Vigilance is described as follows:

“.. Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour….” From The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Matthew 25:1–13

What happens when vigilance is thrown out the window in a seniors’ residence? Sadly, unfair practices, injustice and transgressions are committed which do not come within the radar of the authorities.

Here are examples of vigilance being discouraged in a seniors’ residence.

A Tenants’ Association is a structure to organize tenants’ concerns and issues in the place where they live. It is simply a group of tenants who have come together to improve their situation as tenants. It is protected under the law and can be incorporated, but it does not have to be.

Therefore, when residents in a seniors independent living facility (SILF) are not sufficiently vigilant to protect themselves and their rights, the consequences can be severe for some and adversely affect their mental and physical health.

In fact, when the alleged victim of bullying stood up for his rights, he was initially derided and accosted with false allegations and even the “pseudo Executive” threatened him with an eviction. All this happened under the watchful eyes of the Landlord. This gives rise to suspicion of a conspiracy!

At one such SILF, following were the transgressions, and nothing was done because the senior residents are either:

• Not interested to know what is happening since they live very private lives and do not wish to be bothered about anything; or
• Somewhat contended with their lives and do not wish to be bothered to be vigilant (and hence the purpose of this blog); or
• Not aware of their rights and responsibilities; or
• Too scared to express their concerns, or opinions or even their grievances, lest they be reprimanded or even evicted.

The Price To Pay For Vigilance

1. The building was built in 1981 has three entrances, but in 2018 there was no ramp for walkers and wheelchairs at two entrances closest to the parking lot. Due to the vigilance of one resident and after informing the Landlord with supporting evidence, a ramp was built but no recognition was given to the tenant for bringing forward such an important necessity for senior citizens in the building. Unfortunately, after the ramp was built, the landlord did not ensure that there were proper markings to advise vehicles not to park at the ramp. Again, due to the vigilance of the same resident proper markings were done to prevent vehicles from parking incorrectly.
2. Many seniors who have vehicles also have handicapped parking permits, but the landlord has provided only limited handicapped parking spots and their measurements are the same as normal parking spots making it difficult for seniors to take their walkers out of the vehicles.
3. It has also been observed – but nothing is being done – that allegedly there is almost no enforcement of the parking rules for some people. Allegedly there was a vehicle almost permanently parked in tenants’ handicap parking for over 18 months occupying a parking spot of a handicap senior. It appears that the tenant was no longer living at the residence. It was only after a resident informed the landlord several times, the vehicle was removed.
4. There are other alleged parking infractions taking place in the parking lot, including vehicles parked in tenants parking without the Residence official sticker, etc., but, due to lack of enforcements, illegitimate parking by some residents in the right spots is overlooked.
5. During winter when there is a snowstorm and the snow plough dumps snow behind the vehicles, the landlord does not offer (even at a payment) to clear the snow from behind the vehicles which makes it difficult for the seniors to move their vehicles to go for doctors’ appointments, etc. The residents do not intend for the the landlord to arrange to clear the snow that falls from the sky – only the snow dumped by the snow plough behind the residents’ vehicles. Even though in the monthly newsletter from the landlord a mention is made about the Christian church connected to the residence and the Mission Statement of the landlord talks about  love and charity, etc, but, no attempt is made to request the youth of the church to volunteer their time to clear the snow from behind the seniors’ vehicles (which was dumped by the snow plough even at a fee (which was done in the past)!
6. The Tenants’ Association of the seniors’ residence is being run under the control and watchful eyes of the landlord and several transgressions in violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Residential Tenancies Act are allegedly being committed. Some of these transgressions are as follows:
   1. Residents are allegedly not allowed to register and run the association as an independent entity in compliance with federal and provincial laws.
   2. The bylaws of the residents’ association were prepared by an old time resident (allegedly in collaboration with the Landlord) and without due consideration of standard tenants’ rights and responsibilities and in alleged contravention of the federal and provincial laws of liberty and justice for all.
   3. The elections for the board of the residents’ association are conducted in alleged disregard of the association’s election rules and under the watchful eye of the landlord.
   4. The President of the Association conducts meetings without any agenda and thus the meetings are run unprofessionally, and the minutes are often not even published.
   5. There is a resident – say Sandra – who allegedly suffers from NPD and bullies other residents. At one time, Sandra informed another resident, – say John – that she needed to install a protector bar in her apartment. John informed Sandra that he would get one from the store when he went to the store. Couple of weeks later, Sandra accosted John when he was talking to friends and accuses him of not keeping his word to install the protector bar in her apartment. John informs Sandra, that if the matter was urgent Sandra could ask her daughter to purchase and install the protector since John is also a resident and not a handyman. Later, Sandra tells her colleagues in the exercise group that John is not reliable and should not be elected to the Executive.

