The Dominion - Ottawa

From the Lower End of Ottawa's Carrot Patch

Wed, 25 Aug 2004 23:44:55 +0000

The homeless action strike is seeking an end to the criminalization of poverty and dissent.

The Dominion continues to take the Ottawa streets by storm. Distribution is stable at 5000. There are approximately 15 carriers selling regularly.

I spoke with community police liaison officer Ruth Armstrong about Don's ticket and the other two tickets. Ruth advised that two of the tickets were given because the carriers were to close to a bus stop; it was not because the distribution of the paper was illegal. She did not yet have information about the third ticket but she thinks it might have been an officer that was not familiar with the department's supportive decision on the distribution of the paper.

There are still a few officers who, while not ticketing carriers, still harass them. Prosanto Smith was hassled three times last week. Once an officer advised that he was going to ticket him for spitting on the sidewalk and the other two times he was told he was under investigation for some unspecified crime.

It is my hope that all police officers get the message that distribution of the paper is legal, and that those renegade officers who continue to harass carriers face consequences for their unjustified actions.

General Street Policing Practices

While the de facto ban on panhandling is oppressive and unjust, there is also an issue with the way street persons are treated by police. I have witnessed four instances where a proper investigation would have ruled out an arrest.

Ottawa police have a practice of arresting street people without taking witness statements from those present at the time an alleged crime took place. They claim that it is the responsibility of the accused to get the witness statements and these witnesses can testify in court.

A person who is being arrested cannot possibly coordinate such an operation while being removed from the scene. S/he does not always know who the witnesses are or how to locate them. Even if the arrestee does locate the witnesses s/he cannot compel them to cooperate in the way a police officer can.

I discovered this practice when I was arrested this past week while trying to keep an innocent homeless woman from being seized by police. The police arrested her based on accusations from another woman, who claimed that she had been assaulted. There were several witnesses prepared to advise police that the woman being detained had not assaulted the other woman.

Police said that they were going to take statements, but did not. One officer had to leave in an ambulance with the accused-the trauma had caused her to have a panic attack. The other officers began leaving without taking statements. I stood behind the last vehicle in protest, and was arrested for obstructing a police officer. Due to the bail conditions imposed I could not return to the protest site.

I have had some discussions with the police administration about this irresponsible practice; it was defended. I am currently preparing a formal complaint about this unacceptable policy. This may require political or court intervention.

Homeless Action Strike

As the Homeless Action Strike successfully approaches its 400th day at City Hall near the Human Rights Monument, the 15 homeless strikers are safe from criminalization of their protest, but still feel vulnerable.

"The City is trying to cooperate with us now which is giving advancement and legitimacy to our cause," said Homeless Strike spokesperson Ryan McGrath. "Although we are very pleased by the support and success we have had so far we still need to see more results because we are afraid of a police raid before our issues are resolved."

I spent the first 17 days helping to set up the strike location, which has since been dubbed "Camp Where-Else". The homeless campers took more and more responsibility as time went on and a good degree of solidarity developed. On July 18-the day after the police arrested me and imposed bail conditions barring me from the camp-15 policemen led by Sergeant Terrie Walsh arrived at the camp, and attempted to shut it down. The strikers refused to cooperate with the attempted eviction. Police subsequently said it would be alright for the strikers to protest-but without tents. The protesters were advised that they had until the next morning to remove their tents or the tents would be confiscated and the protest would be shut down.

Press was notified and all tents moved onto the Human Rights Monument property, which is attached to the southwest corner of City Hall property, to avoid being shut down. Strike organizer Andre Brisebois called on George Wilks, one of the original founders of the Human Rights Monument, for help.

George intervened on behalf of the committee in defence of the homeless strikers and strongly advised the city and police not to remove the strikers from their protest.

The next day, members of the press arrived en masse and stayed all day waiting for the police raid, which never occurred. Instead, representatives of the police advised the strikers that they could stay as long as they followed basic rules (which of course they were already following). The police also advised the press that the protesters were peaceful.

Through the strength of the 15 homeless persons on site and with the clear support of the Monument Committee, Homeless Action Strike demands the following:

* Resolution by city council to refrain from ordering the police to brutalize protestors; stop the punishment and criminalization of dissent;

* Resolution by city council to cease ordering the police and the state to arrest and prosecute panhandlers if they are not aggressive;

* Resolution to find immediate and humane solutions to homelessness issues;

* Public apology to Jane Scharf and the other Homeless Action Strike protesters, to Heidi Rimke, and to all the members of the Seven Year Squat for the criminalization of our dissenting voices in direct violation of our constitutional right to freely express our political opinions on social problems without prosecution.

