Ontario Coalition Against Poverty activists remind city they exist, are loud, frequently arrested
The city’s budget committee meeting had just gotten around to announcing some pretty horrifying news—2012 is looking to have a budget shortfall of about a half-billion dollars—when its grim work was interrupted by some unexpected guests: the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty. Obscenities were shouted, drums were beaten (seriously—OCAP apparently formed an impromptu drum circle) and eventually protesters were dragged away by the police. Particularly amusing was Doug Ford’s attempt at community outreach. According to reports, the mayor’s brother told one of the louder protestors to “get a job.”
According to the Toronto Star:
After Ontario Coalition Against Poverty protesters stormed a meeting of city council’s budget committee Thursday morning, committee vice-chair Doug Ford told a confrontational protester to “get a job” — echoing a comment his brother and then-councillor Rob Ford made to an OCAP supporter during a similar demonstration at City Hall in 2005.
The radio station 680 News captured Doug Ford’s comment on tape. Asked about it during the budget committee’s lunch break, Ford said, “I didn’t say ‘Get a job,’ not at all. Show me on tape when I said that.” Told that reporters had listened to the tape, he did not respond; a security guard then escorted him out of the committee room.
When OCAP protesters stormed a council meeting in 2005, Rob Ford said, “I’m working. Why don’t you get a job.”
We would never dream of questioning the credentials of either Ford brother, who got their pre-politics jobs from the family firm, but we do love the return of the late 1960s to Toronto’s politics. Perhaps with the recent comeback of classic rock like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, Canadian politics can start using metaphors exclusively from the that era. We’d suggest the coming budget catastrophe in this city is starting to look a lot like Altamont.
• ‘Get a job,’ Doug Ford tells OCAP protester [Toronto Star]
• Update: Arrests made as OCAP protest shuts down budget meeting [National Post]
This is not about poverty it is about self interest.
OCAP is protesting the cut of $100,000 to the Tenant Defence Fund that goes to a group that employs OCAP’s top brass.
The only poverty OCAP tries to prevent is that of their own leaders.
It was OCAP’s abuse of the provincial Special Diet program that led to a major cutback on that.
With friends like OCAP the poor don’t need any more enemies.
People who own Canada goose jackets should probably not wear them when pretending to be poverty activists. Just sayin.
it was a well trained marching band. they rehearse, have marching band instruments and are awesome.
you guys are making shit up so you can argue it. ocap did not abuse the special diet and it’s no surprise if involved poverty activists have jobs that involve helping poor people. also, it’s not a canada goose jacket. look a little closer before you make your cheap, superficial comments (and then hopefully you wouldn’t have to make these silly comments at all)
The louder and more violent these idiots get, the more invisible their cause becomes.
Maybe if they got a job, like the normal people like us have, they’d have less time for their nonsense!
For the record, I’m making just over minimum wage, but at least I have the self-respect and dignity to pay my own way, not by hand-outs!
Dear TR (aka “SF”) Actual evidence of the connection between FMTA and OCAP would make your constant spamming more tolerable, but you don’t have any. Where I work, there are a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses who are very active and also contribute funds to the organization. By your logic, my workplace is run by/provides financial support to Jehovah’s Witnesses and should be investigated.
Is it just me, or does the OCAP insignia have a strong resemblance to the Mohawk Warrior flag?
Another parallel; they’re both anti-social s*** disturbers.
Actual evidence of the connection between FMTA and OCAP would make your constant spamming more tolerable, but you don’t have any. Where I work, there are a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses who are very active and also contribute funds to the organization. By your logic, my workplace is run by/provides financial support to Jehovah’s Witnesses and should be investigated.
The city’s right wing auditor Jeffrey Griffiths is behind this and we know he wants to kill all necessary services for the poor and tenants.
We need to get this bastard fired.
Email him at Jeff.Griffiths@toronto.ca or call him at 416-392-8461 and let him know we won’t stand for this!
You do not have to be homeless or living in poverty to have a social conscience and realize that marginalized people do not have the same access to education (yes its expensive), food, shelter, clothing,dental…everything that everyone has a right to expect in a democratic country. OCAP gives voice to the poor and what is so wrong with that??? Why does poverty exist in a rich country like Canada?Because 90% of the wealth is owned by 5% of the population (the rich whom the government represents and dares not to over tax) The middle class needs to wake up now ,their numbers are dwindling as they get poorer over time…you are 55% poorer now than you were in 1994…..how many middle class people can afford to buy a house today compared to 5-10-15-20 years ago???