Address delivered to the Council of Canadians AGM
on November 3, 2000 in Toronto
by
Cathy Crowe, RN, Street Nurse
Toronto Disaster Relief Committee
_________________________________
tel 416-599-TDRC, fax 416-599-5445,
[log in to unmask] -- http://www.tao.ca/~tdrc
_________________________________
Picture a refugee camp that looks like this.
40-50,000 people affected. 7000 are children. There are 2-4
deaths
per week. There is no room left in the camp. Some stay with
friends
or family. Somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 people are forced
to
sleep outside in the elements. Some have built shanty towns,
squats or
tent cities. The conditions inside the camp are substandard.
Common
areas are filled with mats for sleeping. There are only 2
toilets for
120 people. Violence is rampant, staffing inadequate, blankets
may not
be laundered between use. There is poor air flow and
inadequate
cooking facilities. The tuberculosis infection rate is 4
times higher
than the population not affected by the disaster. Other
infections –
diarrhea, colds and flus are the norm. People remain in the
camp so
long that palliative care units have been set up!
You’ve probably figured out that I am referring to the Toronto
situation for displaced persons, de-housed people, commonly
known as
the “homeless”. This is the picture today and it worsens
daily. It
also exists on a different scale in most Canadian communities.
I want
to add that it matters little that the cold is coming, we
should
consider this intolerable in May or June.
The Toronto Disaster Relief Committee outlines these
conditions in a
report released last week called State of the Disaster -
Winter 2000.
Its most startling revelation: many shelter conditions do not
meet the
UN Standards for Refugee Camps!
Homelessness is our shameful history.
I used to call it our dirty little secret, but it’s no longer
so
secret is it?
This evening I want to tell you some stories of campaigns that
built
momentum and definitely set the tone for the work that the
Toronto
Disaster Relief Committee now engages in - the fight for a
national
housing programme and the 1% solution. I hope these stories
will show
you how momentum can be built.
Homelessness has been a thorn in Toronto’s side for many
years. Many
of Canada’s anti-poverty campaigns have come out of our
central core
here in Toronto. From Sherbourne and Dundas, from All Saints
Church,
from Allan Gardens, and from this very church space.
They are campaigns that originated from the particular and
became
general. They are campaigns that originated locally with small
events
or actions and frequently became bigger, sometimes even
nation-wide.
They are popular campaigns that involved homeless people. In
common,
they are campaigns that involved witnessing the truth, telling
it
despite huge obstacles, locating actions where people are,
marching,
demonstrating, and using the political and legal systems for
policy
change.
They are incredibly rich, historic stories.
Let me tell you about a few of them.
1. The Toronto Union of Unemployed Workers
In the mid eighties the TUUW was organizing around
homelessness - for
housing not hostels; around welfare rates - for a 25%
increase; around
the Landlord and Tenant Act - fighting for the inclusion of
rooming
houses. They collaborated with the Roomers Association, with
the
drop-in centres and received financial support from churches.
Alarmed
at the extent of illness and death the TUUW put up simple
paper
notices in the drop-ins saying that if anyone heard of an
injury or
death to make contact with them.
One day, in 1986 that happened. A man came into All Saints
Church to
report that a homeless woman had been found dead in the back
of a
truck in the alley. Street worker Beric German went there and
learned
it was Drina Joubert. He knew her. Police asked him to keep it
silent.
He called the media. Drina Joubert’s freezing death made front
page
news the next day. It outraged this city. The TUUW then
initiated a
coalition called Housing not Hostels which included
organizations such
as the Christian Resource Centre, the Open Door, the Downtown
Churchworkers Association. Research was done about how to
demand an
inquest and how to have standing at it. One outcome of the
inquest was
Project 3000: 3000 units of affordable housing.
During this period there were other wins: singles became
eligible for
FBA; roomers and boarders won coverage under the Landlord
Tenant Act;
singles became eligible for social housing and there was a 5%
increase
in welfare rates.
Another story.
2. The Rupert Hotel
December, 1989, only a few days before Christmas, a fire in a
rooming
house called the Rupert Hotel claimed 10 lives. The 10 died
within
minutes from smoke inhalation. It took days before all the
bodies
could be removed. Within 24 hours of the fire, rooming house
tenants
and housing advocates formed the Rupert Hotel Coalition and
worked
tirelessly for the next few years to improve safety in Toronto
rooming
houses and to create new affordable housing. The Rupert Pilot
Project
received funding, primarily provincial, to renovate 525 units
of
housing.
Another story.
