PA’s homeless come in from the cold

But the others in the room echoed his sentiment.

“You never really sleep when you’re out there,” said Norman Laliberte, who’s been using the cold weather cots since they opened three years ago. “You might fall asleep for a few minutes, but that’s it.”

Before the cold weather cots program started, Laliberte would construct a small dwelling out of cardboard boxes and carpets he had dumpster dived from Carpet World. “It really warms up,” he said.

Normally he’d sleep under bridges, behind bus stops, or against buildings. During the summer that’s where most of the men at the YWCA would stay.

Laliberte said he relied on the cold weather cots for more than just a safe nights rest. Jackets and clothing are available, as well as laundry and shower services.

Reagan Oliver McKenzie had been in the building for roughly an hour before he left with a warm jacket. He said he was going to run to the Tim Hortons, and would be back, but supervisor Pat Lucier was confident he wouldn’t be back that night.

“You get people who come in for an hour, get warm, and then out they go again. Sometimes they don’t want to stay because it just doesn’t feel right, you know?”

McKenzie has only been homeless for the last few days. He said his father kicked him out of the house, saying he needed to go live his own life.

“I don’t know how I’m gonna though, ‘cause I can’t read or write,” McKenzie said. “I only passed Grade 10. I’m so sad about it.”

He’s spent his first days on the street walking around finding cigarette butts to smoke. “It’s all I do. I need to move my body.”

His hands and arms are scarred, and an open wound on the back of his hand just below his thumb is open, inflamed and looks infected. He said he also has pain in his back, but can’t get any help for it.

For McKenize the biggest problem is his thoughts, and the schizophrenia he says he suffers from. “I’m so sensitive with my feelings,” he said.

Tragedy looms over the history of nearly every man in the Our House basement.

McKenzie had been kicked out of the house by his parents, and said he has suffered abuse for years.

Laliberte is currently addicted to morphine, had been part of the methadone clinic for 15 years and just recently kicked a crystal meth habit that led to a serious infection in his back.

His drug addiction began before he was homeless, when he was 26-years-old. He said curiosity is what caused his habit, since he had friends who constantly offered him drugs.

He said he’s been trying to get off drugs for years, and that he feels handcuffed by his addictions. “I fell in love with the rush. Now it’s a struggle…what was fun before is now a need.”

Lucier was once homeless herself, from 1985-1987. She secured her job with the YWCA as part of her probation for drug distribution last year.

“I’ve been there before and I know what it’s like,” she said. “You see these guys, and you know you can only do so much.”

Her daughter is homeless as well. “She has no place to go but I told her to come get help here. She hasn’t yet.”

Malcolm Sewap, who’s been homeless for the last three years, said counselling and help isn’t something most people want to do.

He said he has lots of family to go to in Prince Albert, but doesn’t because he doesn’t want too. Same with rehab. “I don’t believe in it,” he said.

Sewap’s been drinking every day for years, everything from Listerine, hair spray, wine, and whiskey. He used to drink with his girlfriend Judy Hunt.

She passed away from cirrhosis of the liver last May when Sewap was in jail for two counts of theft under $5000.

“I miss her every day,” he repeated several times.

Even though he said he doesn’t think about suicide, when asked he said he was “pretty much” drinking himself to death to be with Judy. “I just want to go meet her.”

ssterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterritt

by Spencer Sterritt

PA’s homeless come in from the cold

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