September 28, 2001

Four carloads of supporters arrived from Ottawa to join Pat Love as she ended her 250 km walk from Ottawa to Peterborough, with a celebration at the Peterborough City Hall, on September 28, 2001. Her walk simultaneously focused public and media attention on the social housing crisis in Ontario, and the mass movement for land rights in the Indian state of Bihar.

It was around 11 am when the walkers from Ottawa swung by Crary Park in Peterborough. Here, they were joined by more walkers, including Reverend Gordon Finney from St. John’s Church in Peterborough, bag piper Colin Campbell from the B Company of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment and two police cars providing a safe escort through the city. The approximately 50 walkers, with Pat Love in the lead, marched to favourite Scottish tunes.

At the City Hall, they received a warm welcome from Reverend Finney, who said a prayer for them. This was followed by two songs, about social housing, by the group - Raging Grannies. They also heard messages on the need for more affordable housing from Councilor Henry Clarke who was representing Mayor Sylvia Sutherland, Katherine Blackwood - Chair, Affordable Housing Action Committee and Frances Adams — Executive Director, and Peterborough Social Planning Council.

Pat Love offered her appreciation to all those who had participated in and supported the Love Walk and expressed her hope the government to set up better housing policies in the near future. She quoted from an article she had once read: "People go homeless not for lack of resources but for lack of compassion." Concluding remarks and a prayer came from Reverend Canon Garth Bulmer, from St. John’s Church in Ottawa, who had spearheaded the Love Walk.

The organizers were happy to see reporters from the Peterborough Examiner who had published a daily summary of the progress of the walk, CHEX TV and COGECO cable TV. All in all, the Love Walk was a great success. Although Love Walk was an important step forward in the mission to stamp out homelessness and increase affordable housing, the general feeling was that the campaign had just begun. In the coming months, the organizers will plan next steps in the continuing campaign.

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