Sean McKenny, President of the Ottawa District Labour Council, is assisting in negotiations with the mayor's office through John Crupi, the mayor's press secretary. So far no offers of resolution have been made to the strikers.

Andre Brisebois is coordinating a petition in support of the homeless and their plight. Copies will be available online shortly at:

Email address for the Homeless Action Strike is:

Strikers still need help with food, clothing, blankets, photocopies for the petition, and phone numbers for a phone tree that will be called on for witnesses to attend the site if police try to close the strike down.

To put your phone number on the phone tree contact John Dunn at .

Jane Scharf

Homeless Action Strike, other news

Planned Detox Closure Endangers Staff, Clients

Wed, 25 Aug 2004 23:35:31 +0000

Thirty years after its opening, the City of Ottawa is planning to shut down the Bruyere Street Detoxification Unit. Social workers and citizens are calling the planned closure a critical mistake. The Detox Unit, which is the only centre of its kind in Ottawa, provides services for those suffering from drug and alcohol addictions. If no sponsor steps forward, the Detox Unit could be closed in the fall.

Virginia Hamilton, Executive Director of the Detox Unit, said that the Sisters of Charity and Health Services Board of Directors made the decision to close the Detoxification Centre permanently in April. The Ministry also learned it would be responsible for locating a new sponsoring Schedule One Hospital.

"The Monfort hospital made some effort to provide some financial support but this fell through because their own budget was overextended. I am still hopeful that we will find ways and means to stay open," said Hamilton.

Mayor Bob Chiarelli and Counselor George Bedard have both professed interest in seeking support to keep the Detox Unit open.

No new sponsor has yet been found.

"I have found the task of seeking sponsorship to keep the centre open very tenuous," said Ms. Hamilton. In fact, she said the pending October 1st closure of the 30-year-old unit has created a stressful environment for those working in the facility and those requiring services.

21 (CUPE) unionized staff members keep the 26-bed unit running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Detox Unit provides services to people of diverse ages and backgrounds who suffer from addiction. In addition, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) offers a spirited force to the Detox Unit where volunteers from local groups gather for meetings six days and evenings per week.

The Detox Unit has space for 20 men and six women. For the last 20 years, the space has been divided by gender, as most women are not comfortable in a shared or co-ed environment.

Tracy Bellamy has started an online petition, which she plans to present to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. The petition is an appeal to keep the Detox Unit open. "I am asking that if you agree with the content of the petition that you sign it, send it to people on your contact list. This is a very worthwhile cause," said Bellamy.

"It is literally a matter of life and death for many people."

The petition can be found at www.petitiononline.com/2411525/petition.html

Thirty year old Detox unit is the only one in Ottawa

Small Victory for the Poor and Homeless

Wed, 25 Aug 2004 23:32:36 +0000

Activists put up "Wanted" posters around the city bearing the likeness of Ottawa Mayor Bob Chiarelli. The group says Chiarelli is "wanted for a citizens' arrest" because he has "committed crimes against panhandlers, homeless and protestors." They say he has continually incited police to violence against these groups-including seven-year squatters and homeless action strikers. A citizens' posse was formed to arrest the mayor at his City Hall office at high noon August 16.

Members of the Homeless Action Strike and supporters located on City Hall property since July 1 stormed the Heritage Building, which houses the mayor's office. The group occupied the hallway outside Chiarelli's office and demanded a meeting to make charges of crimes against homeless, panhandlers and protestors.

The main players in this action were Ryan McGrath, Laura Doepe, panhandlers Prosconto Smith and Sue Clark, and squeegee kid Jesse McVicar. Several other activists and members of the press were also present for the occupation.

Police kicked Proscanto Smith's wheelchair out of the way, handcuffing him and issuing a ticket for panhandling. He was there to read charges about the abuse of panhandlers on Ottawa streets.

Jesse was there to issue charges that the city of Ottawa is not protecting children who are wards of the Children's Aid Society from neglect and abuse. Once these children are released from care, he said, they become street youth caught in a brutal cycle of deprivation and abuse. Further, he charged the mayor for failing to accord the necessary resources and compassion to meet the needs of these homeless persons; instead they are regularity arrested for panhandling and sleeping outside.

Sue Clark charged that the mayor is orchestrating a war on the poor. She said she wanted to let him know that they are not going to take it anymore.

Ryan and Laura led the demands for the mayor to meet the group to hear the charges. Initially the mayor refused to meet the group, calling the charges a "dead issue". The group asserted that they would not leave the building until a meeting was agreed to. The group read demands over a megaphone, played a siren, blew whistles and banged their fists on the door.

After a two hour standoff, city officials agreed to a meeting with the group, though a date has not been set.

Under pressure, mayor agrees to meet protesters

Canoeing trip ends in disaster

Wed, 25 Aug 2004 23:31:18 +0000

by Jane Scharf

When news that Marshal Miner-a carrier at The Dominion-lost his cousin Rob Fowler in a canoeing accident, fellow carriers were struck with deep sadness. The two men were on a canoe trip involving three busloads of participants organized by Centre 454 drop-in for a group of homeless men and women.

In tears, Miner described how his cousin Rob Fowler, a 26-year-old homeless man, drowned when their canoe capsized on Lake Philippe in Gatineau Park on July 27th at 1:45 p.m.

"After we went out the wind came up and started rocking the boat and we went over the side." Miner said. They had been out on the water for about 45 minutes. They were both panicking and tried to swim to the shore, but it was too far. Then they tried to swim back to the overturned canoe. By this point, they were about 20 minutes from the shore of Breton Beach.

"I made it back," said Miner, "but Rob had trouble keeping his head above water. I think he went under two or three times and got water in his lungs. I tried to grab Rob but I couldn't reach him."

Shortly after the spill an employee from Centre 454 arrived to try and help the men but was unable to help Rob.

"This was such a tragedy," Miner said sadly, "because things were looking up for Rob. He was going to move into his own apartment in Centretown today. He was a really good guy."

Two carriers, Marshal's sister Tammy Gillet and Homeless Action Strike Organizer Andre Brisebois both requested a note of condolence from the Dominion to Rob's family and friends and especially to Marshal who is very disturbed by the loss of his dear cousin.

Rob moved to Ottawa from Fredericton, N.B. about four years ago and was well known around Ottawa streets. He was living at the Shepard's of Good Hope on the day of the accident.

Both men had life jackets with them in the boat but didn't have time to put them on before the boat turned over.

Police continue to look for the body and the National Capital Commission has closed the beach until further notice.

26-year-old homeless man drowned

From the Lower End of Ottawa's Carrot Patch

Wed, 21 Jul 2004 22:00:21 +0000

The Ottawa edition of the Dominion, which is distributed by the poor and homeless, has been very well received by police, city officials, and the Sparks Street and Byward Market authorities, as well as by the media and the general public. We have had a particularly generous level of support from the Ottawa District Labour Council, Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Ottawa-Outaouais Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), which has taken panhandlers on as a bargaining unit.

CTV aired a very positive piece on the Dominion and our Panhandlers Union this week. Previously the New RO ran a story and the Ottawa Xpress ran two articles. I believe that it is both the quality of the paper and its practical value in offering some viable alternative to panhandling that makes it so popular.

Generally, Police have been very positive and supportive about the Dominion from the beginning. There have been two instances when police told people selling the Dominion to move on--once on Bank St. and once on Elgin St. On these occasions the carriers did not speak up--they were frightened and did as they were asked. Since then I have visited the police station and the staff sergeant on duty advised that as long as we are soliciting donations for the paper this activity is legal. He asked us for a copy of the Dominion for each area staff sergeant in the downtown core and said he would provide each of them with a copy of the paper and my number. If any of them had a problem with distributing the paper, they were to call me. Over two weeks have passed, and I have not received any calls; nor have there been further incidents with police since.

Although the Dominion offers a little economic opportunity for some very poor folks it is not "the solution" to poverty and homelessness. Nor is it the case that all poor and homeless persons can or want to distribute the paper.

The greater issue of abuse of panhandlers and homeless persons still exists. For example, four young homeless men were panhandling on Rideau St. when two Ottawa police officers came by. The four men advised me that they were treated aggressively and one young man was hurt for not producing identification (which he did not have) rapidly enough. All four were ticketed for aggressive panhandling. All four men advise that they were passively sitting against a wall with a sign. As I left Rideau Street that afternoon I saw these men panhandling and indeed all they were doing was quietly sitting against the wall with a sign. I have seen individuals getting tickets for aggressive panhandling even though they were behaving very gently and nonintrusively.

In the above case the officers were very aggressive in their manner and threatened that the young men would be put in jail if they continued to panhandle in Ottawa. They also advised them that it was their job as police to make sure that Ottawa did not have any homeless people in the city this summer.

There are only a few very mean-spirited police officers in this city and I hear stories about these same officers over and over. Based on the stories of abuse from last summer, and more recently, I would estimate that there are probably five officers who need to be disciplined for their conduct towards homeless panhandlers. I am prepared to publish the names of officers who refuse to clean up their act when it comes to abuse of carriers and or panhandlers.

