OCAP

Audio: Toronto vs. the G20

Mick — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:32:20 -0700

Audio from panel discussion on economic justice in Ontario, recorded at the Toronto vs. the G20 teach-in, Saturday, 5 June 2010

Speakers:
Rekha Sharma, Unite Here Local 75;
Ajamu Nangwaya, CUPE Ontario;
AJ Withers, DAMN/OCAP

Recorded by Anabel, and edited by Candace, CHRY 105.5 FM

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.”

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.

Anti-poverty protestors disrupt financial district

Mick — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:13:18 -0800

by Geordie Gwalgen Dent
Toronto Media Coop

TORONTO — Under a blanket of hail, rain and cold weather, 250 anti-poverty protesters marched on the financial centre of Toronto on Nov. 5, The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) organized march took aim at government policy during the recession. The Canadian Federation of Students – Ontario held a separate march on the same day to the Ontario legislature.

“We wanted to participate [on] that day and march into the financial district to point out who is benefiting within this crisis,” says Lisa Schofield, an organizer with OCAP.

OCAP stands up for man beaten at homeless shelter

Greg — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:51:19 -0700

http://ocap.ca/node/739

Man severely beaten and dumped on sidewalk over dispute about a sandwich.

Press Conference
Dare: Thursday, July 9
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Seaton House, 339 George Street
(east of Jarvis Street, south of Gerrard Street)

OCAP to hold press conference; please come and support OCAP and condemn the assault of homeless man by City management at Seaton House.

Man severely beaten and dumped on sidewalk over dispute about a sandwich.

On June 24TH, 2009, Brian DuBourdieu went to The Seaton House men's shelter in downtown Toronto, to get something to eat and a night's sleep. Instead, he ended up spending the night in the emergency room of St. Mike's hospital.

Activists Demand for Action in Aid of The Homeless

EdwardW — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:47:23 -0800

On Tuesday, as a result of the death of another homeless person, an Aboriginal man who froze to death in a stairwell at Yonge and Charles, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty organized an emergency action at Toronto City Hall. According to Gaetan Heroux, an OCAP organizer, city officials laughably claimed that there were adequate shelter spaces and service provisions for the homeless, defying claims by the very people, social workers and others, staffed at the shelters.