SASKATOON — Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand expressed his frustration towards Ward 3 Councillor David Kirton after the latter sent a letter to the provincial government requesting a review of the Emergency Wellness Centre.
Arcand held an almost hour-long press conference on Tuesday morning, May 2, at the STC office in Peckham Avenue, responding to the concerns raised by Kirton to Premier Scott Moe and three cabinet members.
The STC runs the EWC with a staff of over 50 that includes peacekeepers, mental health and addiction counsellors and other volunteers that help relatives who stay in the facility or avail of their services.
The wellness centre was formerly downtown that could only fit around 50 beds. With the help of the provincial government, STC moved to a bigger space that can accommodate over 100 people at 145 Fairmont Drive in the Fairhaven community, Kirton’s Ward.
Arcand responded to the letter sent by Kirton to Moe and ministers Paul Merriman (Health), Gene Makowsky (Social Services) and Everett Hindley (Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health).
“I want to tell Premier Scott Moe I had zero knowledge in this letter. I had zero knowledge of this letter, and my so-called partner in the City of Saskatoon, [Ward 3 Councillor] David Kirton, never gave me the courtesy call telling me about his letter,” said Arcand.
“I was blindsided this morning by this letter. My staff informed me [that they] are getting calls from the media. I have no part in this because I believe we have a great working relationship with Saskatchewan province [government] in battling homelessness.”
SASKTODAY tried to obtain a copy of the letter sent by Kirton, calling and leaving voice messages in his office several times but has not received a reply.
Arcand said the issues pointed out by Kirton in his letter, like the EWC needs to be reviewed and a working group be created to address addiction and homelessness problems in the city, were the ones being handled by the STC-run facility along with its partners.
“I apologize to the premier, to the ministers. I have no part in this and do not want to be part of this. I am tired of Kirton and his antics and riding my coattails in our work at the [STC] combating homelessness. Everything he talks about is my words that I see in the City of Saskatoon for homelessness. We talk about complex needs; I have said that from day one,” he said.
“We talk about all the work with families; we have said it on day one. I am unsure why he is not communicating with me, but doing this through the media is very unprofessional. I can assure you and guarantee the public that when I have a conversation with the province and other city officials, we sit at a table and talk. We don’t send letters like this to the media and try to cause controversy.”
He added that he understands Kirton’s concerns and those of his constituents in the Fairhaven area. These issues were discussed during the four open house sessions they held before beginning the EWC’s operations on its new facility.
“Does he [Kirton] have concerns? Absolutely. The Fairhaven residents have concerns. I recognize and acknowledge those concerns. However, multiple organizations in the city are stepping up to combat those concerns. Throughout this time, he has heard many neighbourhood residents were affected by the impact of the [EWC],” said Arcand.
“So, going back to the [EWC] when I have four open houses, Kirton sat inside those meetings. Not once did he get up and address his constituencies inside those open houses about the concerns. He was there. He never said a word that he had concerns. Why was he silent? Now, he is silent anymore, and the reason is because he is getting political pressure from his residents.”
Arcand also challenged Kirton to step up in the City Council to allocate funds to address homelessness and decide to be part of a group that would find solutions to the issues he raised or continue to be part of the problem.
“Right now, the City of Saskatoon, I say this publicly, has not put $1 into the current [EWC] since we moved there [Fairmont Drive]. The City of Saskatoon has to step up. Kurtin, you are a city councillor, make a motion of $1.5 million to the City Council and start investing in homelessness because all the homeless people in Saskatoon are city residents,” he said.
“The province is stepping up. They are putting money into this homelessness crisis and partners with the [STC], but the city is not putting in $1. So, he [Kirton] has to start acting instead of complaining because he is not helping the problem right now. He is fanning the flames, which is not right. He is playing politics with people’s lives.”
