Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 11h

24% of revenue from TO's speed cameras goes to the province, 41% to Vision Zero initiatives. But Premier Ford has no interest in funding evidence-based public programs — or even the province itself.

His government exists to protect insiders and shitheads speeding in school zones.

2 14

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 1d

A reminder that Ford has repeatedly used or threatened to use the Notwithstanding Clause to undermine democracy by:

- Limiting third party election advertising
- Slashing Toronto City Council mid-election
- Undermining education workers' labour rights
- Evicting encampments
- Removing bike lanes

2 45 100

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 2d

中秋快乐, or Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to those who celebrate! Although I'm only half-Chinese, I grew up mostly with Chinese holidays and traditions, and today is my favourite! All my best to you and yours tonight!

1 15

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 5d

Oh! As a DJ I like this!

1

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 5d

800,000 Ontarian are unemployed — and by definition, "unemployed" means actively looking for work. 81,000 Ontarians were homeless in 2024. The audacity of Ford to blame people harmed by his policies, arguing for "bootstraps" without even providing pathways to jobs.

1 10

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 5d

I co-facilitated a training program for un- & under-housed people on OW to find meaningful employment in social service. It was defunded this year. Homeless people — whom Ford calls "lazy" — have been deprived of opportunity so that Ford can enrich insiders. www.thestar.com/politics/pro...

Ford government’s handling of Skills Development funds ‘not fair, transparent or accountable,’ auditor finds

In a critical audit, Shelley Spence said Ford’s Ministry of Labour awarded money to the “low- and medium-ranked applications” from the controversial fund.

www.thestar.com

4 30 60

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 6d

A lot of attention is being paid to fringe voices who blame homelessness and toxic drugs on organizations trying to address these issues. But yesterday, hundreds of people dropped by Parkdale Queen West CHC to show support for harm reduction services and the reopening of the Gwynne Parkette.

3 16

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 15d

Being homeless isn't a crime, despite Premier Ford incorrectly conflating drugs, criminality, and homelessness. However, Ford *does* point out that encampments have increased under his tenure — true, and largely because of his own government's policies. www.cp24.com/video/2025/0...

‘We want our communities back’: Ford vows to crack down on encampments

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he’s tired of encampments, and says the federal government needs to change the criminal code.

www.cp24.com

5 6 28

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 16d

As well, what Dufferin Grove residents are doing is reminiscent of the land reform movement in Brazil. As homeless (landless) people, they are demanding what they need through the occupation of land, which has proven successful in other contexts. Power to them. /5 www.mstbrazil.org/content/what...

What is the MST? | Friends of the MST

www.mstbrazil.org

1 7

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 16d

This is to say that public space exists for the public good — we can't limit activities if this limitation results in deprivation — and that the only reasonable alternatives to encamping must be truly accessible. Are we meeting that bar in Dufferin Grove? I would argue we are not. /4

1 4

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 16d

In 2008, the B.C. Supreme Court also ruled that “the government cannot prohibit certain activities on public property ... if doing so involves a deprivation of the fundamental human right not to be deprived of the ability to protect one’s own bodily integrity." /3

1 1

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 16d

This is untested, but I would argue that if people's trauma is directly caused by their experiences in the shelter system, then reasonably no offer of shelter can be considered "truly accessible." Housing can be the only adequate remedy in this situation. /2

1 1

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 16d

In the Waterloo ruling RE: encampments, Justice Valente set out that any offer of shelter to encampment residents must be truly accessible to meet their unique needs. It isn't adequate to simply hold any shelter space in order to meet the legal requirements. /1 www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/loca...

Dufferin Grove Park encampment residents push back amid trespass notices

Residents and supporters are pushing back as the city works to clear a long-standing encampment at Toronto’s Dufferin Grove Park.

www.ctvnews.ca

1 4 12

Reposted by Diana Chan McNally

Tom Beedham @tombeedham.bsky.social · 16d

I also have a short piece about Ontario's Bill 10 in this issue of @thegrindto.bsky.social, correcting RA's reporting and getting into the historical precedents the war on drugs set across the border. Thanks to @dianacmcnally.bsky.social for her tireless advocacy. www.thegrindmag.ca/nightlife-br...

