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| − | '''Jane Scharf''' is a [[poverty]] activist from [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]] who is running for [[mayor]] of Ottawa in the [[Ottawa municipal election, 2006|2006 municipal election]]. She currently resides in the [[Vanier, Ontario|Vanier]] neighbourhood of Ottawa.
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| − | Scharf has been active in Ottawa politics for at least two decades. She is a member of the Ottawa branch of the [[Industrial Workers of the World]] and has worked closely with homeless youth.
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| − | In the summer of [[2003]] Scharf was involved in a protest against the Safe Streets Act which involved Scharf sleeping under a bridge, the location where many homeless youth spend their nights. Scharf was removed in August of 2003 by [[Ottawa Police Service|Ottawa Police]] and falsely arrested for mischief so that the protest could be shut down. She was found not guilty of these charges after a 2.5 year prosecution with a 7 day trial.
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| − | In 2004 during another protest Tent City at city hall Scharf spent thirty-eight days in jail without bail after another false arrest used to stop the protest. She spent several days of her sentence in [[solitary confinement]] after she reported a male prison guard was sexually harassing herself and other female prisoners.<ref> IMC-Canada: [http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-canada/2004-September/0923-uo.html] </ref>
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| − | Scharf supports the youth protest Kaptus Bridge Action which is trying to renamed the underpass located at the intersection of [[Rideau Street|Rideau]] and Sussex which was the location of a death of a homeless youth in [[2006]]. The homeless youth, Kaptus was stabbed to death in the summer of [[2006]]. The campaign to rename the underpass the Kaptus Underpass and place a plaque in his rememberance. The campaign includes a written petition which already collected many names.
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| − | On [[May]] 1st [[2006]] Scharf was part of a [[May Day]] march against the [[Rideau Centre]] in [[downtown Ottawa]]. One of the other organizers was [[Andrew Nellis]] who is also on the General Members Board of the IWW and an organizer with the Panhandlers Union.
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| − | Scharf has frequently spoken on behalf of the homeless. She is frequently mentioned in the [[Xpress|X-Press]] newspaper, an alternative free weekly available in Ottawa. Scharf is opposed to the Safe Streets Act and other legislation which she believes harms the poor. Scharf said in the X-Press newspaper: "I believe that panhandling is a necessity right now because of the inadequacy of social services and the Safe Streets Act is an unconstitutional piece of legislation as well."
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