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'''Andrew Nellis''' (born [[February 23]], [[1969]]) in [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]. He is a [[Canadian]] [[anarcho-syndicalist]], [[writer]], [[Computer graphics|CG]] [[artist]], and an organizer with the [[Industrial Workers of the World]].  He advocates the dissolution of all present forms of [[government]] through [[direct action]] and the introduction of [[anarchist]] ideals. He is an [[alumnus]] of [[Lisgar Collegiate Institute|Lisgar Collegiate]] and [[Algonquin College]]. He currently lives in the [[Vanier, Ontario|Vanier]] neighbourhood of Ottawa.
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'''Andrew Nellis''' (born [[February 23]], [[1969]]) in [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]. He is a [[Canadian]] [[anarcho-syndicalist]], [[writer]], CG [[artist]], and an organizer with the [[Industrial Workers of the World]].  He advocates the dissolution of all present forms of [[government]] through [[direct action]] and the introduction of [[anarchist]] ideals. He is an [[alumnus]] of [[Lisgar Collegiate Institute|Lisgar Collegiate]] and [[Algonquin College]]. He currently lives in the Vanier neighbourhood of Ottawa.
  
 
== Heroes and Influences==
 
== Heroes and Influences==
  
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Andrew has many [[heroes]] from many differing fields of thought including [[psychology]], [[philosophy]], [[politics]].
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Andrew has many heroes from many differing fields of thought including [[psychology]], [[philosophy]], [[politics]].
  
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One of his political heroes is [[Nestor Makhno]], a Ukranian [[anarchist]] who raised an army and fought against the Bolshevik [[Red Army]] between [[1918]] and [[1919]].
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One of his political heroes is [[Nestor Makhno]], a Ukranian [[anarchist]] who raised an army and fought against the Bolshevik Red Army between [[1918]] and [[1919]].
  
 
He also admires [[Henry David Thoreau]] and believes strongly in the tactic of [[civil disobedience]].
 
He also admires [[Henry David Thoreau]] and believes strongly in the tactic of [[civil disobedience]].
  
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In the field of psychology Andrew admires both [[Sigmund Freud]] and [[Karl Jung]]. One of his hobbies includes [[psychoanalysis]] and the psychoanalysis of his friends and colleagues. He also speaks frequently about the [[collective unconsciousness]] and [[Archetype|Jungian archetypes]] and their relationship to political leaders. He frequently identifies [[George W Bush]] as being the [[Shadow (psychology)|Shadow]] archetype.
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In the field of psychology Andrew admires both [[Sigmund Freud]] and [[Karl Jung]].
  
 
== Andrew In The News ==
 
== Andrew In The News ==
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Most recently Andrew has been involved with organizing [[panhandler]]s in [[Ottawa]], encouraging them to [[labor union|unionize]].  The Panhandlers Union is a modest success and has received coverage in the [[Ottawa Citizen]] and [[Ottawa Sun]]. The Panhandler's Union has also been  mentioned as a human interest story in many of [[CanWest Global]]'s other newspapers including the [[Winnipeg Tribune]].
 
Most recently Andrew has been involved with organizing [[panhandler]]s in [[Ottawa]], encouraging them to [[labor union|unionize]].  The Panhandlers Union is a modest success and has received coverage in the [[Ottawa Citizen]] and [[Ottawa Sun]]. The Panhandler's Union has also been  mentioned as a human interest story in many of [[CanWest Global]]'s other newspapers including the [[Winnipeg Tribune]].
  
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One of Andrew's comrades in the Ottawa branch of the IWW is [[Jane Scharf]] who is currently running for [[mayor]] of Ottawa in the [[Ottawa municipal election, 2006|2006 municipal election]].
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[[Jane Scharf]] is a former organizer for the Ottawa Panhandlers Union. She unsuccessfully ran for [[mayor]] of Ottawa in the 2006 municipal election.
  
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== Panhandlers Union ==
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Nellis was arrested May 1st 2008 while trying to cut a lock on a gate which was put up to prevent homeless people from congregating in an underpass in downtown Ottawa. Nellis' plan was to remove the lock that the city had installed and to put on his own lock which everyone would have access to. He was charged with mischief and possession of break and enter tools. These charges were eventually dropped when Nellis started mounting a human rights case against the City of Ottawa.
  
