| Two additional overnight shelters may soon be opened to help deal with the homeless crisis in the city.
Already, Calgary’s massive homeless shelters are taking in up to 250 more people than they have capacity for on some cold nights. That prompted concern from city hall about the dangers of being unable to shelter everyone in need, which could lead to a freezing death if someone is forced to sleep outside.
Council agreed to look into opening a temporary shelter in Sunalta – one that hasn’t been used since before the opening of the six-storey Calgary Drop-In Centre last year.
Council also decided to send a letter to Premier Ralph Klein asking for help to address the real problem in the city – a lack of affordable housing.
One legacy of the protests at last June’s G8 summit in Calgary may be the creation of a Social Centre that would act as a hub of social justice work in the city.
The Post-G8 Logistics Working Group has been working towards the creation of a permanent community centre that would unify groups, host debates, inform the public, raise funds, and provide space for meetings and other activities. The Social Centre concept would see a café-style meeting place with availabe materials on social justice issues.
Currently, the organization is meeting monthly to gather the feedback from the community and work on securing space. Organizers are inviting anybody interested, and are encouraging local organizations to send representatives to the meetings.
The next meeting is November 28 at 8:30 p.m. at the Bridgeland-Riverside Community Centre. More information is available at g8.activist.ca/logistics.
Canadian opposition MPs are pushing for the return of Leonard Peltier to Canada. The American aboriginal was jailed nearly 30 years ago for the murder of two FBI agents, which supporters say he didn’t commit.
Canada extradited Peltier in the mid-1970s after arresting him in Hinton, Alberta, and a United States court convicted him of murder, stemming from a gun battle between federal agents and a group of aboriginals. Peltier has maintained his innocence, and after the trial, a key witness said she made up evidence under pressure from the FBI. Amnesty International supports Peltier’s release.
NDP MP Bill Blaikie put forth a private member’s bill asking for the return of Peltier under the argument that U.S. authorities failed to provide sufficient evidence for his extradition in the ’70s. The bill was supported by Canadian Alliance MP John Reynolds.
Liberal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon didn’t comment on the case and the federal government refused to accept Blaikie’s motion. |