3. The Toronto Coalition Against Homelessness
In 1996 within weeks of each other, 3 men, Eugene Upper,
Mirsalah
Aldin-Kompani and Irwin Anderson died on the streets of
Toronto. Their
deaths became known as the “freezing deaths”. It was the
city’s first
homeless death cluster. TCAH, a 26 agency coalition came
together,
fought for and obtained standing at an Inquest. For the 5 week
inquest
we filled the courtroom, provided a daily lunch outside on the
sidewalk and fought for the right for homeless people to be
expert
witnesses. Only one was allowed, Melvin Tipping. Daily we
produced an
“Inquest Update” that was faxed to close to 1000, including
the United
Nations. Despite the Coroner’s refusal to allow the word
housing to
be used, the 5 person jury adopted all of our recommendations.
For the
question “by what means” did the men die, the jury stated
homelessness.
1996 was the year that shaped where we are today.
The freezing deaths were a symptom of a much more serious
problem.
1996 was the year we saw the impact of the welfare cuts, the
cancellation of 17,000 social housing units under development
and the
snuffing out of any future housing program.
The Toronto Disaster Relief Committee
In 1998 eastern Canada suffered the damage of the icestorm. I
watched
the government’s response to the icestorm and it challenged my
conscience deeply. Everything I witnessed on television during
this
natural disaster existed to a hellish degree in the shelters
and on
the streets.
Beric German and I formed TDRC, and I have to be honest, we
formed a
committee not a coalition. We needed to move fast and the
political
landscape prevented coalition building. We invited
individuals we
trusted and knew we could work with to become the founding
Steering
Committee of TDRC. They included people like Don Heap, Peter
Rosenthal, John Andras and David Hulchanski, Jeannie Loughrey.
Two
reasons- they knew the issue, there was enormous trust, and
commonality in approach.
Retired English professor Norm Feltes did research that helped
us
illustrate that homelessness easily qualified as a social
welfare
disaster. The indicators: a significant number of people
affected, a
resurgence of old illnesses like tuberculosis, clusters of
deaths. It
was suddenly explainable to me, in a very helpful way that
homelessness would never be alleviated without a massive
government
response to the disaster. The kind of response we would expect
to see
if a chemical spill or train derailment occurred.
We wrote an Emergency Declaration. The document was factual
but also
passionate. Useful to a politician, a Rotary club member, a
Grade 8
student or a church congregation.
We launched the Declaration on October 8, 1998 but only after
we had
built support across the country with our allies. Without
funding, we
relied on email, community health and AIDS service
organization
networks for help spreading the word.
On the morning of October 8, Canadians woke to a front page
Toronto
Star headline: Plight of the Homeless a ‘National Disaster’.
By 9 am
that morning every media outlet in the country was here for
our press
conference. Ursula Franklin, a woman of international
stature, stood
with us and called homelessness a man made disaster. 400
people,
including homeless adults and youth were in this church. A
meal was
provided – pancakes and sausages. Everyone who attended was
invited
to come forward and sign the Declaration. We read their names
out
loud. We invited them to come with us and we marched to Metro
Hall.
Meanwhile, “back at the ranch”, or Metro Hall, every city
councillor
had the Toronto Star on their desk. When we arrived to
deliver our
Declaration to the Mayor we were invited into the Community
and
Neighbourhood Services Committee, which halted their meeting,
and
allowed us to speak. One hour earlier even they had endorsed
the
Declaration.
Now, to our current work. There are some essential principles
to our
campaign that I want to tell you about.
Examples of some of our strategies:
We went national. We all know what the country thinks of
Toronto and
we had to go national immediately. We had to remain as an
entity
called the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee, and fight for
emergency
relief measures here, yet give credibility to the national
aspect of
the disaster and call for federal solutions. Within weeks we
had
organized so that Toronto City Council, in a vote of 53-1
declared
homelessness a National Disaster. We filled council chambers
that day.
The next piece of work was getting city councils across the
country to
do the same. They did: Ottawa-Carleton, Vancouver, Victoria,
Peel
Region. One month later the Big City Mayors endorsed. By this
point we
had 400 national, provincial and local organizations
endorsing.
The Mayor’s office. Well, to date Mayor Lastman has refused to
meet
with a TDRC delegation 11 times but we achieved a win in
March, 1999.
The Mayor convened a national meeting on homelessness to
highlight the
work of his task force. This was also the coming out event for
Claudette Bradshaw, the newly appointed federal minister
responsible
for homelessness. TDRC insisted on holding a free and open
community
caucus at the Mayor’s event. After all, community based
housing/homeless experts were coming in from across the
country. It
was our chance to meet them and plot. Over 120 people attended
our
caucus in Council Chambers. It was the birth of the National
Housing
and Homeless Network. It was also the meeting where homeless
people
and others were not allowed up to council chambers in the
elevator. We
stopped our proceedings until all were allowed in.
