Pubdate: Tue, 22 Aug 2006 Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON) Copyright: 2006 The Ottawa Citizen Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326 Author: Christien Culham PROBLEM HIDDEN Is anyone really surprised by last week's cuts to the federal government's Supporting Communities Partnership Initiatives (SCPI) fund that provides housing support to marginalized members of communities such as Ottawa? How can we be when federal finance minister Jim Flaherty is once again in charge of our public funds? When he was Ontario's treasurer, the Conservative provincial government did the same thing. The first step was to cut the advocacy programs assisting "special interest groups," and then cut the actual affordable-housing programs. That way there is no one to speak up for or organize these individuals who don't traditionally have a voice within society. Politicians tend to ignore the homeless, the addicted and the mentally ill: They don't vote, they don't pay taxes; they don't even have homes. Under our Charter of Rights, disadvantaged citizens should still have access to basic-needs services. Affordable housing is one of the most pressing issues in our society today -- for those without it. Without these advocates, those who have housing no longer need to be bothered by hearing about it. That means there's no longer a problem. CHRISTINE CULHAM Ottawa - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath