After a series of public meetings held in May and June 1998 at the 519 Church Street Community Centre HEAL was asked by 519 staff to submit an application for ongoing use of the community centre. The staff, with whom we enjoyed cordial relations, assured us this was only a formality, as we were model users of the 519.

The 519 Church Street Community Centre July 6th 1998 Health Education AIDS Liaison, Toronto Robert Johnston 95 Summerhill Ave., Unit 8 Toronto Ont. M4T 1B1 Dear Mr. Johnston, The Board of Directors of The 519 reviewed your application for use of space on June 22. At this time we will not be providing space for your group. Due to high demands for our facitities, not all groups that apply for space are approved. We have AIDS organizations using our space and normally refer those seeking to do AIDS related education to work to book our space in co-sponsorship arrangement with those agencies. We work in association with AIDS Committee of Toronto, the PWA Foundation and the Public Health Department and suggest that you go that route. You may wish to seek space at another location. There is a resource book at the front desk of The 519 which you can consult consult regarding other facilities in the downtown core. Best of luck in your endeavors. Alison Kemper Executive Director per Helen Rykens

HEAL, Health Education AIDS Liaison, Toronto July 14th 1998 AIDS Committee of Toronto Charles Roy, Executive Director 399 Church Street, 4th floor Toronto, ON M5B 2J6 Dear Mr. Roy, On July 10th we received a letter (copy enclosed) from the 519 Church Street Community Centre informing us that our application for the use of the facilities had been turned down. The letter indicates that we should book space in co-sponsorship arrangements with the AIDS Committee of Toronto, the PWA Foundation and the Public Health Department. Following this suggested route, I am contacting you on behalf of HEAL Toronto to ask you to assist us in booking space at the 519 Church Street Community Centre for a series of monthly meetings. The dates we would like to book are as follows: Thursdays, (6-10pm) July 30th, August 6th and 13th. If those dates are unavailable, our second choices are: Tuesdays, (6-10pm) July 28th, August 4th and 11th. In lieu of or as well as this, could you please send a letter to HEAL and the 519 Church Street Community Centre endorsing our use of the 519 facilities for these dates, and for future use. Yours very truly, Robert Johnston HEAL Toronto

A copy of the above letter was addressed to Laurie Edmiston, Executive Director, Toronto People with AIDS Foundation.

Health Education AIDS Liaison, Toronto July 31th 1998 Alison Kemper Executive Director The 519 Church Street Community Centre 519 Church Street Toronto Ontario M4Y 2C9 Dear Ms. Kemper, Following your suggestion, HEAL Toronto contacted the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) and the PWA Foundation to see if they would book space for us and/or endorse our use of the facilities at the 519 Church Street Community Centre. In the reply (attached) from ACT it is clear they have no interest in endorsing our use of the 519. In a conversation I had with Laurie Edmiston, executive director at PWA, she told me she thought the PWA foundation could not endorse HEAL but that the 519 was "passing the buck" by asking HEAL to book space through ACT and PWA. HEAL Toronto is definitely a "Community" group. The six meetings previously held at the 519 consistently had an attendance of 20 people on average (without advertising in the press). HEAL Toronto meetings are organized primarily by people diagnosed HIV positive. We provide information generally not made available by other AIDS service organizations. Our meetings provide support for people who have been diagnosed HIV positive, particularly but not exclusively for those who may question the idea that HIV=AIDS and/or the appropriateness of anti-HIV chemotherapies. HEAL asks that you reconsider your decision not to provide space for our group. According to the 519 Church Street Community Centre's Space Use Policy, it appears that HEAL would be an ideal "programme" and/or "user" group. We would be offering a unique service to the community by providing support and information not made available or given serious consideration by other AIDS service organizations. Our prefered dates for booking the 519 would be Tuesdays, 6-10pm, August 18th and Sept 1st (or Sundays, 3-5pm, Aug 23rd & Sept 6th). Bi-monthly meetings thereafter. I look forward to a reply to our request. Sincerely, Robert Johnston, HEAL Toronto

AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) Monday, July 20, 1998 HEAL, Health Education AIDS Liaison. Toronto c/o Robert Johnson 95 Summerhill Ave., Unit 8 Toronto, ON M4T IBI Dear Mr. Johnson Thank you for your letter of July 14th, asking for the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT)'s assistance in booking space at the 519 Church Street Community Centre. Unfortunately, the AIDS Committee of Toronto is unable to assist HEAL to book space at the 519 through the co-sponsorship or endorsement arrangements which you outlined. We limit our vmious partnership agreements to organizations and individuals supporting ACT's mission statement and values and to organizations with which we have a history of collaboration. As HEAL clearly does not support ACT's mission and values, as evidenced by the numerous and escalating disruptions with which HEAL has targetted ACT's services and activities, we are not willing to endorse, co-sponsor or otherwise partner with your organization. Should you have any questions about this response, please feel free to contact me by phone at 416-340-8484. ext. 271. Sincerely, Charles M. Roy, D.S.W., Executive Director cc: Laurie Edmiston, Toronto PWA Foundation Meeley Chan, Toronto Public Health Department Helen Rykens, The 519 Church Street Community Centre

