The media pays quite a lot of attention to OCAP, even if most of the coverage it provides is less than flattering. One aspect of our work that gets almost no acknowledgement, however, is the 'direct action casework' we carry out to win social assistance benefits, prevent evictions, block deportations and much else besides. Every year, we prove that collective action can make a difference by concretely mobilizing to defend hundreds of individuals and families under attack.

Recently, an episode took place in which the mere threat of public action got results, and that illustrates the importance of this aspect of our work. A man came into our office who had worked for a landscaping company for a week at a job site on the grounds of one of the most exclusive private clubs in the City. At the end of the week, he was laid off and told that his lack of photo ID meant that he would not be paid. This was "company policy" he was told. The Tories have cut the budget for the Ministry of Labour so massively that, had this worker gone to the "labour board" and complained, it would have been well over a year before the matter was dealt with. We sped up the process by informing this company that we would be bringing a public delegation down to their job site and picketing the prestigious social hangout until this brother got some basic justice. The social conscience of the employer was immediately awakened and the cheque issued. This happened because it would be well known to all concerned that, on numerous previous occasions, we have demonstrated our readiness to act in just such a fashion as we said we would in this case.

This simple act of banding together to defend a vulnerable worker is typical of OCAP's daily work. We work to build up this kind of ongoing resistance to the point where every grasping employer and hard hearted official in the City will be looking over his or her shoulder and thinking twice about sticking it to the poor and homeless. We are always looking for supporters ready to join the actions we take in these cases and for financial donations to build up our capacity to fight back. If you want to find out more call us at (416) 925-6939 and, if you are able to make a donation, send your cheque to:

Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
517 Bathurst Street, Suite 234
TORONTO, Ontario
M6G 4A2 Thanks, OCAP

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Dumpsters are just there. Seldom noticed, taken for granted by most. Many never give them a second thought, except when the trash is taken out or when the garbage truck is heard making its rounds. But to a few people, dumpsters are a source of income because of the cans and bottles inside. Others look at dumpsters as treasure chests, full of artifacts.

In 1987, I was able to furnish a one bedroom apartment in Vancouver, B.C. with what I found laying by the dumpsters in the back alleys. This included everything from toilet brush to wicker chair to kitchen table, complete with chairs. The only things I didn't find were a bed, which was given to me, and a stereo, which I bought second hand from a buddy of mine at the time.

But not all dumpster divers look like they died some time last week because of the dirt that accumulates on their clothes. Nor do all dumpster divers "go over the top" and rummage around. Some look quite presentable and are looking for some of the best bargain hunting around. Their motives may be necessity, thrift or creativity, but they poke around looking for that something extra. It is part of the recycling trend going on these days.

William is a dumpster diver from Prince Rupert, B.C. who came to visit in Saskatoon not long ago. He used to work in the cannery industry in the northwest city, but when tough times hit the fishing business in a big way, William was laid off with hundreds of others. There used to be dozens of canneries lining the Skeena River and the Prince Rupert Harbour; now only three operate, and one of them is trying to avoid foreclosure.

Next, William lived and worked for a stint in a "no tell" hotel, but things got out of hand with a management that no longer cared for anything but the almighty dollar and a less than elite clientele living there; overdoses were a common occurrence. When a chance came to move into a boat at one of the marinas, William jumped at it. To help raise cash, he makes a daily run to collect cans and bottles. People living on the other boats came over and give William their cans, which adds to his totals. How much does he make in a day? "I'll never admit to it," says William with a sly grin.

William did admit to two really significant finds in his career. A buddy of his called him once to say he was coming in from the Queen Charlotte Islands, would William like the cans that were being brought over? Next day, William hit the floor when he saw what his buddy had brought in. Even after two taxi trips, he had cleared $187. Friends tip him off to good spots: one tip was enough bottles and cans that it took William three days to sort them and cash in.

William refuses to be labeled "down and out" or "down on his luck." William says, "It's all a matter of attitude."

But is it a sign of the times that our society is getting wasteful in its quest for material gain? When people are upgrading their possessions, I guess it's easier just to throw it by a dumpster when the old one has lost its appeal. So the dumpster divers do play a vital role in making sure the landfills don't get overloaded with stuff that is still useful in many ways; and a fortune can be found in any back alley.

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Bob and Margaret Fish were hard pressed to find a place to live last summer. Through a friend of theirs, the Fishes were able to contact an owner of a small Saskatoon house. The owner of the house was very pleasant at first and seemed willing to do anything to fix up the house, or at the very least supply the materials necessary so the Fishes could do the repairs. When they moved in, the Fishes found the house was a dump, as the former tenants used the place as a crack house. Several people had come around looking for one person in particular, including the Saskatoon city police who had an arrest warrant for this person.

As the weeks went by, the owner seemed to change, not keeping promises to provide a washer/dryer or house paint. The Fishes were told they were free to do any work on the house as long as it didn't cost the owner any money.

Things went downhill further from there. As a result of improper locks on the windows, one person was easily able to lift a window and crawl in. Taken was tobacco, all the food in the deep freeze, and $100 cash which was set aside to pay the monthly bills. Upon hearing the Fishes approach the front door, the burglar ran out the back door and was never apprehended.

