By Kinnukana Local Journalism Initiative Reporter In the midst of extreme cold temperatures in Alberta, the City of Edmonton is dismantling encampments displacing homeless people, of which many are Indigenous. Eight per cent of Edmonton’s population identifies as Indigenous, while 58 per cent of people experiencing homelessness identify as Indigenous (City of Edmonton, 2016 Homeless Count). That is a gross overrepresentation of Indigenous people in Edmonton’s homeless population. The removal of these encampments raises many concerns by social advocates about the violation of Indigenous rights, cultural displacement, and homelessness. The Coalition for Justice and Human Rights wants camp clearing to stop citywide if certain conditions are not met and have filed a lawsuit against the City. The City’s policy is to remove every high risk camp with twenty or more…
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