Covenant House resident Sire Doumbouya says it’s “empowering” to have a voice for the first time in Monday’s federal election.
Homeless people in shelters face barriers when it comes to voting because they don’t have a permanent, recognized residence and without proper identification many are turned away at the polls.
But with the help of Covenant House, a shelter in Toronto, Ont. , Doumbouya, 25, will be able to vote in this federal election using a little known and under-used Elections Canada program.
The Letter of Confirmation of Residence program is a proof of address if signed by the administrator of a shelter or soup kitchen and the voter is accompanied to the polling station by a staff member of a homeless facility regularly used by the homeless person.
The program was available during the last federal election and when a homeless voter shows up at the voting station the ID can be something such as library card instead of the usually required government picture identification.
However, the voter must be accompanied by a staff member from a homeless facility.
“This will be the first time I’m involved and I’m excited,” Doumbouya said. “I’ll be able to make my country better and I can vote for someone who will support my needs.”
Tracie LeBlanc, who is with Covenant House, says this is the first time they will be helping clients to vote and they plan to make as many clients as possible eligible to vote and accompany them to a polling station.
“These young people face discrimination and have to deal with finding a roof over their head and feeding themselves and their voices aren’t heard at the ballot box,” LeBlance said, adding Covenant is encouraging all clients to take advantage of the program.
“We will be offering the letter throughout the (voting) day and are prepared to take as many to the nearest polling station as needed.”
Elections Canada basically only tracks the age and sex of voters, said spokesman Dugald Maulsley.
“We do not have any breakdowns that include the number of homeless people that vote. It’s a very challenging demographic to track,” Maulsley said.
Statistics Canada estimates the number of homeless people in Toronto to be 5,000.
Municipally run shelters like Seaton House will also attempt to help the homeless cast a ballot.
“Practices will vary across the system depending on the resources available, but in all cases (the city’s) Shelter, Support and Housing Administration staff, and or staff at program sites, will work with their clients as much as possible to help them exercise their right to vote,” said spokesman Andrea Gonsalves.
Many staff at homeless shelters are “too swamped” with their day-to-day work to help clients vote, said Cathy Crowe, a long-time street nurse and visiting practitioner professor at Ryerson University.
“Some places and agencies do a better job than others,” she said.
Crowe says although there may be some skepticism about the residence voucher program, social workers and others working in the system aren’t going to lie to help someone vote.
“These are people who deserve to have their voice,” she said.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
