Homelessness - it's closer than you think

When raised in a bourgeois middle class or when you're part of the upper class or even 1%, it's really easy to ignore the scores of homeless people that litter downtown Montreal and many indoor public spaces. Depending where you go, it can be some of Canada's natives - who's life on their reserves are even worse then being homeless downtown Montreal, or just plain Quebecois down on their luck and sometimes it's new arrivals who fail to navigate through the maze of social services.  Many don't realize this but many new arrivals suffer from PTSD and many have witnessed crimes no human should see. Not to say this doesn't also happen to the locals, but many of those destitute are people who need help, NOT tickets from the city!

Sure a percentage of the homeless have either drug, alcohol or mental health issues, but what does this say about our society, when not only do we not provide help to the downtrodden but instead impose fines on them for loitering, drunk and disorderly, public urination, and lord knows what  other petty crimes they may be doing. Some actually go to antagonize homeless guys to find an excuse to toss them in jail. I'd much rather pay for more shelters then more jails personally!

Article in La Presse this morning talks about the problem with the city of Montreal and it's abuse of  tickets. 

What is frightening having now known several  young men [men in their 30's] who have ended homeless, is to realize how  close any of us are to being homeless. It doesn't take that much when you're already on the edge to lose it all.  If you're lucky and you have friends, they let you couch surf until you're back on your feet, or if you have family.  But sometimes your family are losers and your friends have all double-crossed you so where do you go?

And then people wonder why we Occupy? I mean corruption at Entrelacs is basically aimed at getting rid of the poorest residents of the area, those on welfare and other social programs. 

Here's another interesting link that discusses homelessness and housing crisis across Canada. 

Photos from Entrelacs Week 6 and Syrian Awareness day

Last Friday I went back to Entrelacs and we took pictures around Lac des Iles, the municipal skating ring and around the municipality. Pictures are from Friday February 10th and Saturday February 11th, 2012. 

On Sunday February 12th,  I went from 2-5pm to Syrian Awareness day at Concordia. I took some video and some photos.  There was an important panellist later but I was too exhausted to stay past that time and I really wanted to catch the early train.

I've got a nasty stomach flu, that's kept me bedridden for the 3rd day.  I know I've been in bed since about 2pm Sunday. I was cold and decided to take a warm bath and I've never felt so ill after a warm bath. I spent a solid 2 hours lying in bed being hot and cold and thinking I was going to throw up violently. Thankfully I suspected a stomach thing and took my no name Strawberry extract.  It's ironic for a house full of people, I was alone the first 4 hours I was in pain. But at least I could moan without alarming anyone!

I had a momentary blank and could not remember what I did this Friday and Saturday. Well DUH I was in Ottawa visiting a friend who had just suffered a nervous breakdown. After working himself ragged for months he finally collapsed and had to be picked up by his friends who rescue wild animals. They brought him back to a semblance of normality.

Corruption in Entrelacs - another video

Old female dog passes in Entrelacs

I found out last night that Princess, the old female German Shepard that belongs to Tony has passed away. I'm upset because I had a chance to bond with her. She's the dog that kept me warm the week-end I camped there and it was -35C.

May old Princess RIP.

Corruption a Entrelacs - video

Entrelacs - does this sleepy municipality in Lanaudiere think they can invent laws?

Apparently Tony has been told that the municipality wants to remove the signs. Here's the thing, last I checked the municipality cannot do much on private property. I'm not sure what kind of power trip the officials are in Entrelacs, but they seem to think because one neighbour complains they have to do things. Let the neighbour complain.  He claims it's  because he wants to sell his home but cannot because of Tony... 

Sounds to me like just excuses. Sounds to me like there are ulterior motives.  I mean if I wanted to sell my house I'd find a buyer that would fit into the current neighbourhood. Problem solved!

Sabotage by stupidity

It sucks that sadly when involved with a leaderless movement, you also end up with idiots who sabotage because they are too dense to realize what they are doing. 

A bunch of us have been working relentlessly on the Entrelacs project only to have a few unicorns think that bringing an GA to Entrelacs is a good idea. I'm not sure on what planet it's a good idea. The best part is they think they are bringing democracy to Entrelacs, what they are bringing is one way of seeing things, if it was democracy, there would have been a vote done in the Entrelacs group - and with the whole group, not just one person with 2 new arrivals. 

The whole GA concept hasn't been working for Montreal but let's bring it to a small town and show them how it's done!?!?! Yeah. Sure whatever.  The people involved in Entrelacs up to now have been doers, not GAers but let's bring in the deadbeats who will spend the next couple of months talking while the municipality bowls over it's residents.

Here's the thing, the 1% isn't afraid because they know the infighting in the end will win!

