by Shane Martínez – BASICS Issue #27 (Dec 2011 / Jan 2012)
This ‘NOT FOR(D) SALE’ sign posted up on one of the 700+ Toronto Community Housing buildings and houses slated for sale and/or demolition in the City of Toronto. (Photo by Shane Martínez)
On Saturday, November 26, 2011, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) and its allies held a rally and march in Toronto’s Moss Park neighbourhood. The purpose of the event was to mobilize in anticipation for the city’s announcement of its proposed budget, scheduled to take place the following Monday.
Approximately 100 people took to Sherbourne Street and marched through Moss Park, one of Canada’s poorest urban communities. The location was chosen because this community, like many other marginalized ones in the city, was anticipated to be hard hit by Mayor Rob Ford’s intended cuts to social services, including libraries, childcare and shelters.
While walking behind a banner reading ‘Fight Rob Ford – Stop City Cuts,’ the group chanted “Stop the war on the poor, make the rich pay!” and visited a number of houses alleged to be sites that the city plans on socially cleansing through gentrification. Organizers vowed that “If they don’t build it [affordable social housing], we will take it! We will occupy houses like this!”
The concept of mass occupation was fresh in the minds of many, given the recent activism of the Occupy Movement in countries across the world. Many participants at the march appeared to appreciate that OCAP was developing this concept into direct action to serve the people. One of those participants, Jordan House, commented “I am excited about what people said here today. This is a natural step forward from the Occupy Movement.”
On the following Monday, as the city released its proposed 2012 budget, OCAP was present at the council meeting. The group loudly demanded respect for Toronto’s poor and working class people, and vowed to resist the mayor’s austerity agenda. The proposed budget contained many of the predicted measures, which included terminating 2,300 municipal jobs, increasing TTC fares, closing a number of community pools, and reducing the hours of operation for libraries.
Although protesters were removed by City Hall security guards on Monday, spirits appear to remain high as an organized culture of resistance continues to emerge across Toronto. Indeed, so long as the mayor and his backers continue to cater to the interests of the rich and privileged, we can likely expect to see much more from organizations such as OCAP that are intensifying the fight for economic justice.
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