If you are like most people in Canada fortunate enough to have a warm home to go to when it gets minus-40, winter is just another season.

But for many people in Canada -- 3 million at least -- winter is hell. No Christmas beside a chimney or warm cocoa with marshmallows, there are Canadians who live and sleep on the street or don't have enough money to pay the heating bill. Two weeks ago, an elderly lady in Montreal died in the cold silently. Last winter, a homeless man who was asking for help outside a crowed metro in Montreal died of hypothermia after no one helped. And if you read the news, thousands of people in Canada don't eat daily and die from hunger. That's reality, and some people are sick about it! Really sick!

I met with a "housing commando" named X (for legal reasons) in Montreal. He and other "housing commandos" took by force an abandoned Cineplex-Odeon movie theatre to make their statement against capitalism, the braindead government and its lobotomizes citizens.

Welcome to a crash course on Cold, Hunger, Death and Pissed Off Citizens…. You won't find this in your school programs.

X: We are tired of poverty and people dying in the street 'cause of hunger and cold! We see big abandoned buildings, like this movie theatre, standing idle for over 3 years. This place could be used to give shelter, food; a place for people to meet and make shows for students and social events. We are here today to fight for peoples' right for housing. We believe that housing is a right not a privilege.

Tell me bit about your organization…
We are the committee of unemployed of Montreal. We are the same committee that did the bouffe operation against the Queen Elizabeth Hotel and Chateau Champlain [he's talking about the operation to get food for the poor from Quebec's richest hotels]. We are continuing our operation of taking back what's ours: food and shelter stolen from the people for the elite.

What's the consequence?
All this is repression, economic and mental repression! People can't afford rent or pay too much, many of them have no choice but to work two jobs and forget about family life and their health. Others are mothers forced by situation to prostitute for food and rent. Others beg on the street or do some squeegee work… this is Canada's reality. Social housing waiting lists are almost 4 years long. They say there is no housing but there is housing, it's just owned buy some rich multinationals.

If you open your eyes, you can see a lot of homeless… I went to Toronto last week and they're everywhere. What's the core of the problem?
It's political and social… and of course it's capitalism. How a rich society like us and a morally-conscious society, can let people die on the street and doesn't mind kids going hungry at school… but can spend $100 or $1000 for pets. People have more compassion for animals than humans do! It's sick! Today it's minus-30 and tonight people may die. Poverty won't be erased with a political formula of employment, it has to come with "real" salaries not $7hours and 200 people in line for 10 jobs… people can't pay their rent!

So this movie theatre could help?
It won't close the wounds; it will help people to at least have shelter. This place is big and it's been heated for over 3 years with nobody inside… you know how many people we could help everyday? Hundred even thousands. I've been in Europe and I've seen people taking over old buildings and living there. They have small cafés, help artists to have a place to expose their art, and give social help to needed people. In reality the cops will come and kick us out!

So you are inspired by squats around the world?
Yeah! Everywhere in the world there is a squat, where people can escape this money hunger rent curse! In Canada there is not a squat tradition… people think that squats are just for junkies but in reality there is social squatting that can be done.

Do you think that a squat law like the one in Spain could help? [If after 7 years no one works on an abandoned building, people can claim it for a squat]
Of course it could help! But it will never happen… I don't think that the government in Canada will say: "It's true! Poor squatters and homeless. We will help you and push through a law to make your life more comfortable!" It won't happen! People have to fight for their right or nothing will move. We will have to open squats illegally, till something happens and people get help.

How delusional is the youth?
Very! Nothing is changing… we have the same stupid government, people are hungry, language fights by French and English politicians are worthless, right wings are taking more power, schools are getting more corporate, even food is a danger and etc… nothing really is improving.

Do you have a solution?
The problem is that there is not one solution, because there are many problems. If I knew the perfect solution, I wouldn't be here. I'm very cynical and abused by the system, but the fight will continue.

At this time the interview has to stop and prepared for a attack by the MUC police…nobody got arrested and the message went through to the major media. I just hope it wasn't before a hockey match or prime time TV.

To contact the housing-committee and the unemployed-committee in Montreal: (514) 596-7094