A right to housing?

Recently, I saw a column in the Globe and Mail that talked about a promise made by the French government to consider housing a basic human right. It's an idea that has been adopted elsewhere - such as in Scotland, where the Parliament has promised to make basic housing a right available to all citizens within the next decade.

It's an idea that has been promoted by some in Canada as well. The UN's confirmation of a human right to have a home only intensifies calls for it.

So what does everyone think of this idea?

Is it a great but impractical one? Has the time come for Canada to give it serious consideration? Or is it a waste of time and money to even be considering it?

Why would people pay for housing when they could get it for free? Why would people work for anything if it is handed to them? Why can't people pay for things like everyone else does? Many people chose their lifestyle. They chose to sit on the corner and beg. They chose to sleep in the park. You could give them $100,000 and they wouldn't know what to do with it and probably blow it all then go back to their begging and can collecting. Give them a job and they leave it and go back to the street. Some people are where they are because that’s where they want to be. Those who don’t want to be will work hard to get out of it.

"Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"

Love that quote.. :-)

I don't mind the idea but then I'm a fan of soviet style workers housing too. To use Vancouver as the example, there is no reason why the homeless need to be housed on some of the most valuable property in North America. Put a big, ugly, dormitory up in Chilliwack and run busses into town.
Placed on cheap land, we could also run gardens and go a long way into making the place as self sufficient as possible, including using the clients as workers. Put a day care, nightschool and rehab center and you'd get much better people comming out than go in.
People abuse the rules and they go back to the slums.
Don't like it and want to move out? Get a job.

Well, housing is a basic human need.

But our society has to be practical about this. This being said, we have to recognize a few things:

1. Many Canadian cities are currently in the midst of a housing shortage.

2. Canada, as a whole, is in the midst of an emergency housing shortage.

3. Many homeless people are on the streets because there is no affordable housing availabie for them.

4. However, this being said, we must also recognize that some homeless people are on street through no fault of anyone but themselves.

5. The "social right to housing" is one that can be abused.

6. "Social rights" often become viewed as entitlements, when they really should be views as privileges, afforded in accordance with our society's ability to afford it.

What it really comes down to is a key problem with Canadian national projects. High-minded individuals propose such projects, work toward them, then say "there, done". The work necessary to to ensure the survival of such prokects -- ensuring efficiency of the programs, and that sufficient taxable wealth is continually created in order to ensure that the tax base can support such programs -- is never done.

It is VERY impractical. And people abuse it all the time. At least here in Scotland they do. It pisses me off to see people living in council housing (as they call it here), all the while living off benefits and welfare and the people in the building like my husband and I who OWN their flats, are the ones that get invoices every three months to pay for upkeeping of THEIR property.

It pisses me off to no end and I think it's a horrible idea.

I'm in favour of providing housing to all. In fact I know of a province that has a huge surplus of housing, yet the bums and junkies don't want to take people up on moving there. The province of Sask. has tons of free housing. Hell, my daughter and her husband purchased five building lots for $250 and a 25 year old house for $14,000. Please tell me why it is that young people with an education and motivation would be willing to move to a small town in sask, but the bums won't? It's called dope. The bums and junkies won't move to free housing if that means they don't have access to drugs.

If you are too lazy or unwilling to get a job and provide for yourself in a location where they'll employ anyone, well you deserve to be cold and hungry.

No one ever ask the homeless or the poor what they want, the hollowed halls of acadamia always have all the answers on paper.

In a perfect world everyone would have adequate food, shelter and income. The Canadian goverment spends billions in social safty programs, address these institution and why they are failing in their mandate. Why are so many mentally ill people living on the streets? In NS only 12 beds for people battling addictions, those whom are on Disability Pensions are treated like retarded people and we slowly starve them to death. All of the above fall under a Provincial and Federal Programs, where is the money going? Answer that question and I think we'd be shocked at the miss-management and miss-spending of Government employees.

Housing? Obviously the government can barely afford to rent a room for people on welfare. Still, it's housing. Those in need get food, shelter and clothing. In Canada they get health, education and a pension. That's the program.

This 'right to be provided for' pisses me off sooo much. The only 'right' a person should have is the 'right to work hard and do for yourself'!Take responsibility and take control of your life and QUIT WHINING! The 'haves' are 'haves' because they worked for it.The help is available for anyone who wants it, but it takes dedication and HARD WORK!I'm all for giving a 'hand up' not a 'hand out'!
Before anyone jumps on me for 'being such a prick', I know from personal experience what I am talking about and how I come by my views.
It does take a lot of hard work and dedication to 'ones self'and those who are'nt willing to put in the time and effort can and should bloody well do without!.