*************************************************************************
CALLING musicians, DJs, street-theatre troupes, fire-spinners, fire-breathers, puppeteers, tightrope-walkers, and otherwise artistically inclined folks...If you'd like to support the Pope Squat by performing during the Summer Street Festival, please GET IN TOUCH as soon as possible! Email john@tao.ca or phone 416-925-6939 and leave a message for John.
*************************************************************************

The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty will open the Pope Squat, on Thursday, July 25. The City of Toronto is spending millions of dollars funding the Pope's visit for World Youth Day while neglecting the basic needs of the thousands of people deprived of shelter as a result of skyrocketing rents and evictions. Squatters will occupy an abandoned building in a Toronto neighborhood during the Pope's visit; their demands of all levels of government include the creation of 2000 units of social housing a year. The Pope Squat will ultimately be transformed into self-managed social housing and a community center for neighborhood use.

In order to celebrate the opening of the Pope Squat, OCAP is inviting neighborhood residents, social activists and squat supporters to a Summer Street Festival on Saturday, July 27, featuring:

* performances by bands and DJs
* circus stunts and face-painting
* speeches by your favourite Toronto politicos
* a community barbecue
* an atmosphere of festive resistance & reappropriation.

The Festival will start at Noon and continue on well into the evening. It will take place outside the Pope Squat; the exact location will be announced at the opening of the Squat on July 25th. Check your email or the OCAP website (www.ocap.ca) for updates.

There are many ways you can contribute to this celebration of resistance and reappropriation:

==> You can participate just by showing up, getting to know the squatters and the neighbors, sharing good food and celebrating the capacity of people to take and create the shelter they need in order to survive and flourish in this city.

==> If you are an artist or performer, and would like to support the Pope Squat by performing at the Summer Street Festival, please get in touch with John at john@tao.ca or at 416.925.6939.

==> If you would like to speak in support of the Pope Squat during the festival, or know of good speakers who might, please let us know! Again, you can get in touch with John at john@tao.ca or at 416.925.6939.

See you at the party!

When the government refuses to build housing, people have no choice but to take it themselves! Fight to Win!

john <john@tao.ca>

back 2 mainpage