I grew up in a small town, middle-class, Christian family. Gossip was a reason to go to the coffee shop. You could always hear who was cheating, was in the hospital, or lost a family member. You could also hear who was a drunk, a druggie &/or a loser.

Loser? I’m ashamed those thoughts entered my mind & worse, left my lips. The good part is I’ve learned a lot. Unlearning is just as important as learning is as we get older.

Where I Live

I live in Vancouver where the Downtown Eastside (DTES) is infamous. I was recently in the neighborhood for the Women’s March, bringing attention to the Murdered Missing Indigenous Women, Girls & Two Spirited (MMIWG2S) PEOPLE! The DTES is made up of the largest proportion of Indigenous people in Vancouver.

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Do you remember Robert Pickton? He was charged with murdering 6 sex workers but claimed he killed 49 over a 23-year period. How was he able to go unnoticed hunting in this neighborhood for a quarter century? Because he was killing marginalized people? Unfortunately, the Vancouver Police Department did not heed the pleas from the missing women’s friends & families that a serial killer was at work. His victims were just hookers. They were just Indigenous.

Where I’m From

Winnipeg is where I lived from 1990-2000. This city has a homeless population that is 70% Indigenous. Many Indigenous Women & Girls have been murdered for being just that. It was so common to dump the bodies in the river that the Red River is dredged yearly in the Spring to reclaim the bodies. It’s presumed no one cared for or would even notice if these people are disappeared. It’s been said in passing that society would be better off without them, kind of an ethnic cleansing. 

In 2022, Winnipeg serial killer, Jeremy Skibicki, murdered 4 women & disposed of them in the garbage. Partial remains of Rebecca Contois were found in a residential garbage bin. This led police to the Brady Road Landfill where the rest of her remains were found.

However, there were 3 more women to be reclaimed. Their families & supporters pleaded with the Winnipeg Police Service to search the Prairie Green Landfill. It was a resounding no that polarized Canada. 1 side was vehemently against citing cost & toxin concerns. Valid, but show me a family of any other ethnicity OK with their loved one decomposing in a Landfill. 

It took the families & supporters taking their voices to 3 levels of Government, all the way to the House of Commons. Then Manitoba Premier, Conservative Heather Stefanson stood fast on not searching the Landfill. She lost to Canada’s 1st Indigenous Premier, Wab Kinew (NDP). He campaigned on the promise to bring the women home if elected. He won & he did! 

On February 26, 2025 remains of Morgan Harris were discovered. A third set of remains is thought to be Marcedes Myran.  The remains of Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe (Buffalo Woman) have yet to be located.

The Effects of Trauma

The area now known as Vancouver is within the traditional, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. I’ve heard many people complain, “How do I pronounce that?”

Think back to colonization. Indigenous people lost their way of life, the ability to practice their culture & their languages. Imagine if you were invaded & forced to learn a new language overnight & were punished for speaking in your tongue.

For 400 years, the Indigenous people have been marginalized on their own lands. Indigenous people weren’t even considered Canadian citizens until 1960! Residential schools imposed by the crown & church were established to kill the Indian in the child. Now the child welfare system is thought to be the Residential Schools 2.0.

When populations are targeted generation after generation, the trauma can literally affect the genetics making future generations vulnerable to mental health illnesses. There are learned coping behaviors passed from 1 generation to another.

This applies to all humans. In our time, we will see the effects of war on the citizens of Ukraine, Russia, Palestine & Israel. Shellshock or PTSD was 1st recognized in war veterans from WW1. 

When you see someone struggling with addiction, they’re not a waste of space. They have been let down by society. No one intervened when they were being traumatized. Their mental illness was not diagnosed so self-medication is their way to cope.

One Day in the Neighbourhood

I was going to an appointment when I saw a small crowd around a man on the ground. He was Caucasian, in hospital clothes & OD’ed on the sidewalk. No one would intervene so I did a wellness check & called 911. The Fire Department was 1st to respond. They seemed pissed to be attending.

I get it. Their job should be fires like the name suggests, but they are also First Responders. It must be exhausting reviving the same person several times on the same shift.

But this is where I see that we have lost our humanity. This man is someone’s child! He was once an innocent baby for whom life was hard.

So What Can We Do? 

• Learn how to use naloxone. Every pharmacy can teach you & will give you a free kit.
• Support harm reduction efforts in your community. A person struggling with addiction can not recover if they are dead.
• Volunteer at your local shelter or donate to support their efforts. Many homeless people report being seen as a person makes a huge difference in their lives. There is also access to recovery services at shelters.
• Support charities like Make Happy Tummies. Children, especially from at-risk homes, depend on school for their nutritional needs.
• Support housing for the homeless. Recovery starts with stability.

My Personal Experience

I have been a Singer at the top of my game. All it took was 1 illness to cause me to lose my home, my ability to earn & shake my mental health. I now understand how life can make you homeless and coping.

Thank you for reading and as always feel free to Say Hi.