How to Use a Renters Housing Crisis to Gain Votes and Influence Elections Darren Alexander Follow Jan 5 · 18 min read

PART I

by Darren Alexander

Preamble

I made every effort to reach out (by email, phone, or text) for interviews with most everybody who is named in this story, those whose perspectives and first-hand experience I considered most relevant to this story. Of the city councillors I hoped to speak with:

Jeremy Loveday, who is council liaison to the Renters Advisory Committee (RAC), refused to participate. Shamarke Dubow, also liaison to RAC, likewise refused participation. Mayor Lisa Helps likewise refused to interview, despite my repeated attempts to reach her. Ben Isitt is the only councillor who took the time to respond and participate in an interview in cordial response to my requests.

I also reached out to Nicole Chaland, via facebook messenger, but received no response.

After I pitched this story to Leslie Campbell at Focus Magazine, she gave me the go-ahead to write it up for the first issue of 2020. I started my process for the story at the place where this story begins: the Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS) office on View Street. For the record, the Victoria Tenants Action Group (VTAG) was “founded” in early 2017, as “an initiative of the Together Against Poverty Society”.

In fact, the TAPS address on View Street serves as the address on all of VTAG’s official society documentation. So, on the afternoon of November 19, 2019, I dropped into the TAPS office to initiate my intrepid investigation for this report, and asked to speak to anyone who might speak to VTAG. I explained to the person at reception that I had VTAG society documents which I would like to have confirmed as the most recent and updated, and that I was writing a story about the organization.

The receptionist suggested to me (not the other way around) that Emily Rogers, TAPS tenant legal advocate, would be the person with whom I should speak. She disappeared around a corner, and returned trepidatiously, telling me Emily Rogers was, er…unavailable?…and could I please leave a message? I left a copy of the VTAG society documents, to be confirmed as those most recent. And I had good reason for this request:

VTAG had announced an upcoming annual general meeting (AGM) — their first, in fact, despite their inauguration in early 2017. And they were suggesting that one of their founding board members, Barrett Blackwood, was no longer a board member. This was news, to Barrett Blackwood. Although he was no doubt well aware of the POV of the others and their conviction of his not-good-standing.

This grievance was initiated when he, as one of three founding board members (and the only tenant activist with first-hand courts experience, winning a year-and-a-half rent abatement from his eviction-oriented slumlord) called out the others for their too-snug cooperation on behalf of elector organization Together Victoria, to back a slate of municipal candidates running for the upcoming Victoria election. Since word got out that renters made up more than half of eligible voters in the city, movers and shakers in the municipal leagues were scheming at how best to assimilate this potential for their interests.

Together Victoria promoted this slate of candidates as the best hope for us suffering renters.

In fact it was Ben Isitt, Victoria councillor with the strongest support base in Victoria, who had initiated the hashtag #RentersVote but claims, “there was absolutely no connection between the #RentersVote joint ‘get-out-the-vote’ initiative among several candidates and the MERM initiative of VTAG. I came up with the idea of #RentersVote, and proposed it to several other candidates, who agreed it was an effective way to connect with residents of multi-unit buildings.”

That’s MERM as in, the Municipal Electors Renter Mobilization campaign. Remember that, as this campaign figures large in this story.

$15,000 of start-up funding for VTAG, signed off by Together Victoria supporters Nicole Chaland and Leslie Robinson, went to leading this campaign, in an effort to mobilize renters to vote for Together Victoria candidates.

Together Victoria candidates win the race!

Since Barrett took this stand against VTAG being used as a vehicle to propel Together Victoria candidates to council, he’s been condemned and vilified, reportedly for a wide range of identity hate, ranging from being transphobic to being antisemitic. For the record, one Barrett hater forwarded me a screenshot of social media which was supposed proof of Barrett’s hate on Jews. This Jew in particular could find no such evidence of antisemitism in the post. Likewise, I looked into the transphobic claims, which led to social media posts in which Barrett comes across as libertarian, perhaps, but not transphobic. This man walks around with a little chihuahua poking out of his coveralls. I would suggest that he doesn’t come across as an aggressor, or a hateful man. This is my personal sense of him, anyway. I think most would agree. (And to this day, as I deliver this story, I have not come across any information or evidence to counter the details of the story which I share with you here.)