Toronto People with AIDS Foundation July 27, 1998 Robert Johnston HEAL, Health Education AIDS Liaison, Toronto 95 Summerhill Ave., Unit 8 Toronto, M4T lBl Dear Mr. Johnston, Thank you for your letter regarding booking space with the 519 Church Street Community Centre. We regret that we are unable to assist HEAL in this regard We do not have any business endorsing or not endorsing other organizations in their search for space bookings, and we are at loss as to why the 519 suggested you appeal to us. This matter is one between your organization and the 519, and we are unwilling to enter into discussion of this arrangement. I wish you the best of luck in negotiating space for your meetings. Yours sincerely, Laurie Edmiston Executive Director Cc: Charles Roy, ACT Meeley Chan, Toronto Public Health Department Helen Rykens, The 519 Church Street Community Centre

Health Education AIDS Liaison, Toronto Sept 3rd, 1998 Alison Kemper Executive Director The 519 Church Street Community Centre 519 Church Street Toronto Ontario M4Y 2C9 Dear Ms. Kemper, I'm inquiring on behalf of HEAL Toronto as to whether our request (in our letter of July 31) to reconsider your decision not to provide our group space at the 519 was presented at the last 519 board meeting. Please let us know what your current position is on HEAL Toronto's use of the 519 Church Street Community Centre. Yours very truly, Robert Johnston, HEAL Toronto

The 519 Church Street Community Centre 10 September 1998 Health Education AIDS Liaison, Toronto Robert Johnston 95 Summerhill Ave., Unit 8 Toronto Ont. M4T 1B1 Dear Robert, At the August 24, 1998 meeting of The Board of Directors of The 519, your appeal of the decision of June 22, 1998 was reviewed. The Board confirmed its earlier decision not to provide space for HEAL. Several AIDS agencies provide AIDS Programming at The 519. Over the past few years, we have been approached occasionally by new groups. In general, we have refered these groups to the same agencies to which we refered you. We recognize that these agencies have been unable to include your group in their programmes, and that you wish to have independent status as user group of The 519. However, we have had reports of your group members disrupting services and programs and using bulletin board areas which are reserved for other groups. Because of these issues, and because of our commitment to encouraging cooperation among AIDS initiatives, the board does not feel that you organization will enhance our services to the community. Sincerely, Alison Kemper Executive Director

Health Education AIDS Liaison, Toronto October 25th 1998 The Board of Directors The 519 Church Street Community Centre 519 Church Street Toronto, Ont. M4Y 2C9 The Board of Directors of The 519, Regarding the letter of September 10th from Alison Kemper, Exec. Director, that confirmed your earlier decision not to provide space to HEAL: May I remind you of your original rationale for refusing us : "At this time we will not be providing space for your group. Due to high demands for our facilities, not all groups that apply for space are approved. We have AIDS organizations using our space and normally refer those seeking to do AIDS related education to work to book our space in co-sponsorship arrangement with those agencies. We work in association with AIDS Committee of Toronto, the PWA Foundation and the Public Health Department and suggest that you go that route." HEAL takes exception to this argument on the following grounds: 1. There is clearly space available as we were able to book space six times within a matter of a few weeks or a few days notice when we had access. 2. If it was not clear that we are offering a unique service in AIDS education originally, it should have become clear to you from the letters replying to our request for endorsement from AIDS Committee of Toronto and the PWA Foundation; forwarded to you July 20th and July 27th respectively. I was told by 519 staff that our meetings were well attended, by the standards of the Centre. Clearly there is an interest in what we have to offer. I've lost count at how many times I have heard people express indignation and outrage at your continued refusal to provide space to a group that is a unique source of information about AIDS related health issues. The issues we raise have a profound bearing on the lives of a large part of the constituency the 519 serves. HEAL requests an opportunity to state their case for the use of the 519 Church Street Community Centre in person before the Board of Directors. I am requesting that people send letters of support for our request to access facilities at the 519 to you directly. We would appreciate a prompt reply. Sincerely, Robert Johnston for HEAL Toronto