A friend of the Fishes called the Fire Department regarding unsafe living conditions in the house. An inspector came over and took notes on several violations evident in the house. The inspector even asked for the owner by name because of similar violations in other houses. Some repairs were done with the 30 day time limit, but others went unheeded. The stairs that went to the basement came to be know as the "widowmakers" for very loose steps.

A new fridge was delivered, but both tenants have back problems and those who made the delivery refused to help move the fridge into place in the kitchen. So the fridge was left on the back step when the delivery people drove off. Not long afterwards the fire alarm went off for no apparent reason and continued to scream until 5:00 a.m. The fire department was called. Upon arrival, they dismantled the whole alarm and took it away. This alarm was replaced by two brand new smoke alarms by order of the fire department.

Then just after New Years Day, there was an actual fire that started when a washroom curtain fell on a heat radiator. Smoke filled the house and there was some smoke and fire damage to the washroom. But neither fire alarm, new ones at that, went off. The bathroom window needed replacing and one of the walls needs a touchup, but two months later nothing had been done. The Fishes did say that the owner of the house claims that insurance will cover cost of the repairs, but the Fishes fear it will be taken out of their damage deposit. The owner didn't ask about the safety of the tenants but was more concerned about the appliances.

It was at this time that Bob and Marg had enough of the situation. For them it was time to give notice and move on to another residence. They got tire of being dumped on. So the search is on for another place to live.

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Jim Flaherty is a wimp. He's the Ontario finance minister who is running for the leadership of the provincial Tories and who, of course, wants the retiring Mike Harris's job.

He started out fine. Not long ago, he put through a law prohibiting squeegee kids in Toronto - a law which other cities in Canada would do well to emulate - although I can remember being somewhat disappointed that he suggested neither fines nor incarceration. I still feel that the crime of squeegeeing, one of more annoying plagues to befall modern society, merits jail time. Or at the very least, a modest $5,000 fine per squeegee attempt.

Now Flaherty has turned his attention to the homeless and in the process created a furor, even in his own party. On Valentine's Day, he announced that if he were to become premier, he'd make homelessness a crime. While other men were giving their wives flowers, candy and scanty underwear, Jim was proposing what he calls "tough love."

Put another way, Flaherty wants to make it an offence for people to have no address and he wants to authorize police to detain homeless people.

Siad Flaherty: "It is not acceptable to live on the streets," and "Living on the streets is not an option."

I couldn't agree more, Jim. Scraping the homeless of the streets is sure to improve the economy, create employment, not to mention beautify any city adopting such a plan. The formation of a special police force to detain the homeless is obviously a boon to employment - especially when we consider the number of homeless in Canada. Perhaps some of the formerly homeless can, after they're washed and dried, be put to work detaining the presently homeless. And the boon to the construction industry is incalculable, as any number of new shelters, jails and pens will have to be built.

That's the upside.

The downside is, Jim, that you don't go far enough. Not nearly far enough. Your plan is short sighted.

For example, an estimated 40% of the homeless are mentally ill. You don't have to be a rocket scientist or an Ontario finance minister to figure out that; therefore mental illness should be illegal. People who choose to be mentally ill and shirk their responsibilities as citizens of our great country should not be treated with kid gloves. In fact, the main point here is that we have to weed them out before they hit the streets. Parents, grandparents, bosses, spouses, siblings and friends, upon noticing questionable behaviour in others, should be encouraged by law to report such people to the mental police so that their friends and relatives can be instantly diagnosed, medicated and, if necessary, incarcerated before they become homeless.

And Jim, you can bet that 100% of the homeless are unemployed. So why not arrest them, before they get thrown out of their apartments to set up housekeeping on the streets of Canadian cities? Let's make unemployment illegal. Let's make getting fired or laid off illegal. You have to think preventative medicine, Jim. You can't just sit around waiting for the people to get mentally ill and the unemployed to become poor. You have to employ more police to patrol the workplaces of the nation, and the minute rumors begin to circulate that Tiffany or Sean is about to fired, arrest them.

And what leads to unemployment/ Lack of education of course. So the obvious solution is to make it illegal to quit school and illegal to fail Grade 12. Give Tiffany and Sean a reading, writing and arithmetic test every 6 months, and if there is the slightest hint of failure, they obviously need to be apprehended and re-educated.

Taking an even broader view, poverty must become illegal. Poor people are prone to hunger, making them inefficient at work and therefore most likely to be fired; their children tend not to do well in school - often because of hunger. These are susceptible people, many of whom will end up on the streets. There is a simple solution: anyone who has under $5000 in the bank will be arrested by the poverty police.

Now, if I were to become premier of Ontario - or Manitoba - I'd also outlaw illness. People who choose to get ill are a drag on the economy: they clog up the hospital hallways, and they often insist they're in too much pain to concentrate on their work. They are unproductive and ought to be arrested.

Jim, you call your anti-homelessness proposal "tough love."

Not tough enough, Jim. You're a wuss.

Hopefully, we here in Winnipeg can do better.

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