Overview

Matt Morissen's Under the Prairie Sky is a comprehensive, deeply human, and meticulously researched exploration of the homelessness crisis in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The book moves beyond statistics to present homelessness as a complex, multi-faceted crisis rooted in systemic failures, historical injustices, and economic contradictions. Furthermore, the book makes a powerful case that the crisis is not an individual failing but a societal one, demanding collective action and systemic transformation. Under the Prairie Sky is built on several key pillars. First, it underscores the urgent need for Indigenous-led solutions, given that Indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected by homelessness due to the traumas of colonialism, including the residential school system and land dispossession. Second, the book delves into the profound impacts of intergenerational trauma, mental health struggles, and substance use disorders, arguing that these conditions are both a cause and a consequence of homelessness. Third, it critiques the fragmented policies, bureaucratic inertia, and market failures that perpetuate housing instability and poverty, even amid economic resource booms. A fourth crucial theme is the urban-rural divide, highlighting how homelessness manifests as a hidden crisis in remote and northern communities, often through overcrowded housing and lack of services, rather than the visible street homelessness of cities like Saskatoon or Regina. Throughout, the book spotlights the resilience of Indigenous communities, grassroots movements, and everyday heroes through mutual aid, volunteerism, and culturally grounded healing pathways, ultimately offering a hopeful yet demanding vision for a future without homelessness.

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