We must choose compassion over compliance
‘It’s not news and it’s not new to hear stories about aggressive tactics out of city hall’
I spent the better part of a week at the Ferguson Avenue encampment watching and listening as the City of Hamilton removed dozens of people through the enforcement of its bylaws.
Over the course of several days, legal observers, volunteers and community members held space for the most vulnerable in the encampment and did what they could to negotiate peace during very tense moments.
Thankfully, despite the tension and a small number of concerning incidents, the vast majority of the inhabitants of both the Ferguson Avenue and FirstOntario Centre encampments were evicted without apparent harm, though the long-term impact of these evictions remains to be seen.
That wouldn’t have been possible without the experience and care of members of groups like Keeping Six and HAMSMaRT and those working at the Wesley Day Centre who continue to help these residents to relocate as safely as possible.
But not everyone took such a collaborative and compassionate approach, based on what I and others witnessed first hand.
In my opinion, the city was aggressive in executing its planned eviction. I listened and watched as staff used pressure tactics on houseless residents. Those tactics involved attempting to impose arbitrary deadlines that were established to accommodate the work schedules of senior staff and coercive methods aimed at manipulating those in the encampment.
De-escalation was not a priority for the city. It showed up, from the first minute, accompanied by a garbage truck and teams of uniformed and police officers, officers whose presence is known to trigger people and escalate situations in encampments.
Shouts of “it’s moving day” and “wake up” echoed through the south part of the encampment while freezing cold rain poured down on folks trying to get their bearings and attempting to protect their few personal belongings from being destroyed by the elements. I won’t soon forget it, or the bravery of many who stood their ground until a compassionate approach could be negotiated.
It’s not news and it’s not new to hear stories about aggressive tactics out of city hall. We have watched, for months, as members of city council have bullied and attempted to intimidate housing advocates. The latest effort has been an attempt to suggest that “activists” caused an affordable housing crisis and should somehow be responsible for its costs.
I get why this is the dominant narrative from some councillors though. It’s couched in a politics of reasonability and fiscal responsibility which they think are the only priorities of municipal voters (they’re wrong).
I think most of us understand that large corporations like the City of Hamilton have to assess their risks. As staff are fond of saying, there are many moving parts in complex situations. They’re not wrong, but priorities are a choice and choices have consequences.
While our leaders, and the staff that carry out their orders, have to reasonably manage those risks, their obvious reelection anxieties are not more important than the health and safety of Hamilton’s most vulnerable residents.
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to support those who do not have access to basic human rights like safe shelter spaces or affordable housing, bulldozing through an encampment in the cold October rain was always the wrong way to go.
And rather than realizing that error and adjusting to demonstrate compassion, the city did what it has become notorious for — it doubled down and plowed ahead.
I remain deeply concerned about the incredible amount of work ahead for advocates. The people who were displaced from these encampments were not provided with long term housing solutions. In fact, only women and couples were offered access to spots in shelter hotels.
For many, it simply meant picking up tents and personal belongings and shuttling off to another lower city green space. The result has been smaller scattered encampments, that are more difficult to support, and many displaced residents who are feeling uncomfortable in their new surroundings.
So how can we, as community members, neighbours, and fellow residents help those who have been displaced? It’s my opinion that we must choose compassion over compliance.
As these residents move into their new neighbourhoods, we must open our hearts and minds, get to know them, and make them feel as welcome as we can.
Let’s show up like I know that we can, as Hamiltonians, and do the work of continuing to lift our city up in spite of itself. That’s the Hamilton I know and the Hamilton I’m proud to be a part of.