Ottawa Panhandlers Union

The Ottawa Panhandlers Union was formed in early 2003. It is a shop of the Industrial Workers of the World, Ottawa-Outaouis General Members Board. Andrew Nellis is the lead organizer of the union and its current IWW delegate and spokesperson.

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 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 op-ed piece, 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.

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 "entrepreneurially spirit" which aims to have panhanders sell arts and crafts, books, compact discs or other donated material for money which they will use to support themselves.

The creation of the Panhandlers Union has encouraged other activists such as those in the Under Pressure Collective to create their own unions for special groups which included the creation of a Transit Riders Union in Ottawa.

On May 1st, 2006, Nellis, 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 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 [1]. Panhandlers and the homeless in Ottawa had been selling the alternative, Halifax-based Dominion Newspaper. New laws which came into effect on May 1st restricted this action.

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".

Laws and the Panhandlers Union

By-Law No. 2005 - 358:

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.

The by-law was passed August 24th 2005 without any public consultation.

The law prohibits selling of arts and crafts, flowers, street newspapers as well as prohibiting busking and street theatre.

Safe Streets Act

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 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. The pandhandler's union feels that the Safe Streets Act aims not to curb aggressive panhandling but to eliminate all panhandling whether it is aggressive or passive.

In Ottawa, 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 having to pay tickets for panhandling which they cannot afford.

Furthermore, the act does not apply to charities which solicit people for money. This is particularly true of the Shinerama[4] campaign held every fall by university students which raises money for cystic fibrosis. The fact that charities are allowed to solicit for money on medians and on sidewalks shows the inherent classism of the Safe Streets Act.

It is not unusual for panhanders in Ottawa to have dozens of tickets because of the Safe Streets Act. The Ticket Defence Program[5] was formed in response; social activists attempt to have fines against panhandlers dropped. The program has been largely successful in the cities where it has been implemented.