Fuelling the fire for justice Siloam Mission CEO hopes social change puts her out of a job, but until then, she starts the day with a hearty breakfast Homemade: Downtown Edition
By: AV Kitching Posted: 6:00 AM CST Monday, Nov. 28, 2022

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/11/2022 (662 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This is not Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud’s dream job.

As the CEO of inner-city ministry Siloam Mission, her remit, together with the 177 staff the centre employs, is to create and build solutions for people experiencing homelessness.

“Siloam Mission is a mercy resource centre. We offer long-term housing and transitional housing. We support people experiencing food insecurity and mental-health issues and offer spiritual care.

“I think really we need to recognize it as a multi-causal experience; people experience homelessness because of job loss or not knowing how to do their finances… there are so many systems put in place for people to overcome before they can start taking charge of their own lives,” she says.

There are many words that come to mind when trying to describe Blaikie Whitecloud: No-nonsense. Forthright. Pragmatic. Genuine. Self-confessedly competitive but only “when it fits the context.”

She is also brutally — and refreshingly — honest.

“I wouldn’t choose this job. I didn’t grow up dreaming of it. I grew up dreaming that we’d have fixed homelessness and other injustices by now and I’d teach aquacize and bake cupcakes for a balanced life.”

We meet on a hot August afternoon, one of those no-clouds-in-the-sky, retina-burning-bright days typical of a Manitoba summer, a million miles away from today’s wintry chill.

She’s chosen to prepare risotto. It’s a notoriously tricky Italian rice dish most people would shy from cooking to show off their skills, but Blaikie Whitecloud loves a challenge. It’s even more telling that she has it for breakfast as a way to start her day right.

“It’s a very versatile dish. I think that it’s a bit of a strategic food; it gets all of the things I want to get into my system, and it keeps well. It’s an intentional food; it’s taking care of yourself by making sure you are eating healthy.”

Intentional is a term that often crops up in the conversation. She’s an advocate for living this way but admits it’s not something she has fully achieved yet. It’s a practice, figuring out how to “live mindfully and intentionally.”

Growing up in Transcona, the youngest of four children, Blaikie Whitecloud’s parents Bill and Brenda were always feeding people. Bill Blaikie, whose name many would recognize, is the former MLA and MP who served the area for years.

She associates hosting with their generosity and when she and her husband, Hanwakan, have friends over she always makes a big meal at the end of the night so her guests go home sated. It’s a habit she picked up from her father.

“My parents were always feeding people. People whose family didn’t have enough food in their house would come eat with us. In my house we were big fans of second dinner at the weekend. My dad was a big proponent of a second dinner to wind down the party — that was the sort of thing we had growing up.”

Lasagna — “My mom’s is still amazing” — was a favourite, steak and potatoes were a Friday-night staple when her dad would make it home for dinner, and Sunday lunches were always the traditional roasts, a nod to the family’s Scottish-Irish heritage.

Nowadays her diet harks back to her youth when she was an Olympic freestyle wrestler and meals are often nutritionally dense — lots of protein and eggs and superseeds such as flax and chia.

“I first learned how to cook food with my wrestling team. We travelled together a lot; we would drive to tournaments in B.C. and Toronto and my coach’s wife would teach us how to make meals that met our nutritional needs.”

Blaikie Whitecloud comes across as highly disciplined — sweets foods are referred to as “treats” or “rewards” and nurturing herself is of the utmost importance although the aim is to maintain a healthy balance.

“I try to recognize that food is fuel but that also food is a celebration.”–Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud

“I try to recognize that food is fuel but that also food is a celebration. I would say that I seek to be disciplined but I don’t know that I am always successful,” she admits.

At home she’s the primary cook — “My husband only has five things he can do. He’s not that skilled at it” — and weekday meals are often leftovers from the weekend’s batch cooking, when she tries to make meals from scratch.

The longer you are in Blaikie Whitecloud’s company the more she comes across as someone you’d want in your corner. She doesn’t put much stock in wishful thinking and bluntly dismisses all talk of hope.

