New: Facebook has blocked all Canadian news. Join our mailing list to stay in the loop.

New: Facebook has blocked all Canadian news. Join our mailing list to stay in the loop.

Commentary_Myopia

Feature Article March 28

Feature Article March 28, 2002

LAND O' LAKES NewsWeb Home

Contact Us

Commentary - Myopia, thy name is Kingstonby Jeff GreenTwo weeks ago I reported on the decision by the Kingston Sexual Assault Crisis Centre (SAACK) to pull its worker out of Sharbot Lake. There are a number of things about this that are of concern, one of which is the way SAACK seemed to feel it could act in any way it wanted with monies it has received - monies that are specifically earmarked for rural areas.

I was told by their spokeswoman that they were committed to serving a 50-mile radius around Kingston. This included Brockville and Belleville, among other places, and it was counter-productive to have someone sitting unused in a far-off corner like Sharbot Lake when many women in these other cities were not being served.

However, it turns out there is counselling available in Brockville, and in Belleville and Napanee as well. It seems that the Kingston group has decided to specialize in a certain kind of counselling, and they are using their resources to provide that service throughout Eastern Ontario.

This is all well and good, but it leaves the rural women of Frontenac County with no option but to drive to Kingston for service. This is an impediment to access for several reasons. Kingston is a daunting place for some; access to a vehicle is often limited or non-existent; and women with young children often are unable to get away for several hours for an appointment.

How did it come about that a group that is presumably mainly responsible to its clientele in, is able to access provincial government money that is intended for rural women? Apparently, SAACK feels free to decide what rural service is, and the provincial government is willing to hand over the money to them with no strings attached.

While this apparent irresponsibility by SAACK is unusual, we have seen over and over again that downloading and restructuring of provincially funded services has meant that much of the decision making that affects Frontenac County is being done in a few offices in Kingston.

There seems to be little understanding in Kingston that people live past Sharbot Lake. Its as if the village is some sort of arctic outpost, beyond which lies an untamed wilderness and only a few hermitic trappers. The idea that people live more than a few yards off of Highway 38 seems to be equally unfathomable.

Its not as if social workers in the north are unaware of how to deliver effective service. People dont "access programs" up here; they look to individuals. In order to provide service, it is necessary to become known in the small communities, to earn the trust of people and hope they pass the word around to their neighbours. This is something that workers based in Sharbot Lake face every day, because Sharbot Lake itself is seen as a kind of Kingston to people further afield. It has reputation as the Land of the Grant- Getters, and social service agencies have to overcome this reputation. At least people working in Sharbot Lake are aware of their task, and know their agencies are judged by how well they provide service to smaller communities.

When SAACK defines rural Frontenac County as ending at Highway 7, writing off an entire township, it is indicative of a misunderstanding of where the needs are. We know the communities of Central and North Frontenac are not dying; they are on the verge of growth, and that growth will bring more demands on social service agencies.

It is time to revisit downloading, to tell the government of Ontario, who are elected from the rural areas as well as the urban ones, to take direct responsibility for the way they fund rural social programs.

It is not reasonable to lay this responsibility at the feet of officials in Kingston who are paid only by the tax payers within the city.

With the participation of the Government of Canada