The Cadre ¢ 1 December 1998

U of T considers helping Toronto’s homeless

By CARLA TONELLI

TORONTO (CUP) -- The University of Toronto should consider and implement strat- egies for assisting the city’s homeless, particularly in the coming cold months, one of the university’s top governing boards says.

A motion urging the uni- versity to look into the matter was passed last Tuesday by the University Affairs Board in a move that was applauded by campus activists, who have been calling on the university torespond to Toronto’s home- less crisis.

“We havea whole range of expertise we can bring to this complicated issue,” said Margaret Hancock, warden of U of T’s Hart House--

“People who are need- ing shelters these days are in worse shape than before. It’s not justa matter of providing a roof over their heads andacup

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of coffee anymore,” she added.

Hancock pointed to a proposed long-term assistance plan that will address health, social, and funding issues alongside the more immediate band aid solutions of shelter.

“It’s a good first step,” said Holly Baines, vice-presi- dent of the school’s Graduate Students’ Union. “It’sareally simple undertaking.”

The fact the vote was passed unanimously indicates the immediacy of the crisis in the city, says Chris Ramsaroop, president of U of T’s Students’ Administrative Council.

“Awareness has in- creased around the issue, and the university has a responsi- bility torespond to that aware- ness,” Ramsaroop said.

“We have got to get off this idea that we’ re in an ivory tower and what happens on campus doesn’t affect us be-

cause first and foremost there are students who are home- less,” he said, adding he hopes the university will have relief measures in place by Decem- ber.

The vote comes on the heels of several recent com- mitments to tackle the problem of homelessness in Toronto.

Prompted by the efforts of a local coalition group, the City of Toronto recently de- clared homelessness a national disaster, a move that was matched by the cities of Ot- tawa and Napean, Ont., shortly after.

Concern for the city’s homeless _ estimated at be- tween 50,000 and 100,000 _

has also surfaced at the U of T.

Hancock says she has already received a slew of phone calls from students, fac- ulty and graduates interested in helping with the university’s line of action on the issue.

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National News__? CBC saved from

increased government control

By MARY VALLIS

VICTORIA (CUP) — Sup- porters of the CBC won a major victory in the House of Commons last week when proposed legislation was amended to prevent arbitrary government control over the public broadcaster’s execu- tive.

Bill C-44 — which rec- ommends changes for more than 150 independent govern- ment agencies -. was on the way to its second and final reading when a section allow- ing the government to appoint or fire the CBC’s directors and president “at pleasure,” was removed.

The move came about when Sarmite Bulte, a back bench Liberal member of par- liament, questioned Treasury Board President Marcel Masse about the section.

“What assurances can the minister give this House that the independence of the CBC will not be compro- mised?” asked Bulte.

Critics of the bill had said the section would open the CBC’s doors to political interference from the House of Commons by allowing poli- ticians to appoint or dismiss its president and board, turning the institution intoa state broad- caster.

“The independent na- ture of the CBC must be up- held in law, in practice and in public perception . . . espe- cially news broadcasts,” said Bulte in a Nov. 16 letter to Masse.

Masse withdrew the section of the bill in question to

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“reduce the uncertainty” sur- rounding the broadcaster’ s in- dependence.

The government will re- tain the right to make appoint- ments to the CBC’s board of directors, however.

Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, anational lobby group that foughtthe bill, called the turn of events a victory for Canadians.

“We're thrilled,” said Tim Woods, who works with the group in Victoria.

“This is one instance where grassroots lobbying made a difference.”

Woods said the section was withdrawn largely be-

cause of public reaction against it, including a letter signed by 21 prominent Cana- dian journalists and a wide- spread e-mail campaign or- ganized by the lobby group.

Even CBC president Perrin Beatty voiced his op- position to the proposed legis- lation.

Friends spokesman lan Morrison said the campaign to stamp out Bill C-44 solidi- fied supported for the public broadcaster.

“There’s a lot of sup- port for the CBC,” he said from Toronto.

The journalistic com- munity came down squarely in defence of the CBC during the debate over the bill, which occurred at the same time Ottawa alleged CBC televi- sion reporter Terry Milewski was biased in his coverage of the APEC affair.

The timing was a vola- tilecombination inthe public’s eye, Morrison said.

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® ee n other words, what we do for them, pa £ or CARABA Their future is our future.