do not have it coming.
I think however that this focus on housing is really monopolizing the media and political energy while way bigger problems go unexamined.
Maybe because it makes for easy headlines, easy targets. My point is, build a proper homeless shelter, a bunk bed and dinner for everyone, and let's move on to other issues that are getting a free pass.
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Thomas Brewer on Jul 20, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Liz Hanson has been an overbearing, aggressive, unpleasant woman for decades - honing her edge at DIAND back in the day.
This is completely within character for her... nice job NDP voting members. She is no Todd Hardy.
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Francias Pillman on Jul 20, 2011 at 8:54 am
I am utterly disgusted with Liz Hanson using Cardiff's death as a political tool. She seems to have all the answers, so why isn't she opening her home to these so-called victims? Yea, that's what I thought.
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Erraticus on Jul 20, 2011 at 5:08 am
I am not surprised by some of the comments which cast wicked criticism on the campers and those who support them.
It seems as though there is an US vs THEM mentality.
WE are THEY.
We survive on government hand outs day in and day out. YG gives corporations huge handouts for mining roads and other programs.
YG provides subsidized water, sewage and landfills in the communities at a bargain basement rate.
The territory survives on transfer payments from the rest of the country- where some provinces consider us a welfare state.
Our taxes are some of the lowest in the world.
If anyone has ever been sick or had a loved one sick, or been stricken by disease or been screwed over by a bank or defrauded by a shyster, (the RCMP do little to prosecute fraud, especially internet- they just warn you to be cautious) or had some kind of misfortune and then had to deal with red tape and bureaucracy and endless letters from faceless agencies, then you would have given the stressors and depressors proper names.
There are those campers who are just taking advantage, but how many of you out there haven't thought of taking advantage of government at one time or another, or just saying we will do it first and ask forgiveness later.
Its really not that big of a deal and the weather will change and those who really need help may not be any further ahead, but right now they need as much help as they can get.
Some day it could be you that needs a hand from your neighbour.
We're all in it together.
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JuneJackson on Jul 19, 2011 at 7:20 am
They are free campers is all.. close to town, nice party site.. half of them offed to dawson this last weekend for the music fest..
Gov should make them move on and out.
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bobby bitman on Jul 19, 2011 at 4:01 am
As Joel points out, there are a number of categories of people finding obtaining a home to be difficult:
1. Addicts.
2. People on Social Assistance who 'keep getting kicked out' for various reasons, most likely related to their own failure to live up to rental agreements.
3. The working poor who earn enough to pay maybe $675 in rent, comfortably, but who are not satisfied to live in a room in a house with others, or who cannot find the odd low rent apartment which is available.
There must be different approaches employed to deal with each category, starting with deciding whether it is the job of the tax payer (read government), to intervene in the first place.
My suggestion: start by building a full service homeless shelter for categories 1 and 2, immediately. Like I said in a previous post: a bed, a shower, 3 square meals a day, and a laundry service. Forget trying to provide them with their own apartment or hotel room, that is not working. They need more support than that for starters, and their repeatedly being thrown out of their hotel rooms and apartments (and their complaining about their accommodations on top of it all), is disruptive for everyone.
As for category 3, that is a little more complicated.
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ridiculous! on Jul 19, 2011 at 3:40 am
This is so ridiculous! Liz, get a grip. Open your own yard to these yahoos who think that the government ought to provide them a ride on the taxpayers' backs. There is room in the Robert Service Campground, and I'd bet money there is room in other campgrounds as well. But wait - what's that you say? you have to pay a couple of bucks and you don't get free power from the government parking outlets and free use of the government washrooms? For shame!! Anyone who has pity for these idiots is a bigger fool than they are. Some of them are on SA, some of them moved here to take advantage of jobs and some are just stupid. Does anyone think that the excessive use of the city's port-o-potties or the damage to the grounds at the government building is going to be paid for by any of the housing for idiots advocates? Nope. That's you and I paying that bill.
I also cannot believe some of the other articles - that Hollywood has appointed herself the matron of the tent city - solving problems and even setting a curfew... the world has gone mad.
Put the sign back up, enforce the no camping bylaw, and end this nonsense once and for all. This idiocy has wasted too much public resources already.
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Not tenting on Jul 19, 2011 at 12:36 am
The government is condoning camping on their (taxpayer) property and, by doing so, is creating unfair competition for the licensed campsites that charge a small fee for their services. What's next, free food to put the local restaurants out of business?
