Being homeless isn't a crime, despite Premier Ford incorrectly conflating drugs, criminality, and homelessness. However, Ford *does* point out that encampments have increased under his tenure — true, and largely because of his own government's policies. www.cp24.com/video/2025/0...

In the Waterloo ruling RE: encampments, Justice Valente set out that any offer of shelter to encampment residents must be truly accessible to meet their unique needs. It isn't adequate to simply hold any shelter space in order to meet the legal requirements. /1 www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/loca...

I also have a short piece about Ontario's Bill 10 in this issue of @thegrindto.bsky.social, correcting RA's reporting and getting into the historical precedents the war on drugs set across the border. Thanks to @dianacmcnally.bsky.social for her tireless advocacy. www.thegrindmag.ca/nightlife-br...

Nine encampment residents are facing imminent eviction from Dufferin Grove. Technically, the City is following its own Interdivisional Protocol for Encampments (IDP), which allows for these evictions — a caveat I've been critical of since the IDP's inception. /1 www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-h...

Toronto! Do you live and work in Parkdale? Your neighbours are organizing in support of our local supervised consumption site, which has been overwhelmed since the closure of other sites. Join us in defending harm reduction and life-saving services in Parkdale and beyond: tinyurl.com/SupportSCSin...

NGL, joining Stripper News to talk about Doug Ford criminalizing homelessness and people who use drugs is a highlight! Full episode here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8UY...

Posted this on Twitter for impact but figure folks here would like to see it too: yesterday toured the new shelter that's in the news for making a certain demo of neighbours mad. Unsurprisingly, it's awesome. I'm gonna show you why.

Bill 10 slipped under the radar of the media, but it has major implications for music venues and supportive housing that could shut them down. An unlikely ally in a fight against this legislation, which passed yesterday, will be Ontario's music community. ra.co/news/82933

Rally held outside Queen’s Park over Bill 6 which criminalizes #homelessness and conflates it with addiction. Thank you @dianacmcnally.bsky.social for your tireless efforts organizing & pushing back against this harmful & dangerous piece of legislation. #ONpoli cp24.com/video/2025/0...

"Bill 6 is Doug Ford deflecting responsibility for the housing and homelessness crisis directly onto the victims of this crisis," [McNally] said. And today, the coward banned us from entering the building so that he could pass Bill 6 without disruption. www.torontotoday.ca/local/politi...

Our Rally to Rescind Bill 6 was heard loud and clear, with support from the NDP, Greens, and Liberals. But Doug Ford expedited the Bill's passing today bc of a new rule that bans protestors from entering the legislature for 24 hrs after a protest. He kept us out to pass Bill 6!

TOMORROW! We are the Encampment Justice Coalition, and we're Rallying to Rescind Bill 6 across Ontario! With support from the Ontario NDP, Greens, and Liberals, we are asking Premier Ford to rescind Bill 6, which gives homeless people jail time and $10,000 fines — not housing. Join us in your city!

This is bad: the Ford government's Bill 25 gives the Minister of Children, Community & Social Services new powers to issue directives to ministry-funded entities. Bill 25 can be used to force government ideology into community services under threat of defunding. www.ola.org/en/legislati...

Join me this Thursday, May 29th at 11:30am at Queen's Park for the Rally to Rescind Bill 6! Help us tell Premier Ford that homelessness isn't a crime. Give people housing, not jail time! Can't make it to Queen's Park? Join our Ottawa, Port Hope, or Kingston rallies at the same time!

A smart and powerful take down of Doug Ford’s MAGA inspired criminalization of people experiencing homelessness by @dianacmcnally.bsky.social www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

My latest op-ed for @thestar.com: when it comes to encampments, Doug Ford is looking south of the border when he should be looking west. Ontario is importing failed American policies to punish homelessness, while Manitoba is doing what works: housing people. www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

In St. Thomas — the riding of ON Housing Minister Rob Flack — local police are experiencing far fewer calls related to homeless people. Why? Because instead of criminalizing homelessness, St. Thomas has invested in supportive housing. Rescind Bill 6! stps.on.ca/calls-for-se...

As we face an economic crisis, just wild that Doug Ford's 2025 budget has freezes and cuts — including investments below inflation, which are effectively cuts — across the board for human services. Protecting Ontario clearly doesn't mean protecting people, let alone investing in them.

Advocates accuse Doug Ford's government of targeting the homeless with its new Bill 6. It "doesn’t actually solve homelessness, it just punishes people," says @dianacmcnally.bsky.social.

Thursday at noon! Phone zap to push to recind Bill 6 #carenotcriminalization

Want to help us send a message to Doug Ford to commit to housing, not jails, for homeless people? Join our Bill 6 phone / email zap this Thursday at noon, co-hosted by SURJ Toronto and TOPS. To join the zap, register here: tinyurl.com/surjBill6

I'm not on Bluesky much, but since this place isn't consumed with the worst of humanity, I thought you might like to come to a community event! The Kensington Market Community Land Trust is throwing a fundraiser and get together on May 24, and I'll be DJing with my pal Akash, aka Tender Buttons!

Want to send a message to Doug Ford and the Ontario government? Help us tell them that Ontarians need housing — not punishment. That we want a government that protects us from Trump instead of acting like Trump. Sign and share our petition now: tinyurl.com/RescindBill6

Thank you to the National Homeless Law Center in Washington D.C. for this letter to Doug Ford re: Bill 6, which criminalizes encampment residents. The U.S. has seen how policies that criminalize homeless people fail to address both encampments or community safety. Bill 6 must be rescinded.

