Priest wants to help inner city poor

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When Father George Mealy heard reports Edmonton's inner city Natives were living in Third World conditions, he didn't condemn the government for neglect.

Instead, the 63-year-old Anglican Catholic Priest decided he'd like to try to line up public support to battle poverty in Alberta' capital city.

Mealy, who has been sharing space at St. Peter's Lutheran church in the inner city since November, has some experience with the poverty-stricken population, but admits he needs to get more involved to be more effective.

He got his first glimpse of inner city poverty while working for a year at a church-run food band at 93rd Avenue and 115th Street.

During that time he saw what it was like for many of Alberta's Natives to scrape the bottom but try to remain dignified. "It's hard -- really hard for them," he sighs.

"They're in such a deep hole and when they try to climb out and get their hands to the top it's as if they're kicked back down again. Something needs to be done to help them."

Mealy wants to establish an information center in the heart of the inner city to help steer Natives toward service they wouldn't be able to find on their own. "Why not have a central information center with all the information right in front of them? It will let them know where to go (for help)," he says.

According to an Edmonton health task force study, inner-city Natives are living in appalling health conditions and aren't being helped to find services they need.

It indicates the large Indian and Metis population in Edmonton is suffering a high rate of diseases affecting other Natives across the country but they aren't seeking help, because they don't understand what health service are available.

The Edmonton Urban Native Health Working Group has asked the government for $175,000 to hire six Native health workers to help bridge the cultural differences.

Working group member Ann Bird says the pilot project will be used to make health services more accessible to Native people.

"Many times, either Natives don't know about the services or they're just not comfortable," she says.

Bird says there needs to be a way to "bridge the gap" between Natives and non-Natives in Edmonton.

Mealy agrees, saying the general public needs to be made more aware there's a distinct Native society in Edmonton, which is not only proud of its culture but also willing to share it.

But, he says, Natives have been discouraged from doing so by the dominant society.

Native people, who turn to government agencies for help are often met with a cold, unfeeling attitude, which could do more harm than good in helping people, who've fallen on hard times, he says.

"When people come in off the street, they are frightened. The last thing they need is to follow strict government regulations," he says.

"They need to feel comfortable and relaxed. They need to know they have friends."

Mealy believes the general public should get more committed and involved in helping the more destitute people of society.

He is working with his small, 20- member congregation to get them more involved in healing impoverished people in Edmonton's downtown core.

"We want to get active in this, we're just not sure how to go about it yet, but we have to start somewhere. People have to work together," he says.

He says the Native elders he has worked with have always shown "tremendous dignity" and a willingness to share their time and knowledge in helping the Native and non-Native poor to find food, shelter and medical help.

He said it's time to return the goodwill.

"It should be done through private donations and volunteer work. That's what makes it worth it anyway," he says.