Squatters' woes

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by Craig Segal

After all the hullabaloo, Mayor Pierre Bourque went back on his promise to evict squatters from their Rachel Street home by 9 a.m. Tuesday. But he reinstated his threat three hours later. "I ask them once again to leave the building," he said at a charged press conference at city hall. "I'm scared of nothing."

Bourque says he laid down the 9 a.m. ultimatum because of reports the squatters violated the initial agreement by "altering the building" and not having tight enough security on visitors, thereby "endangering the security of the occupants." Bourque held the police back because "there's children inside the building. I'm insisting there won't be violence." Despite his passive stance, Bourque threatened to send city inspectors into the building, with police escorts if necessary.

Squatters don't accept Bourque's justification for eviction. "Bourque is reneging on his word," says Andrew Edwards, 48, who lives at the squat with his three kids. "We're going to defend our house."

Edwards says he is surprised at the eviction notice. "Bourque said we would be allowed to stay six months to two years." This despite the fact that the squatter lawyer, Denis Poitras, said a month ago he didn't expect them to stay later than the end of September.

The squatters have been living in the building since the beginning of August. The city moved them there after they illegally occupied a heritage building on Overdale July 27.