The latest 91裸聊视频渢ent city91裸聊视频� atrocity in Nanaimo should have signalled the end of soft, uninformed support by politicians and media for the professional organizers of urban B.C.91裸聊视频檚 neighbourhood-invading squatter camps.
In case you missed it, self-styled anarchist-communist-whatever 91裸聊视频渉ousing activists91裸聊视频� broke into an elementary school and trashed it. This went beyond the usual squatter filth and scattering of government-supplied needles amid the garbage. The destruction was systematic, smashing doors and windows and tossing desks around to make some kind of deluded political statement. The school district is facing a six-figure security and repair bill.
The invaders had time to do this because police didn91裸聊视频檛 know if they were armed, so they called in the emergency response team for an armoured entry. If this sounds like a response to low-grade terrorism, that91裸聊视频檚 because it was.
Nanaimo91裸聊视频檚 notorious tent camp and its associated crime is the latest project of an outfit calling itself Alliance Against Displacement. I started tracing its activities three years ago, when green space next to Victoria91裸聊视频檚 courthouse was taken over by squatters.
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In 2016, organizer Ivan Drury bused in 91裸聊视频渟upporters91裸聊视频� from the Lower Mainland to the Victoria camp, where among other incidents, a CTV camera operator was assaulted. Drury and company boast of establishing squats in Maple Ridge, Abbotsford, the notorious Whalley 91裸聊视频渟trip91裸聊视频� in Surrey and now Nanaimo.
Island organizer Chrissy Brett burst on the scene at the Victoria squat, going on to stage a series of tent camps around the baker91裸聊视频檚 dozen of municipalities that make up the Capital Regional District. It91裸聊视频檚 apparently quite easy to round up drifters who have been kicked out of the region91裸聊视频檚 many shelters, and gather them where they can vent their anger against the system that tries to help them.
Brett constantly plays the Indigenous 91裸聊视频渟tolen land91裸聊视频� card. She says she91裸聊视频檚 from Bella Coola, and as CFAX radio host Adam Stirling revealed in the only critical interview I91裸聊视频檝e found with her, she asserts aboriginal rights without any effort to contact the Songhees, Esquimalt or other communities recognized as the actual holders of those rights.
Alliance Against Displacement91裸聊视频檚 claims B.C.91裸聊视频檚 housing crisis is caused by 91裸聊视频渃olonialism and capitalism.91裸聊视频� The website gives no hint of how it finances its buses, lawyers, and full-time organizers. It merely appeals for donations from those keen to help smash capitalism and disrupt private property rights.
A couple of weeks ago, an Alliance squad invaded B.C. Housing Minister Selina Robinson91裸聊视频檚 constituency office, yelling slogans until they were arrested. Apparently Robinson91裸聊视频檚 efforts to rush out temporary housing and catered meals for residents of their squatter camps aren91裸聊视频檛 sufficient.
I asked Premier John Horgan about this. He acknowledged that some of these squatters aren91裸聊视频檛 homeless, and said his priority is to deal with the many 91裸聊视频渉ard to house91裸聊视频� people in B.C.
I agree, helping people who demonstrate they can91裸聊视频檛 provide for themselves is an urgent problem. But that91裸聊视频檚 not what the B.C. government is doing. Instead, they91裸聊视频檙e rushing to these staged squats with resources, most recently with 91裸聊视频渨orkforce housing91裸聊视频� to appease the mob in Nanaimo.
The housing ministry advises me that as of the end of September, there were 7,050 people on its supportive housing waiting list. Why would the squatters bother to sign up?
Municipal governments are key to this mess. Your only chance for four years to elect councillors who will stand up to the bullies is the Oct. 20 election. Candidates either get that or they don91裸聊视频檛.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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