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Libby and the Red Tent Day of Action for Housing

October 19, 2010
CBC.ca
Orders of the DayMeanwhile, NDP MP Libby Davies will preside over the launch of the Canada Day of Action for a Federal Housing Strategy, which is -- exactly what it sounds like, as far as I can tell. Oh, although it might be fun to see how the Liberal Party reacts to one of the more camera-friendly visuals set to be unveiled: One hundred red tents, which will be opened, amid much symbolic fanfare, just across from Parliament Hill before being marched to the Human Rights Monument on Elgin Street for a second rally.
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Libby's Bill for a National Housing Strategy and the Canadian Day of Action for Housing

October 18, 2010
The Toronto Star
Red tent campaign calls for housing strategyAffordable housing advocates are setting up red tents in cities across Canada Tuesday to highlight the country’s homelessness crisis and need for a federal housing strategy. The demonstrations come on the eve of final debate in the House of Commons Wednesday on an NDP bill that would commit Ottawa to drafting a plan.
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Canadian Day of Action for Housing and Bill C-304

October 20, 2010
Winnipeg Free Press
Inaction on housing 'disgraceful'CANADA needs a plan to deal with a housing shortage that's reached crisis proportions, according to a coalition dedicated to drawing attention to the cause. On Tuesday, at demonstrations in cities across the country, including Winnipeg, housing advocates demanded that federal politicians support a private member's bill (Bill C-304) that would require Ottawa to develop a strategy to deal with the estimated 150,000 to 300,000 homeless people in Canada.
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Vancouver trek raises awarness for Libby's national housing strategy bill

June 30, 2010
The Gerogia Straight
Stephen Harper must act on housing or face political priceIn the middle of June, a delegation of eight people from Vancouver travelled to Toronto and Ottawa to kick-start a national campaign to push Stephen Harper’s Conservative government to re-establish a national housing program in Canada. We met with several housing groups in Toronto and others in Ottawa, where we left a few dozen red tents from Pivot Legal Society’s campaign. We also ended a 76-week rolling hunger strike that was aimed at putting pressure on the federal government to act on housing.
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Libby calls on government to support a national housing strategy

Libby Davies's picture
May 27, 2010 Question Period

The Big City Mayors (22 mayors representing Canada's largest cities) met in Toronto this week at the annual general meeting of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. They identified housing and homelessness as a top concern. Libby raised these concerns in Question Period.

HANSARD
HOUSE OF COMMONS
May 28, 2010

Libby Davies (MP Vancouver East):

Mr. Speaker,

Canada’s big city mayors met this week and are calling for a national housing strategy, saying homelessness needs immediate attention.
Yet the government refuses to take a leadership role.

Two single moms, a cancer survivor, and a father of four have been forced to take this government to court for a decent place to live. They want the minister to sit down with all the stakeholders and implement a national strategy to deal with this crisis.

Will this government finally wake up to the growing housing problem in this country and support a national housing strategy?

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Libby Davies Named NDP Spokesperson for Housing And Homelessness

May 6, 2010 Press Release

Ottawa – NDP Libby Davies (MP Vancouver East) has been named the NDP’s Spokesperson for Housing and Homelessness.

“Fighting for adequate and safe housing is the reason I got involved in politics over 30 years ago,” said Davies. “With my bill for a National Housing Strategy before the House, and my experience with the issues, I welcome the opportunity to take on this portfolio.”

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Libby calls on federal government to keep Vancouver shelters open

April 15, 2010 Open Letters to Ministers & Public Officials

Hon. Diane Finley
Minister responsible for
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Finley,

I write to bring your attention to the urgent housing situation in Vancouver, as the city faces the loss of hundreds of emergency shelter beds on April 30, 2010.

Without immediate support, several Vancouver Homeless Emergency Action Team (HEAT) shelters will close at the end of this month, leaving a shortage of 500 beds in a region where the homeless population has grown by 12% since 2008.

The Vancouver Police have said that the shelters are “nothing short of a blessing” and directly attribute a reduction of crime to the availability of housing. The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association is also speaking in support of funding for the shelters as a benefit to the business community, reducing the number of people on the streets and problems with disorderly conduct.

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