[homeles_ot-l] Take action to stop Bill 106: Faster evictions do not make our communities safer!

[Yutaka Dirks (ACTO)]

Please see the attached leaflet and sample letter to your MPP.  Tell
your MPP to vote against Bill 106 on October 30!

*	* * 

 

Stop Bill 106: Faster evictions do not make our communities safer!

 

Bill 106 - The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act (SCAN) was
introduced as a private member's bill on October 2, 2008.  This Bill
will have serious impacts on the rights of tenants and fails to address
real concerns of community safety.  Bill 106 (SCAN) would enable
municipalities to appoint a Director of Safer Communities and
Neighbourhoods that will accept anonymous allegations of unsafe or
illegal activities occurring on or near specific properties.  The SCAN
Director has sweeping powers to conduct surveillance of accused tenants
and homeowners.  The Director can then apply to Superior Court to evict
the tenant or close the property for up to 90 days through a 'Community
Safety Order'.  

 

You can view the full bill at:
www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=2064

 

Bill 106 (SCAN) will be bad for our communities.

 

- The Residential Tenancies Act and Criminal Code already address unsafe
and illegal activities occurring in residential properties.

 

- SCAN will undermine security of tenure for tenants and lead to an
increase in homelessness.

 

- SCAN violates the rights of tenants to a fair, open process.  

 

- SCAN will violate our right to privacy in our homes.  

 

- SCAN will likely result in human rights violations and
over-investigation of racialized community members.  Women and children
may face homelessness based on allegations against their partners or
other males in the household.

 

- There is no oversight of the SCAN Director. 

 

- SCAN could violate the right to security of the person provided for in
the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.   

 

- Police officers can carry out SCAN-ordered evictions, something they
are not allowed to do under the Residential Tenancies Act.

 

There are no guarantees that SCAN will do much more than move the
offending activities from one community to another.  We need real
solutions that address the root causes of unsafe behaviour including
non-coercive community dispute resolution processes, adequately funded
drug and alcohol treatment programs and social programs for
disenfranchised community members.  Ontario could spend up to $8 million
implementing Bill 106.  Ontario already spends $3.4 billion on policing.
Public dollars are better spent to address the lack of decent,
accessible, affordable housing in Ontario.

 

What you can do to protect the rights of tenants:

 

Write your local MPP and tell them that Bill 106 is a bad idea.  Share
your concerns in a clear, polite manner and urge your MPP to vote for
tenants rights and against Bill 106.  A sample letter is attached to
this email.  Send a copy of your letter to the Honourable Jim Watson,
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and MPP Yasir Naqvi, the MPP
who introduced Bill 106.  You can find the contact information of MPPs
by visiting: www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/member_addresses.do?locale=en

 

You can email the Honourable Jim Watson, Minister of Municipal Affairs
and Housing at:  jwatson.mpp at liberal.ola.org

You can email Yasir Naqvi, MPP at: ynaqvi.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org

 

Spread the word. Forward this email. Print out and distribute the
attached leaflet.  Talk to tenant groups, homeless advocates, community
organizations and others and share your concerns about Bill 106.
Encourage them to write to their MPPs.

 

Bill 106 is scheduled for second reading on October 30, 2008.  Tell your
MPP to vote against Bill 106-SCAN on October 30! 

 

 

For more information on Bill 106, Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods
Act and tenant rights contact the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario by
emailing: dirksy at lao.on.ca

 

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