Ontario Aboriginal Housing has overstepped its bounds on privacy
To the Expositor:
No matter how it is defined, lateral violence is a crime. It has reached epidemic proportions in our societies and if not addressed, we can expect high statistics in youth suicide, depression, alcoholism, child neglect and rape. These have become evident already as some of the consequences of unresolved violent behaviour.
Lateral violence is a learned destructive behaviour and takes on a number of different toxic characteristics. It is any action that is meant to deliberately demean or harm a person’s self-image by ridicule or any other manipulative action usually to induce fear and anxiety and by this tactic, the abuser will gain power over another individual’s life. Some lateral violence practices include harassment, threats, bullying and other degrading forms of molestation. In its extreme form, lateral violence can be a conscious, deliberate act of aggression with intent to harm, hurt and debilitate another person’s character and self-esteem.
Chief Andrew Agonuie has been very successful in resolving issues of lateral violence on Sheguiandah First Nation. Why has he been so successful?
His success is mainly due to his open door policy, “I leave the door open so anyone can come in and talk to me about anything that is on their minds.”
“My main job as chief is to listen to the people,” he says. The chief understands human nature. He knows that in being heard is being valued as a person. And it works. Lateral violence is not tolerated on Sheguiandah First Nation.
Recently, in my own experience, I received a phone call, on April 20, 2018, from a woman who said she was doing a survey and would like to ask me few questions about Ontario Aboriginal Housing (OAH). She had all my contact information. I asked her how she got this information. “Your name is on my list,” she said. I learned the list was compiled by OAH. I had not given OAH permission to put my name on that list.
As a reward in participating in the survey, I was offered a $30 gift card from Walmart. That was the price OAH put on myself as a person. I was sold for 30 pieces of silver.
I feel that the indiscriminate use of my personal information is a violation of my basic human rights and should not be tolerated by anyone. The experience left me feeling vulnerable and de-valued as a commodity to be bought and sold.
The power in governance becomes dangerous when it becomes uncontrolled and directed at the weakest portion of society, the disenfranchised. OAH has been mandated to protect their tenants and their rights under the Human Rights Code.
It is my opinion, that by requisitioning this survey, OAH is aware of serious problems in the administration of their policies and procedures that have profoundly affected their tenants.
I know I am not the only one who has suffered abuse caused by lateral violence.
Lee Weimer
Manitowaning
