'Blindsided' by councillor's letter criticizing emergency wellness centre: Saskatoon Tribal Council chief
CBC
The chief of the Saskatoon Tribal Council is criticizing a three-page letter sent to the province by a city councillor about the tribal council's emergency wellness centre, saying he was "blindsided" by the councillor's move.
Coun. David Kirton (Ward 3) voiced concerns about the centre's impact on his ward, which includes the Fairhaven neighbourhood where the centre is located, in a letter addressed to Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and other provincial ministers.
Kirton posted the letter, which he says he sent to officials on April 24, to his website on Monday.
Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand says he only found out about the letter on Tuesday morning, and he took Kirton to task for it at a press conference later that day.
"My so-called partners in the City of Saskatoon and Ward 3 Coun. David Kirton never even gave me a courtesy call about this letter," said Arcand.
"I was blindsided this morning about this letter and I have no part in this, because I believe we have a strong relationship with the province of Saskatchewan in battling homelessness."
Kirton said in his letter that recently he has seen a negative impact in the neighbourhood from the centre — a facility with 106 emergency beds for people experiencing homelessness that relocated to Fairhaven late last year from a temporary downtown location.
It's affected schools, residents and services in the area, Kirton claimed.
"But my concerns surround the size of the facility in terms of 106 beds, and the dynamics the people in the neighbourhood have been witnessing from people with complex needs," Kirton said in the letter.
Arcand acknowledged the concerns of Fairhaven residents that Kirton referenced in his letter. However, he said the tribal council and the province are working to address those concerns during weekly meetings.
"I can assure you that when I have conversations with the province we sit at the table and talk," Arcand said.
"We don't send letters to the media and try to cause controversy, and that's what I see in the letter" from Kirton, he said.
"I'm really tired of David Kirton and his antics and riding my coattails in the work that we're doing as a Saskatoon Tribal Council in combating homelessness."
Arcand said Kirton is not helping the homelessness crisis, but is instead "fanning the flames."
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