Nightlife braces for Bill 10

Ontario is copying the U.S. with a new law that would punish landlords for drug use in their venues. But in America, the war on drugs made concerts and raves riskier.

www.thegrindmag.ca

1 5

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 22d

How many encampment residents have been displaced to nowhere since the IDP was enacted? My motion, which was passed, asked for this data and more, which is central to improving the IDP and upholding the human right to housing — even if, sadly, it cannot help anyone today. /5

2 10

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 22d

As a member of the City of Toronto's Housing Rights Advisory Committee, one (small) thing I was able to do today is request information on how the "Enhanced Outreach Model" — built upon the work I did with others in 2021, and as embedded in the IDP — is performing. /4

Motions

Motion to Amend Item moved by Diana Chan McNally (Carried)
The Housing Rights Advisory Committee:

1. Request that the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat work with General Manager, Toronto Shelter and Support Services to provide an update to the Housing Rights Advisory Committee in the first quarter of 2026 on the human rights outcomes advanced through implementation of the Enhanced Outreach Model at those sites where the model has been applied and for this update to include the following data, where available:

a. the number of encampment residents who were displaced to an unknown location, following the serving of eviction notices in the encampment;

b. the number of shelter offers, both accepted and refused, that were given to encampment residents, both prior to and after the serving of eviction notices;

c. the number of housing offers, both accepted and refused, that were given to encampment residents, both prior to and after the serving of eviction notices;

d. the number of encampment residents who accepted shelter offers who have subsequently received permanent housing;

e. the number of encampment residents who accepted shelter offers who have subsequently exited the shelter system.

1 5

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 22d

All to say ... the eviction in Dufferin Grove seems inevitable, even if it's harmful and wrong. Again, it is embedded in the IDP — which must simultaneously be updated AND resourced by all levels of government if it is to function as intended: to expedite homeless people into housing. /3

1 2

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 22d

But, even if encampment evictions were banned, the IDP cannot operationalize the right to housing if other orders of government fail to provide adequate support. I wrote about this just last year: "even the noblest of intentions are meaningless without resources." /2 www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

Upset about homeless encampments? Talk to Doug Ford

Ontario is inundated with homeless encampments. This isn’t just a Toronto issue. Yet, it’s only in the past year that the focus on encampments as a strictly municipal problem has

www.thestar.com

1 3

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · 22d

Nine encampment residents are facing imminent eviction from Dufferin Grove. Technically, the City is following its own Interdivisional Protocol for Encampments (IDP), which allows for these evictions — a caveat I've been critical of since the IDP's inception. /1 www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-h...

Dufferin Grove homeless encampment residents fear imminent forced eviction

Encampment residents have received trespass notices from the city saying tents must be removed from the park by Tuesday

www.torontotoday.ca

1 10 20

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · Aug 22

Toronto! Do you live and work in Parkdale? Your neighbours are organizing in support of our local supervised consumption site, which has been overwhelmed since the closure of other sites. Join us in defending harm reduction and life-saving services in Parkdale and beyond: tinyurl.com/SupportSCSin...

5

Reposted by Diana Chan McNally

TorontoToday @torontotoday.ca · Jul 22

Churches see alarming overdose spike on-site since safe consumption site closures

‘It's just carnage all the time. I feel like I’m staring at a bad motor vehicle accident,’ says one church property manager

dlvr.it

9 8

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · Jul 21

NGL, joining Stripper News to talk about Doug Ford criminalizing homelessness and people who use drugs is a highlight! Full episode here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8UY...

Ontario’s New War on Drugs | How drug use anywhere is now a crime | Stripper News

YouTube video by Stripper News

www.youtube.com

7 11

Reposted by Diana Chan McNally

Dan Seljak @anotherglassbox.bsky.social · Jul 18

Posted this on Twitter for impact but figure folks here would like to see it too: yesterday toured the new shelter that's in the news for making a certain demo of neighbours mad.

Unsurprisingly, it's awesome. I'm gonna show you why.

5 32 88

Diana Chan McNally @dianacmcnally.bsky.social · Jun 5

Bill 10 slipped under the radar of the media, but it has major implications for music venues and supportive housing that could shut them down. An unlikely ally in a fight against this legislation, which passed yesterday, will be Ontario's music community. ra.co/news/82933

In Ontario, a new law places clubs, music venues and DIY spaces in jeopardy · News ⟋ RA

Bill 10, which holds landlords criminally liable for any drug activity on their properties, became law on June 4th.

ra.co

3 6

Reposted by Diana Chan McNally

ODSP ActionCoalition @odspaction.bsky.social · May 29

Rally held outside Queen’s Park over Bill 6 which criminalizes #homelessness and conflates it with addiction.

Thank you @dianacmcnally.bsky.social for your tireless efforts organizing & pushing back against this harmful & dangerous piece of legislation.
#ONpoli
cp24.com/video/2025/0...

Rally held outside Queen’s Park over bill critics say targets encampments, public drug use

Members of the Encampment Justice Coalition formed a rally outside of Queen’s Park to speak out against the Ford government’s Bill 6.

cp24.com

4 8