Neglect, Injustice, and the Fight for the Homeless

By Carl Robinson

The homelessness crisis in London, Ontario, has reached catastrophic levels, exposing systemic corruption, neglect, and a blatant disregard for human life. The actions of the municipality, Mayor Josh Morgan, London Cares, the Coordinated Informed Response (CIR) team, and law enforcement have left countless individuals abandoned, vulnerable, and in life-threatening conditions.

A Brutal Winter and Heartless Actions

London, Ontario, has been pummeled by a harsh winter this year, with its location in the snowbelt leading to relentless storms and dangerously low temperatures. Despite this, CIR and London Cares continue to displace homeless individuals by dismantling their camps, confiscating their belongings—including tents, sleeping bags, and warm clothing—and leaving them to face the brutal cold with nowhere to go.

These actions are not only inhumane but also lethal. People are dying on the streets as temperatures plummet, their survival tools ripped away under the guise of “clean-up” efforts. I have personally witnessed CIR workers laughing and joking as they destroy camps and throw belongings into garbage trucks, their smiles belying the devastation they cause. This is a human rights crisis.

Violating Rights and Ignoring Solutions

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees every person the right to security and shelter, yet these actions blatantly disregard those rights. Homeless individuals are treated as disposable, thrown under the rug as if their lives hold no value.

The municipality has access to resources, funding, and countless potential solutions to address homelessness, yet they choose to do nothing meaningful. Instead, they prioritize eradication over compassion and displacement over solutions. This behaviour amounts to a systematic effort to depopulate the homeless community, leaving them to die in the cold.

The Tragic Case of Tom

The actions of the city are not only inhumane but also neglectful of those with the greatest needs. One such case is Tom, a 61-year-old double amputee who is also missing half of his fingers. Tom lives in a tent placed in a park by Mission Services, and despite having 8 to 10 support workers assigned to his case, none of them—except for his PSW—have provided him with meaningful assistance or worked to secure him a proper place to live.

When the Knuckle Draggers, a grassroots organization dedicated to helping the homeless, visited Tom, they found him sitting in his own urine, unassisted for two days. The team immediately demanded action from London Cares, but they were told it was “too late in the day” to address the situation and that they might help him the next day.

Unwilling to leave Tom in such dire conditions, the Knuckle Draggers took matters into their own hands. They sought help from another organization, The Ark Aid Mission, which generously donated a coat, bedding, blankets, and other supplies. The Knuckle Draggers sanitized Tom’s tent, replaced his bedding with insulated foam and memory foam, and provided him with clean clothes and a more comfortable environment.

Despite these efforts, Tom remains in the park as of December 11, 2024, with no hope of securing stable housing or shelter. This is not just neglect—it is a death sentence.

Indigenous Communities Targeted

The neglect and cruelty extend to Indigenous communities as well. I witnessed CIR and London Cares dismantle an Indigenous encampment despite our team presenting legal documentation affirming their rights. CIR workers dismissed the papers, claiming they were not “stamped” by a judge, and ignored the Canadian Charter of Rights, which we tried to invoke.

This violation of Indigenous rights is a stark reminder of the systemic racism embedded in the city’s approach to people experiencing homelessness. These actions demonstrate that the municipality operates with impunity, disregarding legal and moral obligations.

Where Is the Funding?

The City of London has received significant federal and provincial funding to address homelessness, including $74 million before the new year and an additional $24 million from a private donor. This money was intended to fund affordable housing and resources for the homeless, yet it has seemingly vanished without a trace.

From the streets, it is clear that this money has not gone to those who need it most. Instead, it appears to have been absorbed into the pockets of politicians and municipal leaders while the homeless community is left to suffer and die.

How Does This Continue?

Each municipality across Canada is responsible for its homeless prevention programs, allowing local governments to act with little oversight. This decentralized system has given London, Middlesex County, and other regions the freedom to implement policies that violate human rights with no accountability.

How does the City of London get away with murdering homeless people through neglect and displacement? How does a system allow a double amputee to remain in a tent, with no help or hope, in freezing temperatures? How does a municipality justify stealing the belongings of the homeless, leaving them with nothing but the clothes on their backs?

The Fight for Change

The Knuckle Draggers and other grassroots organizations continue to fight for the homeless, stepping in where the city has failed. We provide food, clothing, bedding, and support to those who have been abandoned. We document these injustices, share the stories of the homeless, and raise public awareness of the corruption and neglect perpetrated by the city.

The public must demand accountability. Share these stories, contact local representatives, and call for an independent investigation into the actions of London Cares, CIR, and the municipality.

Homelessness is not a crime. Being poor is not a reason to strip someone of their dignity, belongings, or life. Together, we can hold those in power accountable and fight for a system that values all lives equally.