top of page
Search
The Ontario Legislature with bubbles floating past, the largest has a protest trapped inside. Text in yellow box reads: "A Letter to Cities on Protest Bubbles..."

Dear Mayors Chow, Horwath, and Sutcliffe:


The Disability Justice Network of Ontario wishes to express our increasing concern with the growing element in each of your cities regarding the development of protest bylaws in your cities. The simple fact of the matter is that these Bylaws are being proposed—regardless of individual city councillors’ ideals or justifications—inside a wider ecosystem of cities responding to the work of human rights defenders and regressive political actors equivalently. The result, however, will only be to stifle dissent, collapse movements, and limit the freedom of expression of countless Ontarians concerned with the upholding of basic principles of human rights and dignity.


While we are sympathetic to the need to defend religious freedom and have a long history of promoting the intersectional needs of our own communities, there is little to suggest that such bylaws would actually achieve this. Instead, these laws would which would paralyze movements for justice. Such laws would represent another in a long line of instances—from the 2010 G20 demonstrations in Toronto to the 2019 Hamilton Pride community defence to the constant monitoring of Indigenous land defence—where hate crime legislation is used to target, defame, and criminalize the very peoples it is said to defend. We know, through long histories in social movements, that far-right provocateurs of various stripes (including outright fascists) will not be prosecuted through such legislation. Instead, the weight of history shows us where such ideas will lead us. It is our view that, as T.Y. Kui asserted last year in Briarpatch Magazine, “Anti-hate infrastructure does not actually exist to protect potential targets of reactionary violence from street-level harassment and assault, or even from far-right mass murderers”.


We also know that this concern is not limited to your cities or to Ontario. As UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan, has said

The right to peaceful assembly, protected under article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is closely related to freedom of expression. States have an obligation to allow peaceful assemblies, including peaceful civil disobedience, to take place without unwarranted interference, as well as an obligation to protect the participants. The possibility that a peaceful assembly may provoke adverse or even violent reactions from some members of the public is not in itself sufficient reason to prohibit or restrict the assembly.

In cities where major protests have occurred (and will continue) to defend Black, Indigenous, Palestinian, and other marginalized communities, one must elevate these words all the more and remind you of your responsibility to these very communities. Today, members of your Councils may defend these bylaws in the names of those marginalized, but tomorrow they may be used to repress our very voices.


Moreover, we must also raise with you the creeping scope of such legislation. We know our disabled communities will speak out against low social assistance rates, continued inaccessibility, lacking rent control, institutionalization, alongside constant issues of environmental and medical racism. But if every legislature, parliament, and city hall through these types of legislation are insulated from hearing our voices on these issues—what good does it truly serve? Who will be left unheard? Rather, we are again silenced and pushed further to the margins—counter to the justification of such law.


Rather, there is much cities in Ontario can do to defend the voices of marginalized peoples across the Province. You can redouble your own investments into access to justice—even if it means marginalized peoples can challenge your cities. You can support wider advocacy at the Provincial and Federal levels to support the concerns of peoples most impacted by these types of legislation. You can build and strengthen the power of city Ombudsmen to keep your very cities accountable. You can uproot institutionalized violence against racialized, queer and trans, and disabled communities that are embedded in the systems within and beyond your cities.


In a time of economic and social uncertainty—where countries near us are literally disappearing and deporting people for expressing dissent for human rights—we cannot build the infrastructure to empower these forces down the line. We cannot create systems that will only empower those very people and ideologies that such legislation is framed to protect us against. We will live to regret it, if you do.


With sincerest respect, 


Brad Evoy,

Executive Director, Disability Justice Network of Ontario


CC: Robin Jones, Association of Municipalities of Ontario President and Village of Westport Mayor


Alt: Brown wrinkled paper background. A white rounded rectangle with purple border. 

At the top of the rectangle, the TJC Logo and the text "Towards Just Care Project Manager". Below a purple line, the images and text continue. On the right, a purple person held a loft by birds.

Then the text in black:
Towards Just Care, partnered with the Disability Justice Network of Ontario, is a research project focused on sector-wide transformation toward more socially just home care guided by home care receivers, workers, and grassroots advocates.

We are seeking a part-time, web-based Project Manager to assist with project management (record keeping, internal and external communications), website creation and social media engagement, resource mapping, event coordination, research analysis, and community-directed deliverables.

Responsibilities:
Attending regular research team meetings
Planning and coordinating events, including community research steering committees and a large team orientation event (Fall 2025)
Assistance with comprehensive mapping of Ontario home care systems
Assistance with developing community-directed knowledge mobilization tools (e.g. pamphlets, social media, zine, etc.
Possibilities for academic publishing and presentations

Status:
Wage: $30-35/hour plus 11% non-discretionary benefits (CPP and EI, etc.) plus 6% vacation pay
Contract: ~ 10 hours/week, May 2025 – March 2028.

