In Toronto, three army reservists accused of killing a homeless man were allowed to plea guilty to reduced charges. The soldiers were originally charged with second degree murder in the beating death of a man in a Toronto park. One solider was apparently overheard saying that he hated homeless people. Read more in a CBC article, "Reservists plead guilty in fatal beating of man" and in the Toronto Star article, "Guilty pleas in homeless man's death".

While in Vancouver, according to the Tyee, at least 56 homeless people have died in the last two years. This is at least 19% higher than the general population. Read more, "BC's Homeless Death Toll: 56 or More in Two Years."

Vancouver mayor, Sam Sullivan, has launched the Project Civil City to address "public disorder." According to the mayor the goals of the project are to eliminate homelessness, the open drug market, and aggressive panhandling. But instead of allocating funds to social housing, the mayor wants to allocate at least $1 million from the proposed Olympic Legacy Fund to fund new bylaw officers to give tickets to homeless people, panhandlers and binners. Read an article about on the Tyee, called "Mayor Sullivan's Big Ambitions" and watch a humourous video of a protest against the Civil City initiaive.

The American agency, the National Coalition for the Homeless' four page fact sheet (in PDF) gives statistics and examples of crimes perpetrated against homeless people.

October 1, 2001 marked the day the Ontario government began a controversial plan of mandatory literacy testing for welfare recipients. In a press release the Community and Social Services Critic is afraid that mandatory testing may deter people from applying for welfare, as they may be too embarrassed to expose their literacy capabilities. The Toronto Advocacy Council for Adult Literacy's information sheet on the testing, explains why they are opposed to this government action.

A new book by Jean Swanson, a long time anti-poverty activist with End Legislated Poverty, challenges how people with power and money attack the poor.

"I am sure that anyone who has experienced living in poverty will find themselves saying 'Yes sister, tell it like it is.' They will also say 'I have always felt hurt by that behaviour or those words but was never able to identify it as poor-bashing until now.' And sadly, they will also say, 'I've always blamed myself for creating my poverty.' For those living in poverty, this book delivers truth and freedom and power."-- Jacquie Ackerley, President (NAPO) and grass roots activist, Victoria.

Published by Between the Lines. ISBN 1-896357-44-X. Buy it from your local independent bookstore, or ask your library to order it.