People's court

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by George Maddux

Bernard Landry might be basking in the glory of his upcoming coronation as Premier of Quebec, but local housing activists have others plans for him. On Sunday, Jan. 28, FRAPRU will be putting the long-time provincial Finance Minister--or at least an actor hired to impersonate him--to suffer the justice of their own people's court.

Testifying in the mock trial on the side of downtrodden tenants everywhere will be a variety of experts from a smattering of social groups, while Landry will be backed by his federal counterpart Paul Martin, in the form of another actor from the local troupe Mise au Jeu. The two will be charged with distributing society's wealth away from the poor through recent tax measures.

Up to 400 spectators are expected to attend the spectacle, which kicks off the housing group's campaign to influence the upcoming provincial budget, scheduled to be unveiled at the end of March. According to FRAPRU spokesperson Lucie Poirier, the number of subsidized housing units fell to 1,325 in the province last year, with most of those being co-ops and other non-profit housing rather than the old-fashioned municipal-run variety. FRAPRU is demanding the province subsidize 8,000 for the upcoming year. FRAPRU's mock trial kicks off at 1:30 p.m., Jan. 28, at the CEGEP du Vieux Montreal.