Colonial Settler Urbanism

Blueprints of Disruption

Summary

Andrew Crosby, a postdoctoral researcher at Carleton University, discusses his book Resisting Eviction and focuses on the case study of Herring Gate in Ottawa, which is labeled as the largest urban eviction in Canadian history.

The conversation explores the role of municipalities and the financialization of housing, the detachment of home as an investment, and the settler colonial aspect of property and wealth in Canada.

Key Takeaways:

• The case study of Herring Gate in Ottawa sheds light on the largest urban eviction in Canadian history and the resistance efforts of tenants.
• Tenant organizing and solidarity can yield positive results in the face of powerful entities like financialized real estate investment firms.
• The financialization of housing and the detachment of home as an investment have detrimental effects on communities and the social fabric.
• The settler colonial aspect of property and wealth in Canada is intertwined with the housing crisis and the displacement of Indigenous peoples.
• Tenant organizing and direct action are powerful tools for challenging unjust housing practices and advocating for tenant rights.
• Municipalities have a responsibility to consider the impact of their policies on communities and should involve tenants in decision-making processes.
• A praxis of refusal, refusing to accept unjust conditions and using unconventional tactics, can lead to positive change.
• The right to return is an important aspect of addressing displacement and should be protected and advocated for.

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Resources:

• Vice: The Story of the Largest Urban Eviction
• CBC: Legal Fees Piling Up for Heron Gate Residents
• Resisting Eviction: Domicide and the Financialization of Rental Housing – Fernwood Publishing

Keywords: resisting eviction, Herring Gate, tenant organizing, tenant rights, housing justice, financialization of housing, settler colonialism, property, wealth, housing, affordability, gentrification, commodification, displacement, tenant organizing, direct action, municipalities, policy-making, praxis of refusal, right to return