Sudbury marketer tries to put a face on the homeless crisis in video that divides poverty advocates

The CEO of a social marketing agency says he’s raising awareness of the homelessness crisis in Sudbury in a video, which has created heated discussion among groups advocating for the same population.

Connor LaRocque of SocialRise Inc. said he posted the 13-minute video in an effort to amplify the voices of the vulnerable and promote a fundraising event for volunteer outreach organizations. 

The event is set for Tuesday night at the Steelworkers Hall and is billed as a place where everyone touched by the crisis can come together to find solutions.

LaRocque said the idea first occurred to him when he heard the city was spending upwards of $200 million on a new downtown arena.

“We live in one of the greatest countries in the world, we’re the most resource rich and I think it's frustrating that people have to sit out here in the freezing cold,” he said.

“We have some of the harshest winters. And I wanted to ask that question: 'If we can spend all that money, why can't we help alleviate this problem more?'” 

In the video, LaRocque is pictured handing out tuques, hand warmers and cash to people who flock around him, on the streets and emerging from their tents, as he asks them their names and to tell their stories.

The first frame of the video is a written message saying that everyone who was filmed gave verbal consent to be filmed.

“I took my time making sure that everything—we checked off all our boxes—the informed consent piece of things,” he said.

Some faces were blurred in the video while other people gave their first names.

His intention, LaRocque said, was to give them a voice in matters that concern them.

While he said he treated everyone with dignity, some advocates for the homeless population say the video is doing more harm than good.

Melissa MacMillan of Sudbury said she spent 18 years addicted to toxic substances until her recovery began five years ago.

She said while the filmmakers may have thought they got consent, someone in a vulnerable position cannot conceive of the long-term impact of being recorded at their lowest points.