With VTAG making noise as to Barrett’s ejection (by whom?) from their board of directors, I was compelled, as part of my investigation for this story, to set at least this little part of the record straight. In my note I also requested an interview with Emily Rogers. The person at reception was helpful in copying my VTAG society documents and assuring that Emily would get the message.

Not a half hour passed before my cellphone rang with a call from Emily Rogers. She confirmed for me that those society documents were current and valid. (This confirmed for me that Barrett Blackwood was actually on record as a current and active board member of VTAG, even though the organization was treating him, at this time, as person non grata.)

And about that interview…Emily Rogers asked, just what was I interested in writing about? I explained to her that there seemed to be some shenanigans, regarding the misappropriation of a renters “action” organization (VTAG) for the benefit of an elector organization (Together Victoria). Her response surprised me. She immediately began repeating, “Oh, I think I know where this is going…” and then, “I didn’t do anything wrong…” and “we didn’t do anything wrong,” referencing (and self-implicating) her fiancee and Renters Advisory Committee official municipal liaison Jeremy Loveday, by name.

Her voice quavering, she seemed on the verge of tears. In an effort to assuage any further discomfort, for both of us, I suggested it would be good to clear the air, for the benefit of renters in the city. As TAPS legal tenant advocate, Emily is known for her dedication to this cause. “Seems to me VTAG was a bit of bullshit?” I asked. Her reply: “It’s true, VTAG didn’t work.” “And RAC, more crap?” Her reply: “RAC is not working either.” It seemed to come as a relief, for her just to admit this. Given her emotional state, I decided to take a step back and asked if I might follow up with her, perhaps later or the next day, for a proper interview? She agreed.

The very next morning I received this email, from Leslie Campbell:

Subject: Story Cancelled

Hi Darren,

I have heard from TAPS that you acted in an unprofessional manner when talking to Emily Rogers yesterday. You have obviously burned your bridges with TAPS. You seem to be perceived as a person who has an axe to grind, disgruntled because you have not been appointed to the city’s advisory body or accepted at VTAG. Your planned story will lack credibility because of this.

I am not comfortable with you representing yourself as a Focus writer, or with proceeding with your story in Focus, so it is cancelled.

Please reassure me that you have received this email. I do welcome hearing an explanation about your contact with Ms. Rogers.

Leslie

To which I responded:

Whoa. That’s acting fast, Leslie. I’m not sure who’s being unprofessional here?

I spoke with Emily yesterday. She called me after I dropped by TAPS with a copy of the VTAG constitution in order to have it confirmed as a current document, and to ask for other documents pertinent to the upcoming AGM. She was unavailable when I dropped by, so as per the receptionists directions I left her a note, asking about the documents, and requesting an interview.

She called me back promptly, and when I mentioned the interview, she asked what it was about. I told her I would be inquiring as to her role in VTAG, and RAC. I told her the story would run in Focus Magazine. She immediately went — weird. It was actually unsettling. She started saying, “Oh no, I think I know where this is going…” and then “I didn’t do anything wrong” and “I don’t think I did anything wrong” and she almost broke down, right then on the phone with me. I had to assure her that I would be just trying to understand why VTAG never did meet its intended mandate, and I did suggest that there seemed to be other priorities, namely getting Together Victoria candidates elected. Then she brought up Jeremy…and more “we didn’t do anything wrong…” —

When I hung up with Emily I had a slimy feeling that I couldn’t quite place and then I realized what it was— I felt like a cop. Because Emily acted so busted.

So I’m sure Emily Rogers had good reason to act on this. I expected so much. But for you to cancel the story and drop blame on me so fast calls me to wonder if you are/were actually interested in this story at all?

I added further:

And Leslie, you will recall that I planned to thread a personal tale into this story?

As a grassroots housing activist? This story begins with my own efforts to connect renters in crisis with VTAG.

If I might add, one more thing:

Emily Rogers is not synonymous with TAPS. She is but one staff person, with the organization.

As mentioned, there is another outlet interested in this story.

Please let me know if you are cancelling the story as you suggest, or if you have reconsidered?

Let me know your call, please.

Thanks,

Darren

Which was eventually followed by this response from Leslie Campbell:

Hi Darren,

Yes, I do recall your intention to weave in some personal experience with the topic. I do owe you an apology, as I realize now I should have declined the story because of that. It’s just too risky in such a situation. I cannot expect you to be seen as a reporter, interviewing people, when you are so personally involved. That is why, initially, I had hoped Ross could do the story and you could be a source of information. But things proceeded differently and I agreed to your doing it yourself on Monday. I do apologize.