The Homeless Action Strike--now on day 361--still continues against the Safe Streets Act and Brian's Law, which criminalize homelessness. The mayor has refused to meet me (as requested in my letter--see Dominion #18, May 2004) to resolve the issue of police violence to against our strike under the Terry Fox Bridge, which was directed at the provincial government. The mayor's press secretary, John Crupi, has advised me informally that it was not the mayor who ordered the eviction of the seven year squat and the Homeless Action Strike and the arrest of Heidi Remki--it was Chief Bevan of the Ottawa Police. However, my experience and information do not support this accusation.

There will be a Homeless Hunger Strike at City Hall in Ottawa by a man named Christ Keats, who has been homeless for several years. He is protesting for the right to exist. For a full statement of what Chris is demanding write me at dn701@ncf.ca for a copy of the demands being made by Chris and his supporters.

It is my hope that the Dominion will continue to gain support and grow into a viable community enterprise that can offer many stable and meaningful jobs to the poorest members of our community. To date, four persons have stated that the Dominion has helped them off the streets: Richard Bellmore, Ryan Campbell, and Tammy and Tommy Gillet.

Jane Scharf is the Ottawa coordinator of the Dominion.

Raise the Rates: Demonstrators

Wed, 21 Jul 2004 21:59:07 +0000

On June 11, a crowd of approximately 50 welfare recipients, disability pensioners, homeless people, and concerned citizens from all walks of life (some in wheel chairs) gathered underneath the Terry Fox bridge in Ottawa for the "Raise the Rates" protest. The demonstrators were there to demand a 40 percent increase in welfare and provincial disability rates. Music, food and camaraderie figured prominently in the protest, which was directed at the provincial assembly building at 10 Rideau St.

Ontario's Liberal Government recently announced a three percent increase in disability pension rates. Activists say that this falls well short of the 40 percent cuts that have accumulated over the past 20 years. Provincial disability pensions only increased by $2.50 in 1992. That left the maximum rate at $950, which must pay for a variety of disability needs. Subsequently, welfare rates were slashed by 21 percent, leaving the maximum rate at $520. Most homeless people do not receive any welfare money unless they are staying at a shelter, in which case they get $112 per month.

Organizer Dan Sawyer of Anti-capitalist Action (ACA ) said that the demonstration is the first of a series of protests planned for the coming months, including a regional planning event in Ottawa at the end of July.

Before a banner displaying the slogan "an injury to one is an injury to all", the protesters spoke in turn about the provincial government's record, and the need to take direct action to secure better treatment for the disadvantaged.

Among the speakers were Jane Scharf from the Homeless Action Strike, Sue Clark of the Canadian Advocates for Psychiatrized Persons, Homeless Action Strike activist Ryan Campbell, Bad Cops No Donut Campaign co-founder, and Lisa Freeman from the 7 year Squat. Michelle Levett spoke on behalf of disability pensioners. Other speakers included Witness Interview Support Program coordinator Bud Abraham and Paul Smith from the Ticket Defense Program.

Speakers cited examples of unfair policy, exacerbated poverty, and criminalization of homelessness and dissent, drawing cries of "shame, shame" from the crowd.

Ryan Campbell played one of the major roles in last year's two-month Homeless Action Strike protest of laws criminalizing homelessness. Ryan, who is also involved in the Ticket Defense Program and the Panhandlers Union, expressed relief that the Witness Group had attended the protest in case difficulties arose with police. "The Witnesses made a huge difference in the way the police treated us," said Campbell.

Ottawa's Homeless Fight Back

Wed, 07 Apr 2004 06:30:56 +0000

The number of homeless in Ontario is on the rise. So is the enforcement of the Safe Streets Act, which bans panhandling, and various other legislation designed to keep people off the streets. While homeless people are traditionally among society's least politically influential citizens, many homeless people in Ottawa are working to change that.

Working with antipoverty activists and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), homeless people have initiated a panhandlers' union in Ottawa. The union will act as a means of support for individual members who are targeted by police or have difficulties with the government. The union will also provide the possibility of a livelihood by supplying newspapers for panhandlers to sell.

Jane Scharf and Richard Beltmore on Daly Street. The new panhandlers' union will assist homeless people with legal aid and lobby for changes to anti-panhandling legislation. photo: Jeff Clark

On the Need for a Street Newspaper in Ottawa

Wed, 07 Apr 2004 05:47:40 +0000

During a protest that I conducted on Rideau Street in the summer of 2002, I noticed some very disturbing things about the homeless population. The vast majority were youth, and almost all the long time street people that I had met over the years were nowhere to be seen. And despite the massive cuts to the welfare system, I noticed that the number of homeless persons had remained constant. This did not make any sense. I knew by experience that the vast majority of people who were cut off welfare would not have been capable of going to work because of the major barriers to employment.

