Tag Archives: #yeg

My Purpose as a Writer

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I believe life tastes better when you stir the pot.

I write commentary and speak about big change and why it doesn’t happen and how it might.

Transformation-talk is a dime a dozen, but actually becoming the butterfly — that’s quite another matter, isn’t it? Change happens whether we act or not. I prefer acting on the change we talk about.

A friend once told me, “You seem to be disruptive on purpose.”

Exactly.

I believe we must break rules and stop stopping ourselves from launching new ideas.

I believe we must rankle the status quo if we are serious about transformation. We have to push those buttons that leaders don’t want pushed. We need to point to things that concern us, that are not working.

Painting our status quo walls another bright, happy colour doesn’t change what is inside and outside of what contains us.

I am not concerned about being right as much as I am interested in getting to what is good for our communities. I am not seeking agreement. I am seeking to facilitate and sometimes provoke new visions, to shake things up. Of course, I am right some of the time!

Building capacities for new visions has long been my consulting slogan. It just hit me, though, that this is my purpose as a writer and commentator.

Affordable Housing is a solution not a problem

Affordable Housing, Development, Edmonton

The City of Edmonton has launched a new website about the need for more affordable housing located across the city in order to ensure that all citizens have a safe and affordable place to live.

When people have to spend too much of their income on housing, they are forced to let other things go. Often they have to reduce the quality and quantity of their food, for example. They may have to reside in run down housing operated by uncaring landlords, which can pose safety and health risks. Fear for one’s children’s safety can keep kids from participating in recreational activities. In extreme cases, people end up losing their housing and end up on the streets. The average costs of a homeless person in our community is around $100,000. That’s what it costs to feed, clothe, shelter and attend to the health and mental health issues of one homeless person.

Contrary to what people tend to believe, affordable housing initiatives do not have a negative impact on property prices, and there does not appear to be any correlation between affordable housing and crime rates.

While the city website is silent on other needed housing types like supportive and supported housing, this is a very good beginning and hopefully is one more tool in the community’s tool box to use to foster more interest and acceptance of affordable housing in all neighbourhoods across our fine city.

Visit the site at http://www.nonmarkethousing.ca/

The site’s short video is below: