Homeless Tsuu T'ina residents take over abandoned barracks

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A shortage of housing on the Tsuu T'ina Nation, west of Calgary, has forced more than 100 young families to move into vacated houses on a former Canadian Forces Base situated on the reserve.

The Harvie Barracks, which sits on land leased to the Department of National Defence until the year 2000, is now home to dozens of families who said they couldn't find anywhere else to go.

Defence department officials had originally issued orders to the families to vacate the barracks but on Aug. 21 they reversed their position and allowed the families to remain in the barracks.

Before the move, the families had been living in overcrowded conditions, in many cases where several families were sharing one house. Some lived in tents and tipis.

Hal Eagletail, spokesman for the families who moved into the barracks, said there are more than 1,100 registered Tsuu T'ina Nation members but there are only 230 houses to accommodate them. "They're taking houses because some have been living in tipis, tents, trailers, motorhomes," Eagletail said. "It affects the social fibre of our people having to live in degrading conditions."

Eagletail dismissed concerns raised by the defence department and the Tsuu T'ina chief and council that asbestos still present in the buildings and the possibility of live ammunition left behind could be a health hazard. "There's over 240 units not being used that are perfectly livable," Eagletail said. "The army's been living in them for the past 40 years and they haven't had any problems with regards to asbestos or mustard gas or any other contaminants left on the grounds.

"Having four to five families living in one house is more of a health hazard [than] potential bombs six to eight feet under the ground."

The units are fully functional with electricity, water and telephone services, a few lucky families enjoy fireplaces.

Eagletail said that the ultimate goal is to provide adequate housing for the families and if the barracks should become their permanent homes, then they are prepared to accept living away from the main populated area of the reserve.

The families have already organized a committee to establish rules and negotiate with Tsuu T'ina Chief Roy Whitney and the council. They have submitted proposals to the administration for an office that they can use as headquarters and provide services such as security.

"I've never seen such a unified stance from our people since some of our past chiefs have been alive," said Eagletail.