Abolishing Police And Put That Money Where People Need It.

The priorities of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan should include the following 3 points, in order to improve the safety and well-being of all people in Ottawa:

1)Abolish the Police by disarming and defunding it. We should not be spending government money on the armed policing of its own denizens. 360 million dollars is spent arming officers with firearms to patrol and harass poor communities and black communities. Do we really need cops with firearms to patrol our own friends and neighbours?

2)Re-invest those 360 million (ALL OF THEM and then some) into social resources, medical care and education; invest extra into the neighbourhoods and areas that are traditionally under-invested and over-policed in (poor and black areas). Education and access to care and assistance raise the standard of living for everyone and improve safety.

3)Fix homelessness. We should have homes and longer term living arrangments available to help those who experience homelessness. We should suspend rent without backpay for all people who are unemployed. We need subsidized housing and affordable housing, not flashy overpriced condos and gentrified neighbourhoods to keep our communities safe and happy.