[homeles_ot-l] [nhhn-can] United Nations' Special Rapporteur issues strong reprimand, calls for action

[Lynne Browne]

FYI

   _____  

From: Michael Shapcott [mailto:Michael at wellesleyinstitute.com] 
Sent: October 22, 2007 5:33 PM
To: nhhn-can at povnet.org
Cc: hhno-on at povnet.org
Subject: [nhhn-can] United Nations' Special Rapporteur issues strong
reprimand, calls for action

Canada has received both a sharp reprimand and a strong call to action in
the preliminary observations of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the
Right to Adequate Housing, Miloon Kothari, in his preliminary observations
at the end of his fact-finding mission to Canada (October 22, 2007).

The preliminary observations are the first stage towards completing a major
review on Canada’s compliance with its international housing rights
obligations. Mr. Kothari, who visited five Canadian cities and several
Aboriginal communities during his mission from October 9 to 22. He met with
senior government officials, representatives of non-governmental
organizations and people who are directly experiencing Canada’s nation-wide
affordable housing and homelessness crisis.

“Everything I witnessed on this mission confirms the deep and devastating
impact of this national crisis on the lives of women, youth, children and
men,” said Mr. Kothari. “Canada is one of the richest countries in the
world, which makes the prevalence of this crisis all the more striking.”

Mr. Kothari’s preliminary observations are a devastating indictment of
almost two decades of funding cuts by governments in Canada, not just of
housing programs but also income assistance and other initiatives.

“Canada has a reputation around the world for its progressive housing
policies and programmes, but that is no longer the case,” said Mr. Kothari.
“Canada’s successful social housing programme, which created more than half
a million homes starting in 1973, no longer exists. Canada has fallen behind
most countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and development
in its level of investment in affordable housing. Canada has one of the
smallest social housing sectors among developed countries.

Along with his preliminary observations, Mr. Kothari has made a series of
recommendations to the federal government, including:

- a comprehensive national housing strategy, co-ordinated with the provinces
and territories;
- a “large-scale” building of social housing units;
- an immediate extension of the federal government’s affordable housing
programs, which are due to expire at the end of fiscal 2008;
- immediate steps to fully recognize international economic, social and
cultural rights in all Canadian domestic laws;
as part of a national housing strategy, specific initiatives directed at
groups forced onto the margins, including women, Aboriginal people, elders,
youth, members of racialized communities, immigrants and others;
- an immediate extension of the federal housing renovation program that is
due to expire at the end of fiscal 2008;
- a comprehensive fix for the subsidy erosion faced by s.95 housing
co-operatives;
funding and resources to ensure that all Canadians have access to potable
water and proper sanitation;
- an immediate extension of the federal homelessness program, which is due
to expire in fiscal 2008;
- a consistent framework of tenant protection and rent regulation laws
across the country that meet the standards set by international housing
rights laws;
- additional housing allowances as part of a national housing strategy;
- inclusive zoning and planning practices across the country;
- a comprehensive and properly-funded poverty reduction strategy at the
federal level, and with provinces and territories;
measures to address the urgent, short-term and long-term needs of women;
- progressive legislation to address violence against women;
- creation, funding and implementation of programmes and policies to support
women in the area of housing and domestic violence;
- funding and resources to a national Aboriginal housing strategy, on and
off-reserve, that ensures that Aborginal housing and services are under
Aboriginal control;
- a moratorium on oil and extractive activities at Lubicon until a
settlement is reached with the Lubicon Lake Nation;
- specific targets and strategies, and independent monitoring, of the
Vancouver Olympics;
- funding and programmes to sustain non-governmental organizations over
time;
- the development of proper statistics and indicators for homelessness and
housing insecurity.

Over the next four months, Mr. Kothari will continue to monitor the
activities of the federal, provincial and territorial governments, and will
work with non-governmental organizations in Canada to develop a
comprehensive report on housing and homelessness in Canada.

More to follow...

- Michael

* * *

Michael Shapcott, Senior Fellow
The Wellesley Institute
45 Charles Street East, #101
Toronto, ON., Canada M4Y 1S2
Tel. - 416-972-1010, x231
Mobile - 416-605-8316
Fax - 416-921-7228
HYPERLINK "http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/"www.wellesleyinstitute.com

 

Lynne Browne 
Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness 
147 Besserer Street, Ottawa ON  K1N 6A7 
613-241-7913 x 205, lbrowne at ysb.on.ca 
www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca 

 







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