Position to begin soon after a successful candidate is selected.
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to: Dr. Mary Jean Hande at mjhande@trentu.ca Please indicate “Towards Just Care Project Manager Application” in the subject line.

Application intake is now paused and interviews will be taking place soon. Thank you to everyone who applied.


  • Position Title: Project Manager

  • Position Summary: Research project is entitled “Towards Just CareBuilding and Mobilizing a Grassroots Coalition for Just Home Care,” led by Mary Jean Hande (Sociology, Trent University) and Brad Evoy (Disability Justice Network of Ontario). The project uses participatory methods to develop critical resources, tools, and analysis to support the Disability Justice Network of Ontario's case work and recent campaign to de-institutionalize care by creating public, community-engaged home care services that promote justice in care work and infrastructures. Dr. Hande is Assistant Professor in Sociology at Trent University. Disability Justice Network of Ontario is a community-based organization aimed at building a more just and accessible Ontario for people with disabilities. We are seeking a part-time, web-based Project Manager to assist with project management (record keeping, internal and external communications), website creation and social media engagement, resource mapping, event coordination, research analysis, and community-directed deliverables.


  • Responsibilities:

    • Attending regular research team meetings

    • Planning and coordinating events, including community research steering committees and a large team orientation event (Fall 2025)

    • Assistance with comprehensive mapping of Ontario home care systems

    • Assistance with developing community-directed knowledge mobilization tools (e.g. pamphlets, social media, zine, etc.)

    • Possibilities for academic publishing and presentations


  • Qualifications:

    • Strong writing and analytic skills

    • Ability to work independently and with academic and non-academic team members

    • Strong time management and communication skills

    • Familiarity with computer graphics software such as Canva, Miro, Photoshop, or Illustrator

    • Experience with meeting and/or workshop facilitation and conflict mediation

    • Familiarity with Ontario-based disability justice and/or migrant justice activism and home care systems is a strong asset

    • Experience with anti-racist, feminist, and/or disability- and migrant justice community-based research or community organizing a strong asset

    • Experience with creating accessible events and communication a strong asset

    • Residing in Toronto, Durham region, Hamilton, or Peterborough, a strong preference

    • Graduate level education in social sciences a strong asset


  • Status:

    • Wage: $30-35/hour plus 11% non-discretionary benefits (CPP and EI, etc.) plus 6% vacation pay

    • Contract: ~ 10 hours/week, May 2025 – March 2028.


Position to begin soon after a successful candidate is selected.


To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to: Dr. Mary Jean Hande at mjhande@trentu.ca


Please indicate “Towards Just Care Project Manager Application” in the subject line.

Only applications submitted directly to the e-mail address above will be considered.

We thank all applicants, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Trent University is actively committed to creating a diverse and inclusive campus community and encourages applications from all qualified candidates.


Trent University offers accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its

recruitment processes. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process or require an accessible version of a document/publication, please contact humanresources@trentu.ca.


We thank everyone who is interested in applying for the position, however, only candidates short-listed for interviews will be contacted.


Blue text on a cream background reads "We Support Home Care Workers." Below, black text in a white box reads: "Read Our Statement in Support of Unionized Home Care Workers in Thunder Bay."

To the Members of OPSEU Local 745:


Disability Justice Network of Ontario is committed to home care as a public good. Bayshore and their revenues are built on the backs of sick and disabled people, seniors, home care workers, and community nurses. For profit models of care only ensure the profits of executives and not based on ensuring the wellbeing of and justice for disabled care recipients, seniors, or care workers. Together, all of our struggles are united to ensure real, just care for our communities. 


We know that the Ontario Government has systematically encouraged companies like Bayshore in the home care industry to push for more profit over our health and our communities. OPSEU Local 745 workers are fighting not just for good wages and support for workers—but for investments in care for disabled people and seniors across Thunder Bay. We also know that there must be continued support for deinstitutionalization and a just care transition for all care workers.


We reaffirm that "[h]ome care is not a commodity. It’s a public service – and it must be protected". We need a world where we all can live our lives in our homes and communities without precarity and profit-driven austerity.

Disability Justice Network of Ontario was founded in Hamilton, Ontario in 2018 by disabled Ontarians to build a world where we are free to be—where we can be in community together, have political and social agency, and hold the powerful to account.


© 2023 by Disability Justice Network of Ontario.

  • Facebook - White Circle
  • Twitter - White Circle
bottom of page