Research and reports with a pulse. Research is useless unless
it
activates people and is part of a popular movement. There is a
lot of
useless research on homelessness and housing that may add to
an
academic body of knowledge but its usefulness ends there and
frequently creates more harm. TDRC has always attempted to do
research that leads to change and we organize around the
results. For
example: The State of Emergency Declaration was taken to the
UN
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva
in Nov.
1998; another report called Death on the Streets of Canada
also went
to the UN. These led to the UN committee’s condemnation of
Canada’s
housing record and embarrassed the federal government.
Another report
called People’s Court demonstrated by first hand accounts the
federal
and provincial role in the disaster. Both governments were
charged by
a jury of homeless people and found guilty on all 4
indictments; Last
week’s State of the Disaster – Winter 2000; and our ongoing
Death
Chart expose the local atrocities. I believe that all these
reports
have had a profound effect on both international, legal and
moral
understandings on homelessness in Canada. As Professor David
Hulchanski points out it is clear that homeless people may
have a
right to vote in the upcoming federal election, but appear to
have no
right to adequate shelter or housing.
The National Disaster Post. I’m not referring to one of
Canada’s
national newspapers, it’s the name of our newsletter, and
apart from
email and our web page, it’s our communication tool, our way
of
getting the message to the street. Our two outreach workers,
Steve
Lane and Bonnie Briggs, both whom have been homeless, deliver
and
“talk up” the issues at 40 homeless agencies in the city.
Bonnie’s
column “Lunch with Bonnie” is way more interesting and real
than the
Globe and Mail’s Lunch with Jan Wong. You can read it online
on our
web site!
Solidarity work. June 15.
June 15 was not a riot. It was a courageous attempt by OCAP
and
supporters to bring the truth to the Ontario legislature. In
the
aftermath of the obscene police attacks, a team of 10 nurses
and a
physician, part of a medical MASH unit had treated
approximately 40
police and horse inflicted injuries. I was hounded by media
and groups
on the left: would I (we) denounce John Clarke and OCAP and my
answer
was no. TDRC was there and we know the truth of what happened.
I
believe that our ability to stand with OCAP during this period
has
allowed the anti-poverty movement to remain cohesive and
morally
strong. A sequella of June 15 has been the formation of the
Allies
group, a consortium of labour and social justice groups that
plan to
stand firm with OCAP.
Students in Allan Gardens. TDRC will always support and
stand
behind a group that reflects our values. In this case I don’t
know how
they keep doing it, but a small group of students continues to
sleep
in Allan Gardens every Friday night since August 1999 when
OCAP set up
the SAFE PARK. Elan Ohayan, a U of T PhD student and member of
U of T
governing council remains in the Don Jail for two weeks now.
He was
brutally arrested for his act of protest - sleeping in Allan
Gardens.
The media. We cooperate and work with the media
extensively.
Their role cannot be underestimated. I’m not going to
elaborate here
but consider this. For the first time in this country’s
history, a
media outlet, the Toronto Star assigned a reporter to full
time cover
homeless issues – Cathy Dunphy. If you want to see more
coverage of
these issues write or phone editors of media outlets. There
are
tremendous forces at play attempting to downplay the
seriousness of
the issue.
People events. We see each big event we do as a means to
build
momentum for the next and they must be diverse but more than
anything
they must include homeless people. On October 2, 1999, 2000
people
marched from Allen Gardens, and wove through the epicentre of
the
homeless disaster. The importance of this event being where
people are
cannot be underestimated.
The challenges are huge. I am only going to name a few.
The freedom to speak, to do advocacy, to rally, to assemble,
to
protest. These freedoms are eroded by social agencies fearful
of
funding cuts, by liberal rhetoric that redefines advocacy or
health
promotion, by legislation such as the Safe Streets Act, and by
police
force and intimidation. The police visit people I know in
their homes,
at their workplace, on the streets, they listen on our phones,
and
they infiltrate our public events.
Maintaining soul and sanity. Most people I work with don’t
like to
talk about this. It’s hard when so little change can be seen
and when
conditions are worse, to not feel a sense of desperation. For
many
workers and homeless people too, there exists sleep loss,
desperate
patterns of either work or other compulsive behaviour,
depression,
isolation, addictions. This is also, why we need you with us.
Labour and the left. Divisiveness. To be honest I don’t have
a handle
on this issue, I just know it is huge. My union refuses to
give 1$ to
homeless advocacy work such as TDRC, even though there is now
an
obscene specialty called street nursing. All I can say is that
labour
and the left have no choice but to work together. The left
must move
off of discussion lists on the internet, from conferences to
the
streets with us and labour must help us with their people and
their
money.