519 Church Street Community Centre November 25, 1998 Health Education AIDS Liaison, Toronto 95 Summerhill Ave., Unit 9 Toronto, ON M4T 1BI attn: Robert Johnston Dear Sir: At it most recent meeting, the Board of Management of The 519 declined HEAL's request to "state your case for the use of the 519 Church Street Community Centre in person before the Board of Directors". The Board does not hear "in person" applications for space. It has twice considered your application and will allow its decision to stand. HEAL's disruptive and disrespectful actions toward other groups were of great concern to the board. Sincerely, Elmer Bagares President

Health Education AIDS Liaison, Toronto January 19th 2000 The Board of Directors The 519 Church Street Community Centre 519 Church Street Toronto, ON. M4Y 2C9 To the Board of Directors of The 519, On July 10th 1998, after a series of successful seminars at the 519, we received a letter from the 519 Church Street Community Centre informing us that our application for continued use of the facilities had been turned down. The letter suggested that we should book space in co-sponsorship arrangements with the AIDS Committee of Toronto, the PWA Foundation and the Public Health Department. Following your suggestion, HEAL Toronto contacted the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) and the PWA Foundation to see if they would book space for us and/or endorse our use of the facilities at the 519 Church Street Community Centre. In the reply from ACT it was clear they had no interest in endorsing our use of the 519. In a conversation I had with Laurie Edmiston, executive director at PWA, she told me she thought the PWA foundation could not endorse HEAL and that the 519 was "passing the buck" by asking HEAL to book space through ACT and PWA. In a letter of appeal we asserted that: HEAL Toronto is definitely a "community" group. The six meetings previously held at the 519 consistently had an attendance of 20 people on average (without advertising in the press). HEAL Toronto meetings are organized primarily by people diagnosed HIV positive. We provide information generally not made available by other AIDS service organizations. Our meetings provide support for people who have been diagnosed HIV positive, particularly but not exclusively for those who may question the idea that HIV=AIDS and/or the appropriateness of anti-HIV chemotherapies. In your reply to our appeal 519 alleged that we were "disrupting services and programs and using bulletin board areas which are reserved for other groups. Because of these issues, and because of our commitment to encouraging cooperation among AIDS initiatives, the board does not feel that you organization will enhance our services to the community." We maintain that these accusations are groundless or, at best, gross exaggerations. HEAL then requested an opportunity to state our case for the use of the 519 Church Street Community Centre in person before the Board of Directors. We pointed out that, contrary to the 519's claim, there was clearly space available as we were able to book space six times within a matter of a few weeks or a few days notice before we were denied access. If it was not clear that we are offering a unique service in AIDS education originally, it should have become clear to you from the letters replying to our request for endorsement from AIDS Committee of Toronto and the PWA Foundation; forwarded to you July 20th and July 27th respectively. We were told by 519 staff that our meetings were well attended, by the standards of the Centre. Clearly there is interest in what we have to offer. We were again rebuffed by the 519 with more vague and unsubstantiated allegations of "disruptive and disrespectful actions toward other groups." That summarizes the extent of our unfortunately acrimonious correspondence between July 6th and November 25th 1998. More than a year has transpired since that exchange. We would like to emphasize that banishing HEAL from the 519 has left us severely disadvantaged in our ability to bring important alternative information about HIV and AIDS too the people who could most use it. Nevertheless, we have been able to sustain a public discourse on crucial issues through the press, and occasional public events. Although the board of the 519 may not consider us credible many other important organizations do. For example, we have been consulted by Interpares and Women's Health Interaction in Ottawa and the International Coalition for Medical Justice (ICMJ) based in the US. The Student Administrative Council (SAC) at the University of Toronto invited HEAL to present a program as part of their World AIDS Day events. Students at McMaster University are interested in having a HEAL representative debate virologists there who specialize in HIV. We will be there if their professors are willing. The Director of African Studies at York University has just asked us to participate in a forum on AIDS and Africa. Once again the HEAL Toronto collective requests a meeting with the 519's Executive Director and/or members of the Board of Directors to ask you to reconsider or clarify the reasons why you refuse to permit HEAL access to the community centre that serves the Gay community. We would appreciate a prompt reply. Sincerely, Robert Johnston, Carl Strygg, Ian Young, Sky Gilbert, David Gierak, John Grube, Duncan MacLachlan For HEAL Toronto

519 Church Street Community Centre February 20, 2000 Health Education AIDS Liaison, Toronto c/o Carl Strygg 993 Queen Street East Toronto, ON M4M IK2 Dear Sirs: At its most recent meeting, the Board of Management considered your letter. I regret to inform you that they felt that it did not give them sufficient reason to reverse their decision. Sincerely yours, Alison Kemper Executive Director

TORONTO

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