Grant Faithful, homeless man soaked outside Tim Hortons, heartened by support

One of the homeless men who had water poured under him by someone working at a Tim Hortons franchise in Vancouver says he's glad people are upset about the incident, but he's not convinced it won't happen again.

"That's cool that people are getting up and doing something about it. I'm tired of getting treated that way," Grant Faithful said.

The 30-year-old said he was trying to sleep outside a Tim Hortons on Robson Street Friday when a man who works at the store told him to leave, because employees planned to clean the street.

"I was sleeping, just trying to stay out of the rain. It wasn't actually a very good spot, but I was tired," Faithful said.

He didn't leave, and said the man came back and poured water from a bucket on the ground near him and his dog, Pikey.

"All my stuff, all my ground cover and blankets that are keeping me insulated from the concrete, got wet," he said. 

All of his belongings were also "drenched."

Faithful said there may have been bleach in the water, because he saw an employee carrying a "big bottle of Javex."

"I get it, it would be irritating to have homeless people sleeping in front of your business," he said. "But still, that's not how you treat people."

Franchise owner wants to apologize

Tim Hortons apologized for the incident Sunday, after someone who witnessed the soaking started a Twitter and Facebook campaign calling for a boycott of the franchise.

The company launched an internal investigation, saying the franchise owner would personally apologize to the men involved and would make a "meaningful donation" to Belkin House, a Vancouver homeless shelter.

But Faithful isn't convinced the business will operate any differently as a result.

"How is he going to make amends? He wants to meet with me and what, say, 'I'm sorry for being a dick? I'm not going to do it again?' He's going to do it again."

A few years ago he clashed with staff at another downtown location, he said.

"And I reacted, I went for his eye. You know, I'm like, I'm outweighed. This guy has got me cornered," Faithful said. 

He has been on the streets on and off for roughly 12 years and has a criminal record including a conviction for assault.

Still, Faithful, who is originally from Frog Lake, Alta., a Cree community outside of Edmonton, said he's heartened that people were upset by what happened.

He received a new pair of shoes and money from someone who witnessed the incident and wanted to help.

It's not clear whether the owner of the franchise or a staff member poured the water, and the company didn't respond to an attempt to clarify.