3 Days to Take Toronto Back!

[Note: Please see also Toronto Attempts to Block "Stop the Cuts" Public Gathering: Meeting to Go Ahead Despite Threats.]

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 - Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
http://ocap.ca/node/967

http://torontostopthecuts.com/
http://fb.com/stopthecuts

First We Gather, to Talk, to Plan...
SEPT. 10, 12:00 NOON, DUFFERIN GROVE
(traducción al español está disponible)

- Then We Deliver an Ultimatum
SEPT. 19, CITY HALL

- Then We Make Them Listen!
SEPT. 26-27, TORONTO CITY HALL

Millionaire Rob Ford, and right wing councilors at Toronto City Hall are meeting on September 19, in an executive committee meeting to recommend cuts to public services and job lay offs [of] upwards of $800 million dollars. On Sept 26 and 27, Toronto City Hall will vote on these recommendations. Public services for many of us are the difference between abject poverty, and just being able to get by. We do not want cuts, we want more services! Services that are controlled and managed by the people that use them and the people that work at them, not some rich councilors who are only interested in increasing profits for their yes-men and for the police.

Undocumented people, people without ID, native people, poor people, people with disabilities, queer and trans people and many others struggle in Toronto every day to get on transit, to have a home, to eat enough, to get good health-care, to be safe on the street, to go to a park, to get some youth and recreation services, to be able to participate in the arts. This is a result of policies that favor the rich over all else.

These cuts are about poor bashing. They are about further displacing people of color and indigenous people. These cuts are about entrenching ableism. They are about pushing out queer and trans people. These cuts are about everyone.

And so it is time for all of us, those with public service jobs, those that love bicycle lanes and libraries, those that wait for hours to get on the TTC, those that live in fear of detention or deportation, those on social assistance, and those that are simply furious about this injustice to gather together.

On September 10, 2011, there will be a Mass Meeting to Stop Ford's Cuts, in Toronto. A meal will be served at 12 noon, and then from 1pm to 5pm, we will meet in small groups to draft a set of priorities for Toronto which we will deliver to the Executive Committee on September 19. At the same time, we are inviting people to meet in advance with people you have affinity with and bring ideas for action to the meeting so that we can share them widely. ASL-English interpretation, on-site childcare, TTC tokens, attendant care available. Please volunteer! http://bit.ly/oUifMf. We are also in need of funds, if you can donate, please email to stopthecuts@gmail.com

On September 19, 2011, the Executive Committee of City Hall will meet for the second time. The last time, 300 Torontonians carried out a people's filibuster but were ignored by Ford, who pushed forward the idea of cuts and layoffs to this meeting on September 19. We will be taking our list of priorities, straight into this meeting, and deliver them to the Executive Committee. This will be our last ultimatum to these councilors to stop their attacks on our communities.

On September 26 and 27, City Hall will vote on budget priorities. There is presently a Rally scheduled at 5:30pm on September 26. Other plans are being developed, as we watch closely what happens at City Hall. Join us on September 10 with your ideas of what should happen on these days.

It is time to TAKE TORONTO BACK.

We have fought for justice and dignity in Toronto for years, and we are not stopping in September! In the face of a massive attack on public services, we need to fight back like never before. No matter what City Council votes, we need to build our power to keep our services open and accessible through all the means at our disposal. Join neighborhood committees (http://www.torontostopthecuts.com/?page_id=114) or start your own, so that in the years to come if any branch of government comes after homes, our neigbours or our services, we can gather together to stop them!

|| Stop the Cuts! || More Services for All! || No handouts to cops or corporations! ||