“I’m not big on hope because I feel it takes me out of the moment and into the future. I’m big on grit and integrity. I do the right thing today no matter tomorrow’s outcomes because it’s the right thing. I steady myself to do the same thing tomorrow.“

“My core values are authenticity and connection. I want to carry myself with integrity so that I can be fully myself at every moment. The work to get there is more tiring but once you get there it’s easier to sustain.”

It’s November when we talk again, a little after she’s marked a year on the job and things on the street haven’t improved. But her determination to address the lack of affordable housing in the city hasn’t waned.

“We have seen a rise due to inflation and the slowing of COVID-related relief funds in the numbers of those coming to access Siloam Mission and our sector partners’ services,” she says.

She acknowledges the recent funding announcement (on Oct. 31, Premier Heather Stefanson’s government announced an increase of annual funding rates to shelters, transitional housing services and homeless outreach mentors to $15.1 million from $6.1 million) and the focus in the mayoral race on homelessness are “good for long-term solutions” but the need is more pressing right now.

“The upcoming winter is going to be hard for our relatives on the street as all of the shelters are already operating at capacity,” she says.

“The solutions at Siloam Mission include case workers that find and maintain housing. We have 85 units of supportive long-term housing, 20 units of housing for people who are in recovery from addiction, and 143 shelter beds that are open every night.”

But while shelters address the day-to-day needs of the city’s residents, they aren’t getting to the root of the matter.

“I want to see affordable housing infrastructure, housing that’s low income. Sometimes our response is to build more shelters, but we need to build more housing instead.”–Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud

“I want to see affordable housing infrastructure, housing that’s low income. Sometimes our response is to build more shelters, but we need to build more housing instead,” she says.

She says the best thing about her job is “witnessing people taking agency and transforming their lives,” but ultimately her goal is to make her position redundant.

Referencing the Bible she said, “I feel called to ‘seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly’ so our world demands this be my work. I am honoured to do this work alongside my amazing teammates at Siloam but I’d still rather we weren’t needed and I’ll work tirelessly until that’s true.”

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Blaikie Whitecloud’s late father William (Bill) Blaikie was a much-loved Manitoban politician who spent nearly 30 years as an NDP MP and MLA. He died in September, a month after parts of this interview were conducted. The ordained United Church minister also held a position as an adjunct professor in theology at the University of Winnipeg.

The Free Press reached out to Blaikie Whitecloud for a comment on what their relationship meant to her and how his ideals impacted her life and shaped her path.

“He often told stories, theorized how to make a better world, and discussed theology late into the night, all three blended every time. It was his recipe — his midnight meals were certainly less elaborate, often involving Klik. We were blessed as children that he loved people’s company, he loved intellectual conversations and he fiercely believed we could, if we got enough people to try all at once, make the world a better place.”

av.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

 

Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud’s Breakfast Risotto

INGREDIENTS

Three cups of stock (your choice of flavour)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
Half a finely diced onion
Two or more garlic cloves, minced (depending on how much you
love garlic)
1 cup arborio rice
½ cup milk
As much grated cheese as you like
As many stalks of asparagus, cherry tomatoes and peppers as you like. You can also include mushrooms, cut into the same size.
Flavoured olive oil
Any herbs you like

OPTIONAL: Two eggs and a large pot of simmering water to poach the eggs

METHOD

Set the stock to boil in a pot.

Get a large pan ready with the butter and olive oil.

Add the finely diced onion, two garlic cloves and rice to the butter-olive oil mixture. Toast the rice until the onion and garlic soften.

Add enough broth (straight from the boiling pot) to cover the rice.

Stir frequently and add another cup of stock every time the liquid dissipates completely.

Whilst you are doing that, prep a second pan to sauté your vegetables with a touch of flavoured oil — my favourite is basil- or garlic-flavoured olive oil — and the herbs you like.

Prep the veggies, cutting them into roughly the same size and sauté slow and low. Start a pot of water.

When you’ve used all the stock liquid up, stir the risotto well and take it off the heat.

Add milk and cheese to your pleasing and let sit to absorb while you poach your eggs.

Add the risotto to a bowl, add your veggies and then get your eggs out (I like a medium poach so I go for four minutes).