I wrote to City Council about a "Bubble Zone" by-law. Pluralism and the rights to freedom of assembly and expression are vital to a health democracy. A by-law that restricts these would be unconstitutional, and would further restrict democratic participation for homeless people.

📣 Tell the Ontario government: Rescind Bill 6! Uphold people’s human rights. Protect Ontarians — don’t punish them! 📢 🔗 Show your support and sign the letter now - tinyurl.com/RescindBill6 🔗

How has policing encampments worked out in the U.S.? Ballooning police budgets, paid for by the public, yet a decline in clearance rates for serious crimes. Doug Ford's Bill 6 will solve less serious crime, and absolutely not solve homelessness. It's Donald Trump-endorsed policy.

Want to send a message to Doug Ford and the Ontario government? Help us tell them that Ontarians need housing — not punishment. That we want a government that protects us from Trump instead of acting like Trump. Sign and share our petition now: tinyurl.com/RescindBill6

The next time you take an Uber, ask if you can show the driver how much you paid for the ride. It's against Uber policy to do this, but try. I don't take Uber much, but over the past few months, I've found my driver earned only ≈60% of what I actually paid. Tip the difference!

Ontario has reintroduced Bill 6, which will punish encampments even though people have nowhere else to go. That's why we've formed the Encampment Justice Coalition. We're asking Ontario to rescind Bill 6 and commit to housing — not punishment. Read more: tinyurl.com/EJC-Bill6

More "War on Drugs" legislation from Doug Ford. Bill 10 makes any landlord — which could include a public or supportive housing provider — potentially guilty of an offence if residents sell drugs in their units. Providers could be fined up to $1 million. www.ola.org/en/legislati...

Ontario has reintroduced Bill 6, which will punish encampments even though people have nowhere else to go. That's why we've formed the Encampment Justice Coalition. We're asking Ontario to rescind Bill 6 and commit to housing — not punishment. Read more: tinyurl.com/EJC-Bill6

Punishing encampment residents instead of providing the housing people need costs more than anyone wants to pay — ethically, morally, and fiscally. In Ontario, we can’t afford to import this cruel American approach. SPT co-signs this letter. docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Today, I released a letter, signed by 67 organizations working across Ontario, asking the Ford government to rescind Bill 6. We can't adopt Trumpian policies to punish encampments; people need proven solutions — especially housing. Read our letter: tinyurl.com/EJC-Bill6

Perhaps the outcome of people rejecting neoliberalism from across the political spectrum? I've said it before: progressive values and neoliberal policy-making are wholly incompatible. The problem with having been stuck in the delusion that they are is that many now mistrust progressive values.

Ford may be blustering about electing judges, but according to a Monday media release, he has another plan. His government intends to force appointments to the Ontario Court of Justice to follow criteria his government sets out. Politicizing this process is dangerous! news.ontario.ca/en/release/1...

At some point we can't just blame strategic voting while trotting out Jack Layton and Tommy Douglas ad nauseum. Having blinders on and being mired in nostalgia isn't going to help.

I'm starting to panic so obviously I started drinking and putting on funny make-up for no reason. And I think I'm going to make a shepherd's pie now.

I spoke to the Globe & Mail about voting when you're homeless. Homeless people are consistently and strongly impacted by bad government policy. Yet, their ability to vote is strangled due to Elections Canada being out of touch with their lived realities. www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...

A conspiracy theorist and podcaster in charge of the FBI Arresting a sitting judge Because she possibly dared to protect someone from deportation.

When Ford and Poilievre talk about criminalizing encampments, and conflate "addiction" with homelessness, know that this rhetoric comes from the billionaire-owned American think tank the Cicero Institute, whose policies have been adopted by Donald Trump. www.npr.org/2024/05/20/1...

No political party has committed to ending poverty, but some of their commitments could help more people thrive. Read our analysis of the 2025 Federal Election party platforms on thriving by @jesserosenberg.bsky.social www.wellesleyinstitute.com/healthy-comm... #cdnpoli

Decriminalize homelessness.

The Toronto Police Association's members and Executive are subject to the Police Services Act, which prohibits the endorsement of political candidates. The Police Board affirmed this position in 2010. This post — which is an egregious abuse of power — shouldn't be above the law.

Fun Fact about Taiaiak'on—Parkdale—High-Park CPC Candidate Wladyslaw Lizon: Lizon was a former Conservative MP in Mississauga, and is known for *checks notes* requesting a homicide investigation into abortions. Call me crazy, but that seems like something witches might be against.

Homelessness is not a crime, nor is it caused by "addiction." Homelessness is caused by a lack of housing people can actually afford, which Poilievre has no real plan to address — no plan for rent control, evictions, supportive housing. Nothing. www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

The Rexdale affordable housing project passed council today without debate. Not even a token no vote from Holyday. Congratulations to all who supported.

I wasn't expecting a shout out of any kind, or even this appointment (this took me by surprise — I didn't even know when a motion was moved by Councillor Perks to appoint me), but I'm excited to see how I can make the work of the Housing Rights Advisory Committee impactful!

Injunction granted re: supervised consumption site closures. Injunction granted re: bike lane removals. Ford is threatening to reintroduce legislation to criminalize encampments. But at this rate, how many Charter challenges can his government fight? www.thestar.com/news/gta/jud...