[Sundaycommunity] Important Message from Khaleel Seivwright re Tiny Shelters

[David Walsh]

This is an message from Khaleel Seivwright

Fundraiser by Kal Zed : Toronto Tiny Shelters (gofundme.com)<https://www.gofundme.com/f/toronto-tiny-shelters?viewupdates=1&rcid=r01-163043610295-68a250a4d35140a9&utm_medium=email&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_email%2B1137-update-supporters-v5b>

David
david at dwalsh.ca<mailto:david at awakeningproject.ca>

Update (48)
Today - Aug 31-2021- by Khaleel Seivwright, Organizer
As many of you know the GoFundMe page will be shut down. It was kept open to raise money to pay for lawyer fees up until this point.

The city has made a statement patting themselves on the back for everything that they have done. What they don't take credit for is how much the cost to own or rent a home in Toronto has increased over the last 20 years and will continue to increase.

Funding for social housing was once an ongoing and consistent federal and provincial obligation and if the city had mentioned a need for their return to that role it would have convinced me that the council is truly interested in devoting the required resources to meeting this ongoing problem.

Instead their media relations have made a statement sharing all that they have done as if all they do is forever and constantly enough. They've described how many times staff have "interacted" with encampment residents. As if walking by a tent and walking away is an interaction. They've spoken about the dangers of fires in encampments but did not think to provide fire extinguishers to anyone that continued to live there. They don't mention less visible encampments also because the concern is not homelessness itself, it is the visibility of homelessness. The problem is not the symptoms, the problem is the underlying conditions that will continue to encourage these unideal outcomes for people.

And also the problem is the cities obsession with thinking resolving these real world issues is mainly a concern of communication. In truth it really is a communication problem, just look at how many people are interested in supporting those that are staying outside. Somehow the will of the citizens is not being communicated to the council. I imagine that a very few of us would have been willing to pay hundreds of cops each thousands of dollars to forcefully remove people living in encampments but the decision was made.

Other cities around the world have managed to work with initiatives similar to Toronto Tiny Shelters. Bringing volunteers, businesses and governments together to direct energy and resources into the same cause. What I started was only an emergency measure for people that were already staying outside in the winter. If the city had an interest in working with us instead of against us more people would have been protected.

I truly do hope the city manages to humble themselves before the ongoing problem in front of them and acknowledge the real extent of what is required to protect all of its citizens. And somehow if this mayor and council cannot that a new mayor and council is willing.

Thank you for your ongoing support. I wish you all happiness through doing what inspires you most. Goodbye for now.


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