Sudburians stand in the cold in a show of empathy for city’s homeless

A group of Sudburians spent the night atop the Bridge of Nations on Friday in a display of empathy for the city’s homeless.

Organized by downtown business owner Deke Zaher, in what he described as an “empathy bomb," a few dozen members of the community gathered under the Canadian flag on the downtown bridge from 7 p.m. Nov. 13 to 7 a.m. Nov. 14.

The event was put together in an effort to raise awareness around the issue of homelessness and addictions that some of the city’s most vulnerable citizens are facing.

While not meant to be a protest, Zaher was frustrated with the recent actions of council at a Nov. 10 meeting when they deferred a members’ motion raised by Ward 11 Coun. Bill Leduc and Ward 5 Coun. Robert Kirwan.

“That really shed some light on what’s to be expected to come,” said Zaher. “The lack of empathy from city council toward the situation. It would’ve taken five minutes to push back the meeting and to say yes or no to this people that deserve a warm place to eat and they couldn’t make that time, what does that say?”

The decision to hold the display of solidarity and support on Friday evening was made before the Tuesday council meeting, but Zaher says that the outcome of the meeting did raise some red flags.

“This initial purpose of this was not to point fingers, it was to relay a message to our city’s homeless, to those with addictions and mental health struggles, to those people who have lost a son or daughter to the opioid crisis,” said Zaher.

“We’re giving them all a hug tonight by being out here. We’re saying we hear you, we feel you, we love you and hang in there.”

Zaher announced his intentions to run for mayor in the 2022 municipal election back in August, noting his background in social services and pointing to finding solutions for discarded needles as one of his key campaign pillars.

“We’ve seen a lot of people speaking out about what’s going on and they’re awake to this situation,” said Zaher.

“People are struggling to come up with solutions and break ground and make things happen. I hope council hears this, I hope our mayor Brian Bigger hears this and sees this, that our citizens are trying.”