Further, there will be rainy days and soon the colder weather will be coming. This situation, while colorful, is not sustainable. Either they allow camping there or they don't. Or is the policy that camping is allowed when it is politically expedient to allow it? Being able to squat on a nice grassy lawn maintained by government staff in a downtown location is a pretty nice deal if you can get it. Maybe I will pitch five tents and charge rent.
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Funky_Cold_Medina on Jul 18, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Liz Hanson is being a bit of a drama queen here. What I am "incensed" at and "utterly disgusted" with is her milking Steve Cardiff's untimely death for political purposes. That is beyond the pale, and the equivalent of those slick trial lawyers in the U.S. that chase ambulances. Until Liz Hanson offers to keep Helen Hollywood in her own home, she is just blowing smoke up peoples' patoots!
These people camping out on the government lawn are making a mockery of the Government, and it was about time that they were dealt with.
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Nile on Jul 18, 2011 at 11:45 am
So Liz had a hissy fit and demanded that people should be allowed to camp where ever they want for free? And this lady want to lead the Yukon? I sincerely hope that day never comes.
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anonymous on Jul 18, 2011 at 11:29 am
This just shows that the government does not care about any of us. It also shows that one hand does not know what the other is doing (or so they say). I think they do know who put the sign up however as it says in the article "The NDP leader said she was furious when she saw the sign being erected..." so they need to get their stories straight. Either way it's terrible.
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Yukon Bambi on Jul 18, 2011 at 10:42 am
If your so concerned Liz Hanson, why don't you have them relocate to your house?
People at that tent city should at least pay the minimum camp ground fee. I am suspecting if you start charging them, most would go elsewhere. Right now you are just giving them free rent.
Lastly, this is not a Yukon Government problem in Whitehorse, it is a City of Whitehorse problem. Those protesting should be camped out on City property. The city is responsible for having enough land available to meet growth needs. They have not meet their quota of 200 lots for development since before 2006. The city is also the one raising the cost for development, not releasing land, and raising the price of land from $30K a lot to over $100K a lot.
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JC on Jul 18, 2011 at 9:47 am
The NDP leader was "furious" and "proceeded to take a strip off" acting Premier Elaine Taylor. And she says "her anger isn't about to dissipate". Don't want to get on the bad side of this woman. Maybe she is just trying to mimic former Prime Minister Margret Thatcher, Britain's Iron Lady. But anyway, it sounds like a course on anger management would help her attitude. But then, we who know better know that this is just typical NDP grand standing. Elections in October.
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Joel on Jul 18, 2011 at 8:58 am
..."that's how they treat the poor"....
It is not about being poor, or addicted or anything other than it is not a campground. There is a campground up the road with spaces available. There is a government campground in Wolf Creek if people want to go there.
Housing for the homeless and poor is another issue entirely.
Housing for addictions and problem tenants is another issue entirely.
Let's keep on track with this instead of mixing the issues. The people that are camping off the parking lot are not supposed to be camping there. If you cannot afford housing then we have to deal with that issue somehow. If you are addicted or keep getting thrown out of your apartment due to your issues, someone has to deal with that as well.
Sorry, but I find it hard to believe anyone who can't afford a house should get one from the government. I find it hard to believe that people that consistently get kicked out of their apartments should get one from the government.
There are housing issues, but most of these people are not part of it.
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Josey Wales on Jul 18, 2011 at 8:07 am
It is free camping, not a protest. It is weeks and weeks of NON enforcement.
What is the goal of this? Free green homes for all whom camp? Free(er)rent? Revitalizing the new-age hippy movement?
I pay rent, as do many others here. Should we pitch a tent too?
Take the outhouses away if the sign is too offensive to ol' Lizzy...problem solved!
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bobby bitman on Jul 18, 2011 at 7:48 am
Okay.
A 'furious' Liz Hanson, 'found Taylor and tore a strip off her', in response to an, 'utterly disgusting' metal sign. Hanson said her anger, 'is unlikely to dissipate'.
Furthermore Liz stated, "I said I don't care who gave the order."
Her chief of Staff, Peter Lesniak (Um, didn't he used to be the editor for the Yukon News?), said the act of putting up this sign is nothing short of, "atrocious".
All this over a sign which was up for about 15 minutes.
Liz Hanson's response to this situation seems to be more than slightly unhinged.