One homeless Canadian military veteran is one too many as far as Bay of Quinte riding MP Neil Ellis is concerned.
Speaking to a breakfast meeting of the Belleville Chamber of Commerce Wednesday morning at the Travelodge, Ellis said he’ll be
rising in the House of Commons within a month or so and making a Private Members Motion whose aim will be to end homelessness for
veterans in six years time, by the year 2025.
The motion will also demand that a detailed plan be created by the committee he chairs, Veterans Affairs, on ways to end homelessness by sometime
next year.
It’s difficult to know exactly how many military veterans experience homelessness in Canada. Ellis says that depending on who’s doing the talking, estimates range between 3,000 and 5,000 people.
A major stumbling block to getting a solid count on the number of homeless vets is the fact that many of them won’t admit to being veterans out of pride.
Ellis said that currently the government relies on a shrinking Royal Canadian Legion and other veterans’ organizations to keep track of homeless veterans and that
that has to change. “It’s about time the federal government stepped up and got involved and invested in solving this awful problem.”
It’s estimated that a little over 2% of the people that use homeless shelters in the country are military veterans.
The Belleville Chamber of Commerce breakfast was sponsored by the Belleville Shrine club.
MP Neil Ellis speaks to a breakfast meeting of the Belleville Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, March 27/2019. (Photo: John Spitters/Quinte News)
