*FRANÇAIS CI-DESSOUS*

Meals for Milton-Parc is demanding the city of Montreal and the province of Quebec to give pardon to those living unhoused from the possible fines of Quebec's new 8 PM curfew going into place on Saturday, January 9th, 2021. We are concerned about the health and well-being of the unhoused population of the city of Montreal, which has doubled since the onset of the pandemic. Shelters have had to close due to outbreaks of COVID-19, and those that remain open must serve fewer people in order to keep socially distant while lacking the financing to meet demand. Meanwhile, it gets colder and colder, and the curfew’s application to unhoused people would mean criminalizing and fining those who have nowhere to go at night. This is not what shelters or their users need to get through this pandemic, and it's time to act for the most vulnerable of our neighbours. Steps include: no longer applying the curfew to the unhoused; opening the whole old Royal Victoria for the community; funding shelters and diverting employees to them; opening a dialogue with community members and advocates and listening to their (material, cultural, etc) needs and demands. We hope you will listen to our concerns as your constituents, and stand up for our unhoused neighbours and our city. 

Meals for Milton-Parc demande à la ville de Montréal et à la province de Québec de pardonner aux personnes sans logement les amendes éventuelles du nouveau couvre-feu de 20 h au Québec qui entrera en vigueur le samedi 9 janvier 2021. Nous sommes préoccupés par la santé et le bien-être de la population sans logement de la ville de Montréal, qui a doublé depuis le début de la pandémie. Les refuges ont dû fermer en raison d'épidémies de Covid-19, et ceux qui restent ouverts doivent desservir moins de personnes afin de rester socialement distants tout en manquant de financement pour répondre à la demande. Pendant ce temps, il fait de plus en plus froid, et l’application du couvre-feu aux personnes sans logement signifierait criminaliser et infliger une amende à ceux qui n’ont nulle part où aller la nuit. Ce n'est pas ce dont les abris ou leurs utilisateurs ont besoin pour traverser cette pandémie, et il est temps d'agir pour les plus vulnérables de nos voisins. Les étapes comprennent: ne plus appliquer le couvre-feu aux personnes sans logement; ouvrir tout l'ancien Royal Victoria pour la communauté; financer les abris et détourner les employés vers eux; ouvrir un dialogue avec les membres de la communauté et les défenseurs et écouter leurs besoins et leurs demandes (matériels, culturels, etc.). J'espère que vous écouterez également mes préoccupations en tant que votre électeur et que vous défendrez nos voisins sans logement et notre ville.

Email/phone template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BGH9NiCB-Hj-u83DMdAvn-NsYopermlYVEGTP4Z8Ilk/edit?usp=sharing

Media about the issues with the curfew and the crisis of the unhoused population in Montreal:

Homeless Quebecers worry of fines under curfew:

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?cid=sm%3Atrueanthem%3Actvmontreal%3Apost&clipId=2114692&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A%20Trending%20Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0RKoRVA_662Iht2s6We1NrYv5jlDiFgasGU0Gc7X6QV14o25QQQoAgHYs

Organizations working with homeless community are calling for amnesty from Quebec curfew:

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/organizations-working-with-homeless-community-are-calling-for-amnesty-from-quebec-curfew-1.5256093?fbclid=IwAR3B8S6hZVQrnuFlTzRLd_UzBOT86cyb1d2QYJ30oBN5LVbmEZkuuewHG40

"It's gonna be hell", believes the homeless community:

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/01/06/le-milieu-de-litinerance-apprehende-le-couvre-feu?fbclid=IwAR1AdfVtxmjljvxXokL4E0A916fth2EP-9CicaS1W_ZpFZhvHs5MEooaodI

Amnesty demanded for the homeless:

https://www.lapresse.ca/covid-19/2021-01-06/couvre-feu/amnistie-reclamee-pour-les-itinerants.php?fbclid=IwAR1U4lN941MzaKjlODLOkPvASfydwQ7IjVRhX0WhX_jASAguxchuOf3DqdA

Systems of Genocide: The Montreal Municipal Government's Unacceptable Response to the COVID-19 Crisis among the Indigenous Unsheltered Community:

https://crgreview.com/systems-of-genocide-the-montreal-municipal-governments-unacceptable-response-to-the-covid-19-crisis-among-the-indigenous-unsheltered-community/?fbclid=IwAR3mFPMaGz7M6-fHN8IESxWzbF66l7VaZcpszQNokt-EwKVOL0bjpaeuvyM

Quebec ignores the number of places available for the homeless:

https://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/592919/couvre-feu-le-gouvernement-ignore-le-nombre-de-places-disponibles-pour-les-sans-abri?fbclid=IwAR02joKt-K8F76gVvbvB2mvJ48cr7upKOr2aJCMgWhsVb8C-R1TCbvhutgc

Homelessness, outbreak and curfew: a disturbing cocktail for Indigenous aid:

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/espaces-autochtones/1761614/itinerance-eclosion-couvrefeu-ressources-montreal-inquietude?fbclid=IwAR2WAJs-zNyhRZXfSxk3fIScMDQ6Db0mSS2cuiXKjBRw7dbhTMhHSEdiOSY

Significant outbreak in the unhoused Indigenous community in Montreal:

https://www.ledevoir.com/societe/592943/importante-eclosion-dans-la-communaute-autochtone-itinerante-a-montreal?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Autopost&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3N2iyG9UHHc8pAqMHTtaF19tzo9PXoVK5nVrH9q41nbrktrd0o499YmPs#Echobox=1610106223

COVID-19: Major outbreaks among the homeless population:

https://journalmetro.com/actualites/montreal/2595533/covid-19-eclosions-majeures-au-sein-de-la-population-itinerante/?fbclid=IwAR3rxCLsEzZFV9R4Xtx2oIJic28Bm8EmqIelEA6xSoyIeJGwF9x0xTrj0vs

Homeless shelters ‘on the verge of collapse’ as Quebec curfew looms:

https://ricochet.media/en/3429/homeless-shelters-on-the-verge-of-collapse-as-quebec-curfew-looms?fbclid=IwAR2P68o1WjZa43SzpWY8tgDrJPWeLYvUwHZ1S1A4hPTPcvw7DpyqaFNLuRk

Montreal's first wet shelter postponed due to the pandemic:

https://journalmetro.com/actualites/montreal/2596414/montreal-wet-shelter-itinerants-covid-19/

COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN THE HOMELESS INDIGENOUS POPULATION: HOMELESS ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC HEALTH ARE MOBILIZING:

https://www.missionoldbrewery.ca/fr/nouvelles/eclosion-de-covid-19/