A-Infos (en) Canada, Toronto, OCAP* housing takeover Nov. 13, 2004

[Worker <a-infos-en@ainfos.ca>]

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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)
Doctor's Hospital, 399 King St. E., 88-90 Carlton St., 53 Dundas St. E.
(Mission Press), 1510 King St. W. (Pope Squat), 213 Parliament St. , 558
Gerrard St. E. (Gatekeeper Squat)
What do these addresses all have in common?
They're all abandoned buildings that OCAP has taken over in the fight for
housing. One forced the opening of a homeless shelter, another was turned
into housing for seniors, another became a squat with 25 residents for
over 3 months, and still another forced a politician to sign away his
federal seat in the House of Commons!

The Fight for Affordable Housing Must and WIll Continue

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
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* [Ed. Note: OCAP is antiauthoritarian anticapitalist
direct action social struggle initiative.]


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