Contradictheory: When helping seems to hurt

Homelessness is a complex issue – addiction, poverty, illness, abuse, circumstances beyond a person’s control, all can cause displacement. Addressing it is just as complex but we have to believe it's possible to help. — Filepic/The Star

A few weeks ago I was in Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada, a fairly modest city of about 700,000 people that swells during the summer months when nearly four million tourists visit, thanks to cruise ships, conventions, and mountain views.

I was visiting the science centre (my idea of a good time) and sent my mother off in a random direction for an ice cream and a coffee (her idea of a good time). But at the time, I didn’t realise I was directing her to the gateway to perdition.