I studied the situation as closely as I could. What I discovered was alarming: 650,000 people were cut off welfare following the enactment of the Social Assistance Reform Act of 1997. To hide the anticipated increase in panhandling and homelessness, the Progressive Conservative Government of Ontario began to sweep the streets under new provincial legislation that made it illegal to be homeless. Panhandling and squeegeeing were criminalized under the Safe Streets Act, and massive numbers of homeless people were placed in jail under new legislation that mandated the incarceration of homeless people even if they were not a danger to themselves or others, the previous standard. Jails were used to hold people waiting for a psychiatric assessment under regressive changes to the Mental Health act known as Brian's Law. The holding time was lengthy, as the number of hospital beds was cut dramatically during the same period of time. Judges and prison officials complained publicly about this swamping of the jails.

I planned a protest of these two pieces of legislation last summer at 10 Rideau in front of the provincial welfare offices. About thirty homeless persons--mostly youths--joined me. We set up what we called the Homeless Action Strike under the Terry Fox Bridge, adjacent to the provincial welfare offices. These homeless persons gave testimony to the press about the treatment they had been receiving by the welfare system and police. The strike lasted two months during which time we did a lot of exposure of these issues that we like to think helped the Conservatives lose the election.

During the protest I witnessed police brutalization of homeless persons, especially around panhandling and sleeping outside. Physical violence and verbal abuse was common. I was subject to violence by police when they shut down our protest under the pretext that our protest sign was against a bylaw that prohibits the erecting of a business sign. I was roughly removed from the protest sight and placed in jail for non-violently refusing to relinquish our sign which said "Living at the Ritz Under the Bridge." I simply sat on the sign and refused to hand it over. The ticket for the sign was never filed with the court yet I am still charged for "criminal mischief" for refusing to surrender the sign.

We had a petition against the Safe Streets Act and Brian's Law calling for a reinstatement of welfare rights circulated which will be read in the Provincial Legislature shortly by the Liberal MLA Phil McNealy.

The resulting media attention did serve to slightly improve the response to youth by the welfare system and to reduce the brutality of the homeless panhandlers by police. The team of outreach workers and police that had been picking up homeless persons was disbanded.

"650,000 people were cut off welfare following the enactment of the Social Assistance Reform Act of 1997."

However, the homeless are still being ticketed for panhandling and sleeping outside. Homelessness is a shameful and unnecessary feature of life in the Capital city of one of the world's richest countries. Unfortunately, maintaining the most minimal human rights and dignity for homeless people is what is most pressing right now, and there is much work to be done.

With the help of the Ottawa Industrial Workers of the World, we are organizing panhandlers as a bargaining unit. Together, we are recruiting volunteers to provide support to panhandlers filing complaints to police and in securing legal assistance for panhandling and illegal camping tickets.

What is most urgently needed is a way to respond productively to the criminalization of panhandling and the lack of economic opportunities for the homeless. A newspaper is a straightforward way to address both of these needs.

Unlike most urban centres in Canada, Ottawa does not have a street newspaper. In other cities, street newspapers provide a source of income for homeless people.

In addition to meeting needs, a street newspaper can be a powerful tool for calling attention to the reality of the streets where it is sold. It should include the views and serve the interests of the common folk and the disenfranchised, not just the wealthy and powerful people who own all of the major newspapers in Canada.

I checked out many papers as possible candidates.

"Unlike most urban centres in Canada, Ottawa does not have a street newspaper. In other cities, street newspapers provide a source of income for homeless people."

A friend of mine recommended that I check out the Dominion. Right away I recognized that this paper had the kind of integrity that fit the bill.

In the Dominion, I found coverage of citizens' resistance of government and corporate corruption and stories about the rebuilding of our Canadian communities.

A deal was struck with the Dominion to include an Ottawa section in the paper to give it local significance and the first publication will hit the streets next week. Poor and homeless persons will sell the paper as a source of income for themselves.

I myself am on such a low income I find it necessary to panhandle. On April second--my birthday--I got a ticket for $70. I had a verbal argument with the police officers, which resulted in a discussion about the need to panhandle. I mentioned the plans for a street newspaper, and to my surprise, they indicated that they approved of this plan.

I am hopeful that the Dominion will make much needed access to truth and social justice for the poor and homeless in Ottawa possible.

Jane Scharf is the Ottawa Coordinator of the Dominion