NEWSLETTER - Canadian Harm Reduction Network

payments, they contribute directly to a Home Ownership Alternatives, a fund that uses the money tobuild more affordable housing on the same model in new locations.Unwilling to change and "undermine" his successful system by accepting government grants, Mr.Labbé is counting on corporate Canada to provide the additional capital Home OwnershipAlternatives needs to make a real difference -- in effect to build Shermounts across the country.The idea, he said, was inspired by an Ursuline nun and fleshed out with the help of Dino Chiesa, aformer housing bureaucrat who is now president of Resreit, one of the largest real-estate incometrusts in Canada.The fund is structured to give investors a guaranteed 3-per-cent return over a period of 10 years,plus a prorated share of any appreciation in a project's property values. At the same time they willbe contributing directly to the rapid construction of some of the most truly affordable housing inCanada -- not just units but new homes that people buy. And if they want to accept a lower return,their money can be used to help families with commensurately lower incomes."Investors will have to care about housing, because this doesn't have any history to it," Mr. Labbéallowed. But for investors with a smidgeon of social conscience, the fund should prove irresistible.He figures even governments will see the light eventually."All we're saying is, 'Give us a loan and we'll repay you on an agreed-upon basis,' " Mr. Labbé said.And, in the meantime, you will help fundamentally to improve the ability of working people to owntheir own homes."Who's going to be the first through the door?" Mr. Labbé wondered. "That's the big challenge."jbarber@globeandmail.caOn Peer Work~ Greg LebelleRecently after co-writing the Peer Manual for the Toronto Harm Reduction Task Force, I havefound myself contemplating what seems to be that perennial (and personal) dilemma found withinHarm Reduction employment: When does a peer stop being a peer, and when is a serviceprovider finished being a service provider? Are we/they on a specific clock, like say Sam andRalph in the sheep-dog/wiley-coyote cartoons I remember from my childhood Saturdaymornings? Do we just suddenly stop ‘being’ when we book off of our shift?Harm Reduction, indeed, any service that provides assistance to any marginalized groupis, in my opinion and experience, a calling. I believe it takes a certain type of person to do thework that we do, at a pittance of the wages, benefits, or respect our colleagues in lessmarginalizedareas of the health care or social services may receive. Sort of like the differencebetween what a Los Angeles plastic surgeon might earn versus what a Saint Michael’sEmergency Room intern might get. It takes a special type of person to be constantly challengingones own biases, predispositions, and knowledge base within a field that may be morechallenging with its constant changing than even, say brain-surgery, or rocket science, or judiciallawNew information, new precedents, new legislation all constantly change the face of HarmReduction in every community, province, and country across our planet that is liberal andforesighted enough to have such institutions as Public Health utilizing Harm Reduction policies orphilosophies.My colleague and friend, Walter Cavalieri once told me that case studies/scenarios arecommon debate fodder amongst Social Work undergrads, and even more so in studies to acquireToronto Harm Reduction Task Forcewww.torontoharmreduction.org