[mobglob-discuss] Housing Takeover!

[Graeme Bacque]

Housing Takeover!

Public Meeting Wednesday November 3, 2004 7:00pm All Saints Church
(corner of Dundas and Sherbourne)

March, Meal and Squat Saturday November 13, 2004 2:00pm All Saints
Church (corner of Dundas and Sherbourne)

The time for waiting on governments to take action on ending poverty in
Ontario has long been over. We must begin to meet the needs of poor
people and communities ourselves. Last month, OCAP began to answer to
the crisis of hunger in this city by taking and redistributing $3500
worth of food. On November 13, we will begin to deal with the
province-wide housing crisis by opening new housing, putting into use a
building that sits empty and idle because of government and private
developer greed.

Both the City and the Province own dozens of properties in Toronto and
can purchase buildings which could house people immediately if there was
the political will to do it. We are not going to wait for those with
power and wealth to develop that will. We see the need for housing in
our communities grow daily and we will continue to take action to
satisfy that need directly - through squatting those buildings which sit
empty while people prepare for another harsh winter on the streets or in
run-down slums.

Just as there are people in Toronto who feast while others starve,
people who are buried in material goods while others go without, there
are those who horde empty buildings while people sleep on their
doorsteps. Many of these buildings are in livable condition - we know
because we have opened them before and taking the lead from those who
squat to survive, we can and have turned this shameful waste into real
housing.

We are calling on everyone fed up with waiting for lying governments to
come up with concrete change to come out and take action for housing,
for dignity, and for justice. Throughout the coming months we will
continue to take back what is owed to the many people in this city and
province: those hungry will be fed, those who are cold will be clothed,
and on November 13th, those without shelter will be housed.

Join us.

On November 13th please bring: - Tools - Warm Clothes - Couches - Snacks
and Coffee - Pots, Pans, Drums, Music, Noisemakers - Shopping Carts

** Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
10 Britain St. Toronto, ON M5A 1R6
416-925-6939
ocap at tao.ca
www.ocap.ca