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The Panhandlers Union was born in early [[2003]]. It is a shop of the Industrial Workers of the World, Ottawa-Outaouis General Members Board. Andrew is the lead organizer of the union and its current IWW [[delegate]] and [[spokesperson]].
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While at the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Detention Centre, Nellis organized inmates and got them to complain about the deplorable conditions of the prison. This resulted in a front page article in the Ottawa Citizen. Nellis was subsequently released, most likely as a result of his prison organizing campaign.
  
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The union is not a conventional labour union in the sense that its purpose is not to bargain with a third party for a [[collective bargaining|collective contract]] and higher wages. This misconception has led to a great deal of ridicule including an attack against the group by the Ottawa Citizen which asked what the panhanders were fighting for -- "wider sidewalks?" The union had a chance to respond to these accusations with their own [[editorial|op-ed]] piece, [http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/opinion/story.html?id=615a7936-caaf-4613-b676-d5635bdb0790&p=2 "Why Panhandlers Need a Union"] which appeared in the newspaper on March 20th 2006. The editorial was a collaborative piece written by several members of the IWW. It was credited to panhandler Proshanto Smith.
 
  
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The purpose of the union is intended to bring together panhandlers, street artsists, buskers and any other "street-affected" person to lobby [[city hall]] for individual rights and reverse the laws which the city of Ottawa has passed. The union has continually stressed that its aim is to create an "[[entrepreneur|entrepreneurially]] spirit" which aims to have panhanders sell arts and crafts, [[books]], [[Compact Disc|compact discs]] or other donated material for money which they will use to support themselves.
 
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The creation of the Panhandlers Union has encouraged other activists and members of the IWW to create their own unions for special groups which included the creation of a Transit Riders Union in Ottawa.
 
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On May 1st [[2006]] Andrew, with the coordination and support of the Ottawa branch of the [[Industrial Workers of the World]], organized a [[May Day]] protest by the panhandler's union to shut down Rideau Street. The action shut down [[Rideau Street]] in front of the [[Rideau Centre]] for more than one hour and was completely peaceful. The action targetted the Rideau Centre because of incidents of violence against homeless youth by mall security. The direct action also targetted the [[Safe Streets Act]] which the Panhandler's Union has criticized for being [[Draco|Draconian]] legislature which unfairly targets the poor. It also targetted a [[by-law]] passed by Ottawa City Hall which outlawed selling newspapers on street corners <ref> City of Ottawa [http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:bvQHktGeJG8J:takebackcityhall.info/2005-358_street_vendors.pdf+Ottawa+vending+highways&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=3&client=firefox-a]
 
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</ref>. Panhandlers and the homeless in Ottawa had been selling the alternative, [[Halifax]]-based [http://www.dominionpaper.ca/ Dominion Newspaper]. New laws which came into effect on May 1st restricted this action.
 
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A [[June]] 1st 2006 protest included a mass panhandle. It protested a law pass by Ottawa [[city hall]] which banned the vending of [[arts and crafts]] and the distribution of newspapers by the poor. The media picked up quotes by Nellis and the Panhandlers Union for that day's events -- "Ottawa's homeless say they will disrupt [[business]] in this city if business insists on disrupting our business".
 
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[http://ottawa.indymedia.ca/images/2006/05/2585.jpg Leaflet from the June 1st protest]
 
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== Laws and the Panhandlers Union ==
 
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:'''By-Law No. 2005 - 358:'''
 
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This is a by-law which was passed by Ottawa city hall which restricts vending on "[[highways]]". Highway in this case is a [[misnomer]] as the law in this case defines "highway" as a common and public highway, and includes any bridge, trestle, viaduct, or other structure forming part of the highway and, except as otherwise provided, includes a portion of a highway.
 
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The by-law was passed [[August 24th]] 2005 without any public consultation. <ref>Action Forum [http://list.digital-copyright.ca/pipermail/action-forum/2005-September/000893.html] </ref>
 
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The law prohibits selling of arts and crafts, flowers, street newspapers as well as prohibiting busking and street theatre.
 
