Tuesday 20 April 2021

LOCKDOWNS Build Wealth For the Wealthy & SILENCE the Citizen Voice

Yesterday got me to thinking ... if this were happening in the time of the Suffragettes, women would never have gotten the right to vote. This is but one uber important example of how unity and pressure via masses of individual voices and bodies, changed history.

So in that thought I pushed on to current events & asked myself if this is a fair comparison. Is there anything happening today as important as the female citizen's voices being counted for political change?

A vote is important but a home is a human right. Without a home, could you even develop an educated opinion to cast a vote? Ask a homeless person when last they voted. Could you heal?  Could you build?  Could you grow?

Right now, Landlords and the LTB are holding eviction hearings for non-payment of rent.

I would say tenant rights are up there with the vote. We vote once every few years but we need a home every single day.

In big cities, gatherings of tenants have stopped evictions in a wonderful, heart-swelling example of humanity.

LOCKDOWN.

Ever wonder if our rich Politicians are doing this for other reasons? My city is currently in a housing crisis yet our member of Federal Parliament owns a rental company with some of the highest rates in the city. These are rates that could soon be raised but to do so, he must get rid of the tenants therein.

DIG

Evictions Ontario clearly illustrates what our Premier thinks of tenant rights:

"In late April 2021, the Ontario government is scheduled to introduce Bill 276, the Supporting Recovery and Competitiveness Act. Buried in the bill is an amendment to the Statutory Powers Procedure Act which sets fines of up to $25,000 for the recording and sharing of online tribunal hearing proceedings. As the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board continues to churn out hundreds of eviction orders each week, the government is moving to eliminate exposure of mass evictions by targeting tenant organizers with massive fines."  READ MORE HERE   

A few years ago my building experienced an above guideline rent increase. When I and others reached out for help from our local Member of Political Parliament we were told to unite, to build a team in solidarity. We signed a petition in the foyer because so few had internet access. One elderly neighbor signed in her housecoat and slippers, hooked up to oxygen, pushing her walker. She had to catch her breath before she could sign. I remember thinking, when I grow up, I wanna be that strong. She's now passed, growing wee greens up there with my Daddy but her phenomenal effort saves me money each month.

Please don't stop paying attention to your neighbors and the struggles they face. We believe the Landlord and Tenant Board is just but they are proving quite the opposite. The more you know; the more power you have.

DIG.






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