Update on Entrelacs "tent" situation

Currently Occupons Entrelacs is occupying both on Tony and on his neighbours land. The army tents are on his neighbours property.  Well you see the letter below from the city, the neighbour never received one. So of course they are singling out Tony again. 

Tony and one of the occupiers went around Entrelacs and took photo's of 8 other folks with roulottes on their properties and who probably have not received a notice from the town. 

City of Entrelacs abusing power

The city of Entrelacs is trying to tell Tony that he cannot put tents on it. I don't know what planet they are on really. I mean I've always put my tent in my back yard in Montreal the day before I go camping. It's been known to stay over a week sometimes due to inclement weather especially when I want the tent to dry. 

I've also put our Occupy Tent on the front of my property in Pierrefonds as a protest and it has been there since November 25th, 2011. I have not received a single complaint. Heck I haven't received a single comment even from my neighbors. 

This is the letter Tony received from Entrelacs and the funny part is if you look up the law they refer to, it only applies to camping trailers, not tents.

___________________________________________________________

Type d'infraction / Règlement et articles : USAGE NON AUTORISÉ
Règlement #00-426, ART 14.6 Grille des usages R-4
Date d'inspection : 23/01/2012
Délai accordé : 10 jours

25 janvier 2012

Avis d'infraction

Monsieur,

La présente fait suite à une inspection de votre propriété cité en rubrique en date du 23 janvier 2012. Lors de cette inspection nous avons pu constater la présence de deux (2) entes installées sur votre terrain et servanpour des activités de camping.

À cet égard, il appert donc que vous contrevenez à l'article 14.6 du règlement de zonage 426 de la municipalité d'Entrelacs.

Articl14.6
"Sauf pour des fins temporaires conformes aux dispositions du présent règlement, les roulottes ne sont autorisées que sur les terrains de camping.
Les activités de camping ne sont autorisées que sur les terrains de camping."

De plus, je profite de la présente pour vous signifier que dans la zone R-4, laquelle votre terrain fait partie, l'usage commercial de type "271-5 camping" n'est pas permis.

Pour ces raisons, nous vous demandons de bien enlever ces tentes et cesser toutes activités liées au camping sur votre terrain dans les dix (10) jours suivant la réception de la présente, sans quoi la municipalité entreprendra les procédures légales nécessaires.

Merci de votre collaboration,

Alexandre Morin
Directeur aménagement du territoire
Municipalité d'Entrelacs

___________________________________________________________________________________

I'd also love to know how much municipal tax money has been used to fight USELESS court orders. I mean so far they have fought Tony twice up to Superior court where he won his case!!!! I wonder if the residents of Entrelacs would be so pleased that their tax money is going to court cases over stupid things like dogs, and bridges and tents!!!!

Occupons Entrelacs - photos 4rth week

These are the photos I took on the 4rth week at Occupons Entrelacs. We had an activity day and my gf came with her children. Snow men were built and signs were put up :)

Nouvelles pancartes at Entrelacs!

Bonne chance au voisin - il aura certainement besoin d'une echelle pour vandaliser ces pancartes!

New signs for Occupons Entrelacs.

Neighbor suspected in sign removal at Occupons Entrelacs!

On Saturday we nailed some of the signs I made to Tony's fence in Entrelacs. Apparently this morning the signs were gone.  He took photo's of  footprints in snow and it seems that his 'bad' neighbor snuck around in the middle of the night and took down the signs.

Funny Tony was saying that he needs to add yet another camera, this one near the road. Well this is something we're going to need to do very shortly. This way in the future we can nail the bastard neighbor who's been the source of his problems.

Corruption in Entrelacs!

Corruption in Entrelacs


The residents of Entrelacs have been subject to municipal corruption for over half a decade. The harassment ranges from unfounded fines of barking dogs, to not issuing needed building permits, to filing false charges of attempted murder.


The problems seem to have started for Tony Scafuro five years ago when he attempted to get a permit to build a bridge to join his driveway on one side of a river to his house on the opposite bank. Four homes share this strange situation and while some homes have bridges of their own, Scafuro was repeatedly denied a permit.


The problems since then have only grown for the residents of Entrelacs when a new mayor and city inspector came into power. The residents can’t help but feel they are being forced away from their land by the city officials. Many residents have received repeated and unfounded complaints and fines, other residents have been repeatedly arrested over false charges. This has left the residents of Entrelac terrified to leave their homes or even speak up against this tyranny.


One resident did reach out and did so to Occupy Montreal. After investigating the situation in Scafuro’s neighbourhood it was quickly decided to start Occupons Entrelacs. This new Occupation is in need of your help; we need people interested in spending time in the newly made camp to give the residents a sense of security they have long forgone. Occupons Entrelacs is also in need of camping supplies, food, propane and monetary funds. Help us say No to municipal corruption.

By Nina Haigh

Occupons Entrelacs!!!

They Occupy at Entrelacs!