Hay River (Feb 21/05) - The clergy in Hay River are calling for more help for transients and the homeless.

Currently, some assistance is offered by the clergy themselves, but they are concerned about safety.

In a written proposal outlining their ideas to deal with the problem, the Hay River Ministerial Association states, "There is an increasing concern over the state of individuals coming to the door. Some are clearly under the influence of chemicals, they are unpredictable and the likelihood of violence is increasing. There are documented cases of clergy elsewhere being assaulted or even murdered."

Roman Catholic priest Bernie Black mostly worries about the danger of fire created by intoxicated transients.

"There is the sense that keeping them in a personal residence is risky," Black says, noting he sometimes stays awake all night in case of fire.

The priest says many transients come to him because he is easy to find, since he lives between two Hay River churches.

Black says, on average, he might help one person every two weeks, either a transient or someone from town.

One person ended up staying in Black's car for a week with a heater to keep warm in the winter.

Others are stranded because of car problems, missed buses and, in the fall and spring, delays in crossing the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence.

The majority of transients and the homeless needing shelter are men.

The clergy are calling for a building to provide food and shelter for overnight transients and longer-term homeless.

Among the suggested options are the Dene K'onia young offenders facility and portable classrooms at Ecole Boreale. The young offenders facility is due to close in April, while the portables will no longer be needed when the new Ecole Boreale opens.

The clergy also suggest camps that may be built for the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline could be re-used as a shelter. They believe the transient problem will grow if the pipeline is built.

"It is believed that the situation needs immediate attention with a short-term view to cover pipeline construction," their proposal states. "After that, the demand may decrease but, on present evidence, it will not cease."

They believe the Salvation Army is the obvious choice to run such a facility, as they already do in Yellowknife.

Major Alan Hoeft, the northern ministries co-ordinator with the Salvation Army in Yellowknife, says there have been some "very preliminary" discussions with the Hay River clergy and no commitment has been made.

"But at the same time, we're willing to work with the community," Hoeft says.

Rev. Haydn Schofield, chair of the Hay River Ministerial Association, believes the transients and homeless helped by the clergy are just the tip of the iceberg.

"I would not be surprised if we could fill 10 beds a night."

ECE help

The Ministerial Association became involved in helping transients in 1989.

It would find a hotel room and the cost would be reimbursed by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE).

However, some transients ran up huge phone bills at motels and damaged rooms.

The ministerial association withdrew from administering the funding in 2001 because of the safety concerns.

"We were unsuccessful in finding another organization to take it on," says ECE Minister Charles Dent.

Until June 2004, the funding was administered by an income support officer at the Hay River Career Centre. It is now looked over by the income support regional manager in Fort Smith.

That may be part of the problem, Dent says. "Some people may not know how to access it."

The department pays for accommodations for three nights and $25 a day for food. The program costs less than $2,500 a year in Hay River.

The clergy say more transients are now looking for help from the churches, which have "scrambled" to help as best they can.

The GNWT does not operate any homeless shelters in the NWT, but helps fund organizations which do.