Community organizing

Cut to Special Diet isn't about health

Linchpin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 23:40:46 -0700

By Ann Stuart

When the Ontario government slashed the Special Diet supplement to Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) in the budget, the reason given was that it was not being used for it's “intended purpose” and that many applications were “questionable”. Their solution? A new nutritional allowance administered by the Ministry of Health, only for people with "serious" health issues.

The rates for OW and ODSP are unlivable and make it difficult for recipients to afford food of any type, let alone fresh, nutritious, varied food that helps support long-term health. If it were about health everyone on social assistance would be entitled to Special Diet - and more.

But it isn't about health. We know what encourages good health: consistent access to quality food, decent housing, safe working conditions, access to health care and a healthy broader environment.

Defiant poor pack rowdy public meeting

Mick — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 20:39:51 -0700

Gaetan Heroux holds up a copy of the program of the unemployed council movement of 1933 as he addresses a meeting of poor people on Friday, March 26. PHOTO: Mick Sweetman

By Mick Sweetman

Toronto — Over 75 poor and working people held a rowdy public meeting Friday evening at St. Luke's church at Sherbourne and Carlton. The meeting followed the Ontario budget announcement that cut the Special Diet supplement for people on social assistance.

A.J. Withers from the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) kicked the night off by calling for an immediate 40 per cent increase to social assistance. Withers said, “Right now a single person on welfare gets a shamefully low $364 a month for rent. A person on ODSP gets $464 for rent. Yet for a one-bedroom in this city, the average price is $927 a month. No matter how you do the math, social assistance rates never add up.”

Sprawl in the Rust Belt

Mick — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:54:58 -0800

By Frank Liberto

Recently, gentrification has emerged as an issue in Hamilton, where political attacks have been waged on sex workers in the form of reactionary public meetings. Some civic boosters and members of the burgeoning downtown art colony and have engaged in a hostile rhetoric toward the poor and homeless.

In response, many social justice activists have begun to mobilize anti-gentrification struggles. Reaction to an art exhibit that exploited outdoor sex workers has evolved into an anti-gentrification group called HAND – Hamiltonians Against Neighbourhood Displacement.

Poverty activists use fake transfers to ride streetcars

Mick — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:21:29 -0800

By Mick Sweetman

TORONTO — At a streetcar stop at Queen and Bay streets Saturday about 50 anti-poverty activists boarded a westbound streetcar after showing the driver protest “transfers” made by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) in what they called a “pilot program” for fighting the fare hike.

Driver and passengers seemed in good spirits as protesters chanted “Hey, Hey, TTC! Public transit should be free!” Protestors distributed OCAP “transfers” to passengers and hung a banner out the window reading “Fair rates not fare hikes” as the streetcar headed toward Spadina Avenue.

The rolling protest was against the TTC increasing fares to $3 starting on Jan. 3. The price hike is 25 cents a trip and an increase of over 10% for a monthly pass. Advocates of poor and working people say transit costs are already too high. The fare hike comes at a time of economic recession and job losses, growing poverty, and dangerously low social assistance rates.

Students and Steelworkers march against poverty

Mick — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:01:44 -0800

By Scott Neigh

SUDBURY, Ont. — 150 post-secondary students, joined by dozens of striking members of Steelworkers Local 6500 and community supporters, marched in Sudbury Nov. 5 demanding a poverty-free Ontario and reduced tuition fees. The march was part of a provincial “day of action” organized by the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS).

Ontario has the highest post-secondary tuition fees in the country. CFS publications state that more than 70% of all new jobs require post-secondary education while the youth unemployment rate has topped 18%.

Rafiq Rahemtulla, vice president of the Graduate Student Association at Laurentian University, said Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government is reviewing tuition with the intent of introducing a new comprehensive policy in 2010.

Guelph activists win small victory from occupation

Mick — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:00:34 -0700

By Andrew Loucks and Devin K.
LINCHPIN

GUELPH - The courts have put an end to the occupation of what was to be the Hanlon Creek Business Park, but the City of Guelph has also been prevented from beginning construction for 30 days. Activists who occupied the undeveloped area southwest Guelph July 27 have left, but they are also relishing a small victory.

In a suprising decision August 13, Ontario Superior Court Justice Douglas Gray ordered people to leave the proposed construction site, and ordered the City to delay construction so that the Ontario Minister of Natural Resources might act to protect endangered Jefferson Salamander habitat. Lawyer Eric Gillespie, who represented people occupying the site, has called the decision “remarkable and virtually unprecedented” for stopping construction on environmental concerns.

Nickel, Neoliberalism, and Nationalism

Alex_Hamilton — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 17:14:45 -0700

By Scott Neigh
August 1, 2009

More than 3300 employees of mining giant Vale Inco are on strike in Sudbury, Ontario, and in other Canadian communities to defend decades' worth of gains. Beyond that, the strike by members of Locals 6500 and 6200 of the United Steel Workers of America also raise important questions about how unions orient themselves towards their communities and towards the nation-states in which their members live.

There are a number of "very provocative issues for the men" in the company's demands, according to a 21-year veteran of Inco's transportation division who requested to remain anonymous when interviewed at a picket line in the Sudbury community of Copper Cliff.* He pointed out, "There's absolutely no monetary raise in this contract" and no expectation by the members that there would be one, given the low price of nickel and the state of the global economy.

In the News...Local media respond to police surveillance of anarchist book fair, local activists

Alex_Hamilton — Sat, 30 May 2009 06:24:25 -0700

Local media have responded to our press release (see below) that drew attention to local police manipulating hate crime laws to criminalize activism. The following articles appeared in the May 29, 2009 edition of MountainNews.com, the Dundas Star News and the Ancaster News.

Anarchists cry foul over police targetting of book fair Monitoring seeks to criminalize political dissent, organizer says.

Hug a cop or be charged
By Hamilton Community News Editorial
Editorial

Anarchists call Police report comparing activism to hate crime "chilling"

Alex_Hamilton — Sun, 24 May 2009 06:12:33 -0700

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Anarchists call Police report comparing activism to hate crime "chilling"

May 24, 2009

HAMILTON- Local members of the provincial anarchist organization
Common Cause fear Hamilton police are seeking to criminalize local
organizers after a Hamilton police report identified the 2nd annual
Hamilton Anarchist Book Fair as a potential source of hate crime.

While presenting the Year-End Hate Crime report (available online)
to the Hamilton Police Board on May 19, acting sergeant Michael Goch
stated police would be “actively monitoring” the book fair scheduled to
take place on June 6.

Alex Diceanu, Ontario Treasurer of Common Cause responded, "As the
organizers of the annual book fair, and as local anarchists and
activists, Common Cause is deeply disturbed by these statements.

"This is a manipulation of hate crime laws to criminalize activism. At
this time of economic and environmental crisis, alongside increasing

2nd annual Hamilton Anarchist Book Fair, June 6

Alex_Hamilton — Sat, 23 May 2009 04:22:47 -0700

For the second year in a row, Hamilton will be home to Ontario's only Anarchist Book Fair, happening June 6, from 10am to 4pm at Westdale Collegiate, 700 Main St. West . Over 300 people from all over southern Ontario took part in Hamilton's first anarchist book fair, held last June.

For those not familiar with anarchist book fairs you can expect a couple dozen or so publishers and book stores to be on hand offering literature in various forms (as well as the occasional t-shirt) at affordable prices. You can expect to find just about every social justice issue covered from the environment, to women's struggles to radical history and theory. Many local activist groups will also be on hand to share information about important struggles happening in our community and beyond.