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:'''Safe Strets Act''':
 
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The Safe Streets Act was a law passed by the former Conservative government of Mike Harris in 1999. It applies to all of Ontario. The act aims to stop "aggressive" panhandling but the law is purposely [[vague]] in what it defines as "aggressive" panhandling. The law states that "aggressive" means "a manner that is likely to cause a reasonable person to be concerned for his or her safety or security." This is vague because not all people may feel threatened by the same situations. Some "reasonable" people feel threatened by merely being solicited by a panhandler for spare change while others have no problem with stopping to give a panhandler money. In effect the Safe Streets Act aims not to curb aggressive panhandling but to eliminate all panhandling whether it is aggressive or passive.
 
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In Ottawa the only way that panhandlers in the Panhandlers Union have been able to respond to harassment by the Ottawa Police is by keeping a copy of the Safe Street Act and showing it to police to prove they are not in violation of the law. Nevertheless, panhandlers find themselves in the ridiculous situation of having to pay tickets for panhandling which they cannot afford.
 
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Furthermore, the act does not apply to charities which solicit people for money. This is particularly true of the [http://www.cysticfibrosis.ca/page.asp?id=33 Shinerama]campaign held every fall by university students which raises money for [[cystic fibrosis]]. The fact that charities are allowed to solicit for money on [[Central reservation|medians]] and on sidewalks shows the inherent [[classism]] of the Safe Streets Act.
 
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It is not unusual for panhanders in Ottawa to have dozens of tickets because of the Safe Streets Act.
 
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The solution to this problem was the creation of the [http://www.flora.org/legal/tickets/resources.htm Ticket Defence Program] whereby social activists attempt to have fines against panhandlers dropped. The program has been largely successful in the cities where it has been implemented.
 
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== Personal life ==
 
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Andrew identifies his religion as [[Buddhist]], but he tends to call himself an [[Mysticism|Anarcho-Mystic]].
 
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During his leisure time, Andrew can be found chatting on IRC ([[Internet Relay Chat]]). One IRC network he is known to frequent is [[Dalnet]] where he uses the nickname PoisonPen. One of the channels he frequents is an anarchist community channel called #Politicssucks. The channel operates by [[consensus]] and is a prototype for the type of anarchist community Andrew would want to live in.
 
  
 
== Personal Quotes ==
 
== Personal Quotes ==
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[http://www.happinessinslavery.com/atheism/poison1.html Complete List of Andrew's quotes]
 
[http://www.happinessinslavery.com/atheism/poison1.html Complete List of Andrew's quotes]
  
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[http://www3.sympatico.ca/ptimusk/iww.html Ottawa Outaouais IWW Membership Branch]
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[http://www.ottawaiww.org Ottawa Outaouais IWW Membership Branch]
  
 
[http://www.ottawaxpress.ca/news/brief.aspx?iIDArticle=2828 Ottawa X-Press article on Panhandlers Union]
 
[http://www.ottawaxpress.ca/news/brief.aspx?iIDArticle=2828 Ottawa X-Press article on Panhandlers Union]
  
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[http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:bvQHktGeJG8J:takebackcityhall.info/2005-358_street_vendors.pdf+Ottawa+vending+highways&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=3&client=firefox-a By-law of the City of Ottawa respecting vendors on highways]
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[http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:bvQHktGeJG8J:takebackcityhall.info/2005-358_street_vendors.pdf+Ottawa+vending+highways&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=3&client=firefox-a By-law of the City of Ottawa regarding vendors on highways]
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
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*[http://list.digital-copyright.ca/pipermail/action-forum/2006-May/000907.html [Action-forum] Mayday-Voices from the Street]
 
*[http://list.digital-copyright.ca/pipermail/action-forum/2006-May/000907.html [Action-forum] Mayday-Voices from the Street]
  
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[[Category:Canadian labour union leaders|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
 
[[Category:Canadian anarchists|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
[[Category:Canadian anarchists|Nellis, Andrew]]
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[[Category:Canadian activists|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
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[[Category:Canadian vegetarians|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
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[[Category:Canadian bloggers|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
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[[Category:Canadian anti-war activists|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
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[[Category:People from Ottawa|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
 
