The citizens of Burgundy are forming a committee as a result of the housing crisis
The Citizen’s Committee of Saint Martin’s Blocks announced measurements against the City of Burgundy and their demands of moving 300 citizens out of their homes by the 1st of September 1967.
Burgundy, Quebec – July 12, 1967
The city of Burgundy and their plans of urban renewal is facing criticism from the community. Their aim for urban renewal comes with the sacrifices of homes from long-term owners. The elders have issues finding new places to occupy. In the short documentary Little Burgundy, John Doe a middle-aged man and house owner comments on the expropriation deal and the struggle of finding new and affordable housing, “the city expropriated me out, I [don’t] think this is fair… this is the thing that I [don’t] like about it”. John Doe states furthermore that he worked hard his whole life and was dissatisfied with the approach of the city in form of unreasonable expropriation deals. Jane Doe describes her experience and requested multiple times to the city hall to be moved into a bigger housing, “at that time I was pregnant, and I was so depressed and really didn’t know what to do and where to go…the city found an apartment…if you can call it an apartment…it was very depressing”. Statements like this encouraged Mrs. Jeanne Leblanc and Mrs. Lucilla Pion to organize and fund the Citizen’s Committee of Saint Martin’s Block. Their aim is to help the ones that needed it most and to clarify and settle deals with the city hall to find common ground with the community and the expropriated people. President Jeanne Leblanc shares her thoughts on a public announcement, “the right to a decent home according to its mean is a basic right to everyone … in a real democracy we believe that all citizen … could improve their life by participating in decisions which affect their lives this is what should have happened here”. She states further that cooperation with the city could lead in the future to better outcomes.
The Citizens’ committee of Saint Martin’s Block is newly founded, and their dedicated members are working hard towards a better future for the community of Burgundy. The members up to now are the following:
Mrs. Jeanne Leblanc (president), Mrs. Lucilla Pion (vice-president), Mr. Jack Jones (secretary), Mrs. Isa Croxen, Mrs. Solange Tellier, Mrs. Therese Levis, Mr. Paul-Emile Forget, Mr. Edward Sheard, Mr. Lucien Chamaillard, Mr. Jean Lamarche, Mr. Bruno Solazzo, Mr. Yves Brunet, Mr. Edouard Casaubon, Miss Grace Lee (social animators)
For more information about the visions and aims of The Citizen’s committee of Saint Martin’s Block please contact Public Relations Representative Officer Ilkay Cakirogullari: ilkay.c@CitizenCommitteeSaintMartinBlock.ca 260.336.556