Upon hearing the Smith-Beck-Harris Cheerios Theory, that serving Cheerios in the early morning even once a week results in the homeless and addicted flocking to that location and staying there, I was rather sceptical. Well truthfully, after seeing that Abbotsford city councillors Smith, Beck and Harris were serious, I was dumbfounded. I mean, HUH?

Just in case my reaction was influenced by having Councillor John Smith repeat almost verbatim the same excuse he has been using for the last two and a half years to absolve the city of any responsibility for acting on homelessness and rationalize their lack of leadership, I felt I needed to get feedback on the Smith-Beck-Harris Cheerios Theory.

Unlike councillors Smith, Beck, Harris and far to many other people, when I have a question an matters of homeless, addiction, mental illness or poverty I approach those with knowledge and experience.

In this particular case I took advantage of a dinner for the homeless and hungry to seek the opinions and input of those who were homeless, addicted or in recovery from addiction in evaluating the Smith-Beck-Harris Cheerios Theory.

Here is a representative sampling of their comments when asked to evaluate the Smith-Beck-Harris Cheerios Theory and the claims that it is this serving of Cheerios that is drawing people to Jubilee Park and that if only the serving of Cheerios was stopped the problems in Jubilee Park would end as well.

“What drugs are they on?”; “Horses**t!!”; “Ya Right!”; “that’s funny!”; “are they nuts?”; laughter was a frequent response; it was repeatedly necessary for me to give assurances that, no I was not kidding – city councillors were serious in promoting the Smith-Beck-Harris Cheerios Theory; a long time volunteer as a home owner and a taxpayer inquired as to whether it was possible to “get our money back”, a refund of salaries paid the councillors; numerous interviewees were left speechless by the Smith-Beck-Harris Cheerios Theory; and finally many just sadly shook their heads.

The one person I was able to find who had left Jubilee Park to get food at the supper when asked about the Smith-Beck-Harris Cheerios Theory nearly fell out of his seat laughing.

The fact that only one person had left Jubilee Park to get fed BBQ hamburgers, a walk of only 2 or 3 minutes, would seem to cast serious doubt on the councillors theory and claims that homeless and/or addicts are leaving downtown Vancouver to flock to Jubilee Park for Thursday morning Cheerios when they will not walk a few minutes for a meal of BBQ hamburgers.

Unless of course the homeless person hit the nail on the head with his statement: “those must be some powerful special Cheerios”.