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

[Terrie]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dana Milne (ISAC) <milned at lao.on.ca>



 FYI...


Dana Milne
Provincial Organizer
Income Security Advocacy Centre


 ------------------------------
*From:* Yutaka Dirks (ACTO)
*Sent:* October 27, 2008 5:33 PM
*To:* Clinic Staff - (Excl. CSO CRO QSO & SLAS)
*Subject:* Take action to stop Bill 106: Faster, unfair evictions do not
make our communities safer!

 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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-- 
Terrie ( mocharebyl at gmail.com )
"If you see an injustice being committed, you aren't an observer, you are a
participant." June Callwood
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and
renders the present inaccessible.  Maya Angelou
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