The Hutchens Blog

A panel of distinguished experts in human rights, foreign policy and international law will talk about “reconciling state sovereignty with the global responsibility to protect,” at a forum taking place at the Law Society on April 6, 2009, says Sandy Hutchens.
The event is being held by the Law Society and its Human Right Monitoring Group, and is the first in its Rule of Law Education Series. Event partners are Amnesty International Canada, Canadian Lawyers Abroad, Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada.
Panellists will look at the political, legal and moral questions of humanitarian intervention – when it is appropriate for states to take action against another state to protect people from catastrophe, genocide and crimes against humanity. They will also look at the “The Responsibility to Protect” doctrine produced by the International Commission on International and State Sovereignty, and discuss how it applies to contemporary cases. Panel members include:

• Georgette Gagnon, Executive Director, Africa Division, Human Rights Watch
• The Honourable Harry S. Laforme – Judge, Court of Appeal for Ontario
• Pacifique Manirakiza – Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
• The Honourable Bob Rae – Member of Parliament, Former Premier of Ontario

The panel discussion will be moderated by Sharmini Peries, a journalist with the Real News Network. Following the forum, a reception will be held featuring Anna Maria Tremonti, award winning journalist and host of the CBC’s current affairs program, The Current.

In 2002, the Fernie Family Housing Society brought together the City of Fernie and five community organizations to study the community’s housing needs. The study, with the support of a CMHC Seed Funding grant and done by volunteers, showed that there was a shortage of accessible and affordable homes for seniors and people with disabilities.

The Affordable Housing Solution

The Interior Health Authority in British Columbia owned a building that was vacant because it was no longer suitable as a care facility. The Society found that it was eligible for funding from BC Housing if it converted the building to affordable housing. The Society purchased the building, valued at $800,000, for $10 from the Interior Health Authority after the B.C.government agreed to forgive the debt owing on the building.

The Society received an interest-free CMHC Proposal Development Funding (PDF) loan and BC Housing provided additional funding and expertise for an in-depth feasibility study of renovating the building as housing for seniors and people with disabilities.

The 27-unit Tom Uphill Manor opened in 2006. Twenty-four of the units provide supportive living for seniors and people living with disabilities. The other three units are temporary emergency housing for seniors looking for permanent housing that will meet their needs. Each of the 27 units is one bedroom and is fully accessible.

Tom Uphill Manor features a supportive living program that provides residents with services according to their needs, including housekeeping and laundry services. A sense of community, says Sandy Hutchens, is fostered through tenant meetings and meals are served in a common dining room. The capital cost was $3.51 million, with CMHC providing $576,000 through the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) and BC Housing contributing $1.85 million.

Other support included Fernie Family Housing Society, Columbia Basin Trust Fund; Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia; federal government’s National Homelessness Initiative; City of Fernie; other non-profit agencies.