Abbotsford approaches a watershed moment at Monday night’s public hearing on City Council’s proposal to rezone property across the street from Abbotsford Community Services (ACS) to accomodate a low-barrier shelter for homeless men.
The Abbotsford Downtown Business Assocdiation (ADBA) and the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce have chosen to oppose the proposal on the grounds that a promise was made by City Council in the last century to protect the businesses in the downtown core so that they might flourish and grow.
Twenty years later some of those businesses feel that their retirement plans are more important that the survival of 20 men who suffer from substance abuse issues and cannot gain acceptance to of the only shelters available in Abbotsford – high-barrier, religious shelters which will not help anyone suffering from mental illness, drug addiction or alcohol dependence.
THe Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce executive agrees with the ADBA executive that their ability to make money and retire comfortably is more important than the lives of the men and women who suffer from mental illness, drug addiction or alcohol dependence.
Mayor Banmna agrees with the Chamber of Commerce and the ADBA.
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Walter Neufeld is known for his advocacy work as president of the FVRD Citizens Association and his work against the gravel industry lobby.
He also founded a group called ‘Men on Roofs’. The full name of the group is ‘Men on Roofs ask Canadian politicians to stop filching our democracy’ and they are sponsoring a series of politically charged images aimed at Canadian politicians.
Today Media regularly publishes his satirical vignettes.
Walter’s latest project is a group called ‘woMen on Roofs – Fools in office’
