MEDIA RELEASE: The S-CAP 11 call for 'rabble rousers' to again assemble in their support for their second court appearance

Dec 14, 2012

MEDIA RELEASE: The S-CAP 11 call for 'rabble rousers' to again assemble in their support for their second court appearance

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For Immediate Release:

Contact: Sudbury Coalition Against Poverty at 249-878-7227 or
sudburyCAP@gmail.com

The S-CAP 11 call for 'rabble rousers' to again assemble in their support for their second court appearance

The next court date for the 11 S-CAP members and supporters who were arrested and charged with trespassing on Friday November 9th at the ‘Sudbury Emergency Homeless Shelter’ set up in Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci's office is this Monday, December 17 at 9:30am at the courthouse at 155 Elm street, courtroom E. On November 9th following a request from Bartolucci the police arrested 11 people who were engaging in a peaceful protest against the Liberal government's cut to the Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit (CSUMB) which will force more people on social assistance (Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program) into homelessness and will prevent women and children from leaving violent and abusive relationships. Bartolucci refused to speak to the protestors in his office who he characterized as "rabble rousers." He also told the media that the cut of the CSUMB would lead to no reduction in services and was simply a "streamlining" of the system.

Continuing the struggle against the cut to the CSUMB, following a week of province-wide action against the cut in more than 20 communities from Sault Ste. Marie to Toronto to Kitchener,  the S-CAP 11 are pleading not guilty to these charges. The Sudbury Coalition Against Poverty (S-CAP) is asking that people support the S-CAP 11 by showing up to the courthouse that day. Courtroom E will not fit many people, so some people will have to wait outside the courtroom. We will be moving outside the courthouse after ther court proceedings are concluded for a media conference. Matters to be raised include Bartolucci' s attempt to mislead the media and the public when it is clear there is a major reduction of funds to the city as city officials have demonstrated that there will be a roughly 1.6 million dollar reduction in funds available to the city for supports for low income residents in 2013, including the CSUMB (with the amount allocated to the city falling from $2,034,643 to $755,041); the widespread support the S-CAP 11 have gained from anti-poverty, labour and social justice activists all across the province, and the new situation created by the City of Greater Sudbury's support as of Tuesday night for our position against the cut to the CSUMB.