Charity model. This year John Andras of Project Warmth
publicly
announced the end of their sleeping bag distribution program.
The same
week Christ Church Deer Park, which runs an Out of the Cold
Programme,
announced the end of their Saturday night overnight shelter. I
cryed
when I heard this news. I cryed because it’s about time. Both
are now
saying that there is a government responsibility to house our
people.
I know they did not make the decision lightly. I applaud them
both.
The organizations, companies, unions that donate thousands to
organizations like the United Way must seriously ask
themselves
whether they are supporting a charitable and non-political
response to
homelessness. I still await the day that a group comes to Kira
Heineck, our coordinator and I and says, Kira, Cathy, “we’d
like to
give $20,000 to the Toronto Disaster Relief Campaign so that
you can
continue your campaign for a national housing programme.”
Speaking of money....there are deals being made and this is
perhaps an
even bigger threat to homeless people. Money talks which is
why there
is also so much silence. One would expect municipalities to
be
fighting with us for a national housing programme, but bigger
forces
are silencing those voices. Money for Toronto’s waterfront,
money for
Toronto’s Olympic Bid, and federal infrastructure money that
has
silenced a municipal outcry. In a federally funded
infrastructure
program, how does housing compete with roads and sewers?
Usually not
to well unless it is in a protected envelope.
What can an individual do? A group? The Council of Canadians?
Well of course you can learn how to come out to
significant
events on housing and homelessness (there is a sign up list at
the
table). You can write letters, meet with politicians and hound
them
during elections for the 1% solution. Information is at the
table.
Can you put homelessness on the agenda of your group,
your
church, your union, and invite someone from our speaker’s
bureau in to
talk? Our number is 599-TDRC.
What are you doing on November 22? If you decide there
is one
event or activity you can work on please make it November 22.
November
22 is a National Housing Strategy Day. Watch for events in
your
community. In Toronto the day will be co-sponsored by TDRC and
the
City. Imagine that! We expect thousands of people at a public,
free
event outside of city hall.
I have always believed the Council of Canadians is an
effective
and powerful voice for all Canadians. But....can you put
housing
issues more squarely on your agenda?
We need you to feature housing on your platform of
issues and
fight with us for a national housing program. We
have, in
the housing movement, people with enormous expertise.
You don
’ have to put a lot of resources into new
research,
writing or policy work.
I want to invite the Council of Canadians to join the
National
Coalition on Housing and Homelessness. Members include the
Canadian
Auto Workers, United Church of Canada, Canadian Conference of
Catholic
Bishops, Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Cooperative
Association,
and the Canadian Council on Social Development. It feels
like a
natural fit.
I would love my next Council of Canadians mailing to
include
materials on the need for a national housing strategy.
Now, I have to tell you why we’re going to eventually win
that.
Last year a federal Liberal party sponsored Pollara poll
showed that
homelessness ranked in the top 5 of issues of concern to
Canadians.
Before the 1998 State of Emergency Declaration it was off the
map.
We now have 4 of the 5 political parties talking housing
during
this federal election. They will watch us on November 22 and
we will
watch them. Let’s make sure our work translates into the
reinstatement
of a federal role in housing in the spring budget. All it will
take is
1% of their budget, our money. Each one of you can help
achieve that
by working with us.
Cathy Crowe, RN
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
A note for David Hulchanski:
The Toronto Disaster Relief Committee and the National Housing
and
Homelessness Network campaign against homelessness with the
help of
donations. The two groups have no other means of support.
Please send a contribution!
Make the check payable to the
'Toronto Disaster Relief Committee'
and send it to:
Toronto Disaster Relief Committee
6 Trinity Square
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1B1
tel 416-599-8372
fax 416-599-5445
[log in to unmask] -- http://www.tao.ca/~tdrc
_________________________________
Our Web Sites have information and reports from all of our
Quality of Life Projects!
http://www.utoronto.ca/qol http://www.utoronto.ca/seniors
*************************************************************
In the early hours I read in the paper of epoch-making
projects
On the part of pope and sovereigns, bankers and oil barons.
With my other eye I watch
The pot with the water for my tea
The way it clouds and starts to bubble and clears again
And overflowing the pot quenches the fire.
-- Bertolt Brecht
**************************************************************
Dennis Raphael, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Public Health Sciences
Graduate Department of Community Health
University of Toronto
McMurrich Building, Room 308
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M5S 1A8
voice: (416) 978-7567
fax: (416) 978-2087
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
|