[[Category:Syndicalists|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
[[Category:Syndicalists|Nellis, Andrew]]
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[[Category:Living people|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
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[[Category:1969 births|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
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[[Category:Canadian Buddhists|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
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[[Category:Anti-globalization activists|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
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[[Category:Fetish artists|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
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[[Category:Atheist thinkers and activists|Nellis, Andrew]]
 
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[[Category:IWW]]
 
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[[Category:Civil disobedience]]
 

Latest revision as of 08:55, 6 April 2013

Andrew Nellis (born February 23, 1969) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is a Canadian anarcho-syndicalist, writer, CG artist, and an organizer with the Industrial Workers of the World. He advocates the dissolution of all present forms of government through direct action and the introduction of anarchist ideals. He is an alumnus of Lisgar Collegiate and Algonquin College. He currently lives in the Vanier neighbourhood of Ottawa.

Heroes and Influences[edit]

Andrew has many heroes from many differing fields of thought including psychology, philosophy, politics.

One of his political heroes is Nestor Makhno, a Ukranian anarchist who raised an army and fought against the Bolshevik Red Army between 1918 and 1919.

He also admires Henry David Thoreau and believes strongly in the tactic of civil disobedience.

In the field of psychology Andrew admires both Sigmund Freud and Karl Jung.

Andrew In The News[edit]

Andrew has appeared on various talk shows and news segments, generally on radio, with a few appearances on television. His television appearances included one on Rogers Community Television 22 in Ottawa and a segment on the CHRO news. Andrew has spoken on both of Ottawa's university's radio stations: CKCU and CHUO.

On July 22nd 2005 Andrew was featured on the cover of the Ottawa Metro, a free daily newspaper available in Ottawa. The picture featured Andrew in a confrontation with a member of the Ottawa Police after Andrew had written anti-war slogans on a wall with chalk. The incident ended without arrest. The cover of the newspaper from that day can be viewed here: Andrew is confronted by the Ottawa Police

Most recently Andrew has been involved with organizing panhandlers in Ottawa, encouraging them to unionize. The Panhandlers Union is a modest success and has received coverage in the Ottawa Citizen and Ottawa Sun. The Panhandler's Union has also been mentioned as a human interest story in many of CanWest Global's other newspapers including the Winnipeg Tribune.

Jane Scharf is a former organizer for the Ottawa Panhandlers Union. She unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Ottawa in the 2006 municipal election.

Nellis was arrested May 1st 2008 while trying to cut a lock on a gate which was put up to prevent homeless people from congregating in an underpass in downtown Ottawa. Nellis' plan was to remove the lock that the city had installed and to put on his own lock which everyone would have access to. He was charged with mischief and possession of break and enter tools. These charges were eventually dropped when Nellis started mounting a human rights case against the City of Ottawa.

While at the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Detention Centre, Nellis organized inmates and got them to complain about the deplorable conditions of the prison. This resulted in a front page article in the Ottawa Citizen. Nellis was subsequently released, most likely as a result of his prison organizing campaign.


Personal Quotes[edit]

Andrew is known for his colourful rants against capitalists, Christians, conservatives and Americans. Here are just a few:

"Ayn Rand is the curdled remains of a black, bitter, shrivelled apple from the tree of hypocrisy growing under the outhouse in the deepest pit of Hell. She couldn't grope her way out of her own rectum with a flashlight and a copy of Gray's Anatomy. Her entire rancid philosophy could have been killed if anyone had been brave or desperate enough to stick their penis into that frigid arctic pucker of her twat."

"I have sworn an oath before God that I will dance on Mike Harris's grave. In the long, dark hours of the night when my hatred of Mike Harris burns like anthracite, I bank the flames which burn my heart with the knowledge that I will dance on his grave."

"The Pledge of Allegiance is a travesty of nationalist psychosis. It's no wonder America is the seething pit of hysterical, xenophobic fascism that it is."

External links[edit]

Andrew's blog

Complete List of Andrew's quotes

Ottawa Outaouais IWW Membership Branch

Ottawa X-Press article on Panhandlers Union

By-law of the City of Ottawa regarding vendors on highways

References[edit]


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