Emily claims you yelled at her, and that you said things like “VTAG is bullshit” and your not being appointed to the RAC was “bullshit”. Is that the case?

I am sorry I felt the need to cancel the story before hearing your explanation, but I felt it crucial, given the reaction of TAPS (I spoke with both the executive director and Emily), to let you know as soon as possible not to proceed. Even if you were writing a first-person account, you need to be seen as more balanced and unbiased in your approach. Even without Emily’s description of your phone call, I think it best not to proceed.

Re your subsequent email to the below, please feel free to proceed with your alternate media outlet.

Thanks, and again, apologies for my role in this.

Leslie

Interesting, heh?

Ross Crockford, a regular writer for Focus Magazine, had earlier in the year reached out to Barrett Blackwood, and actually met with Barrett on two separate occasions, presumably to report on these issues for Focus Magazine. Curiously, for whatever reason, no related story was ever published.

Focus Magazine did however run this piece promoting the “work” of VTAG, and Nicole Chaland, in one issue that followed. Interestingly, Leslie seemed to me less-than-eager to turn up any dirt on Together Victoria, or VTAG, for that matter, from what I ascertained in my phone discussions with her. She compelled me to stick to the story about the Renters Advisory Committee (RAC) — but that’s just the bonus feature of this cross-polinated beaurocratic pony-land and you’ll read all about that in PART III. Out of all this I would have guessed Leslie to to be a Together Victoria supporter, but she claims this notion to be “blatantly untrue and for which there is no evidence”. So I stand corrected.

Further, Ross Crockford, I hear, has some history of camaraderie in enterprise with Nicole Chaland. A former director of Simon Fraser University’s community economic development programs and a member of Victoria’s Inclusionary Housing Working Group, Nicole also happened to be one of the directors of the Roots & Roofs Housing Co-op, which, upon its dissolution, somehow arranged for a $15,000 start-up “grant” for VTAG. Nicole Chaland also happened to be a prominent player (as in, one of the architects) for Together Victoria, the “elector organization”.

Now, what all this says about potential bias in municipal affairs coverage in Focus Magazine? I’ll leave that for readers to decide.

Leslie Robinson, VTAG member and Together Victoria promoter, a name you’ll come across shortly in PART I of our saga, was also a director of Roots & Roofs Housing Co-op, which was, it is worth noting, the only housing co-op in Victoria to ever receive municipal funding. According to Sol Kinnis, an original director, Leslie “was very instrumental in Roofs and Roots acquiring the Bank St. building, and volunteering her time to help with tenant/member education”, but then stepped aside some years before the dissolution of the co-op. It was Sol Kinnis, Nicole Chaland, and a third member (Pascale) who together signed off on the $15,000 transfer from the coffers of Roots & Roofs to support a “start-up” VTAG. Your intrepid reporter, it should also be noted, was one of the original sponsors and contributors to the start-up of Roots & Roofs Housing Co-op, as initiated by Sol Kinnis, away back in the early 2000’s if memory serves me correctly. So you could say that I have some skin in this game. Even if it only was $100 and my signature along with a wish to see new co-op housing come true.

(Now y’see why I need three parts to cover this fiasco?)

Barrett Blackwood (with Chica), top left. Emily Rogers, bottom right. Happier days?

Since this interaction, as outlined above, Emily Rogers and TAPS and VTAG members have made numerous accusations, in an effort to vilify me, suggesting that my visit to TAPS amounted to “stalking” and “harassment”.

Emily Rogers has since stepped down from her role with RAC, apparently citing my scary visit to the TAPS office as somehow impetus for her departure. This premise (of my gross misdemeanors) has also been used seemingly as excuse for others to disregard or ignore requests for interviews. It has been so very interesting to see how common is the use of this vilifying tactic, so well-slung by the managerial class who play these games, like pack animals. Seems they would rather throw muck than face scrutiny or accountability.

Wipers on.

I will do my best here to help readers to understand the webs of confluence, and the players involved, and how in the process we renters have been used, abused, and ignored. I will approach the story in three parts. Beginning, like Star Wars, not at the beginning, but a little ways in…