When a corporate landlord’s open contempt for its working-class tenants at a huge apartment complex in Montreal reached a breaking point, tenants decided to fight back with the help of a neighbourhood class struggle organization called Offensive Populaire (OP). The landlord, Norgate Quebec Inc., responded by suing tenants, OP, and individual members of OP like our guest Nick Harvest, enlisting the courts in a naked display of class warfare. The suit attempts to force tenants and organizers to cease their work through injunctions, and demands absurd damages for such crimes as ‘making things toxic’ (talking to one’s neighbours) and ‘defamation’ (talking about what is happening). Jay and Nick discuss OP’s work in organizing neighbourhoods, tenants’ rights as a site of class struggle, lawfare as a major tool of the enemy class, and the major gains won by Norgate tenants despite the continuous hostility on the part of the landlord and chronic disinterest on the part of the city government.
Show Notes
Offensive Populaire / Off the Defensive website
OP / OTD Instagram
The GoFundMe
Extensive coverage of the Norgate situation by the North Star
Co-owner of Norgate Jean-Philippe Claude’s book, Transformez en opportunités des multilogements trop chers (‘Transform Overly Expensive Multi-unit Housing into Opportunities’)
Jean-Philippe Claude’s Instagram
Norgate tenants walk out of city council meeting
Links
fckingcancelled@gmail.com
Theme music by Surprise Eyes, based on ‘Bonjour, Hi’ by ST x LIAM
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