Very often landlords of SILF and their cronies’ endeavor to brainwash the senior residents into believing that the landlord is doing everything in the interests of the residents, when in actual fact, it is the opposite.

It is important to note that the building is run and maintained in a very clean, safe and systematic manner and the residents are happy about it. But, in addition to addressing the physical needs of the residents, their psychological, mental and personal needs are ignored.

The above is only a sample of the transgressions that take place mainly because the seniors are not vigilant for whatever reason. From a few of the examples above, you will see the importance of senior residents being vigilant about what is happening in their surroundings, It is further important they are aware about their rights and obligations and what to do when they notice something out of the ordinary.

Here is further information on the situation in a SILF where the elections to the Executive of the Tenants’ Association were contaminated. You be the judge.

It is rather strange that the landlord supports the efforts of the Executive Members even after explaining the confirmed illegality of the entire election process. Here is the evidence why vigilance is important:

1. The Executive did not comply with legal and standard election process nor even with the original Constitution and Election Rules.
2. Some residents withdrew (or allegedly forced to withdraw)  their nominations for very serious and legitimate  reasons which are documented for evidence.
3. Two residents who were legitimately nominated were unilaterally and illegally removed by placing unsigned notes at their door in an unprofessional manner – unbecoming of a residence connected with a Christian organization.
4. As a follow up to para 3 above, one resident who was nominated for the position of President was removed in a very egregious manner and then, when she was about to expose the alleged circus as per her statement, her nomination was re-instated but she was made to take a lower position of “Member-at-large” to avoid an election and allegedly give way for the “pseudo President” to be acclaimed – as part of a larger conspiracy.

Strangely the other resident (visible minority) whose nomination was also cancelled was not re-instated. Is it because of his color?

• The Association Constitution and Election Rules were illegally altered without following due process.
• Allegedly violating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and other statutes, but unilaterally introducing something called Roberts Rules to disqualify residents.
• As part of the conspiracy, allegedly pressuring some residents to withdraw their name in order to make room for the person nominated as President to vacate her nomination and accept the role of “Member-at-Large” and thus have a pseudo-Executive in order to be acclaimed – via a backdoor strategy.
• Not being able to fill all the vacant positions due to suspicion of alleged conspiracy to discriminate against some residents.

The reasons why there are still vacant positions are allegedly as follows:

1. Presence of a conspiracy to discriminate against some members and favor others.
2. Evidence of alleged illegitimate practices, and other transgressions by the current Executive.
3. Bullying tactics, false allegations, and threats of eviction and police involvement remarks by the Executive.
4. Repeatedly blaming one person for telling the truth and accusing him of slander, without any traces of evidence. Evidence does not lie – People do!!
5. Alleged unethical and unprofessional actions by the “pseudo-Executive” in altering the TENANTS ASSOCIATION Constitution and Election Rules even before being elected – thus contaminating the entire 2022 Elections!!
6. Inaccurate statements by the then President in the minutes signed by her.
7. Noncompliance by the Executive of the Executive Code of Conduct.
8. Noncompliance of the Tenants’ Association Constitution and altering the same illegally.

It appears that the residents do not want to be complicit with an alleged illegitimate Executive and hence do not want to be on the board of an allegedly contaminated Executive.

To justify its actions, the landlord distributed an undated Letter in June 2022 which unfortunately was missing answers to a lot of questions which created a need to send emails to get answers to those cognitive questions. The inquiring emails that were released, were neither toxic nor illegal as they contained accuracies and facts and sought to receive accurate answers. If there were any inaccuracies in the emails, then, those should have been pointed out rather than conspiring to call those emails, toxic. Here are some of the questions that gave suspicion of a conspiracy and generated a noxious atmosphere:

Whether it’s in a work environment or a living environment, if people are treated fairly and the right things are done, there would not be the need to send emails – nor would there be a toxic environment!

It was necessary to address the wrongdoings by a certain group who were trying to take the elections into their own hands by banning two residents who were legally nominated.

In fact, here is a statement prepared by one of the residents who was nominated, and she received a note cancelling her nomination. But strangely she was back on the list and illegally elected. And why was another resident’s cancellation maintained? Was it because of the color of his skin?

No action was taken by the LANDLORD to stop the “toxicity” of the elections. In fact, if there was action taken to stop the altered Election Rules illegally posted on the Notice Board and repeated illegitimate notices posted and illegal and unsigned letters given to two residents who were legally nominated, the Elections would have gone ahead and there would be a proper voting with the right person elected.

It is evident that a “toxic” atmosphere has been created by trampling on the legitimate rights of residents in so many ways, for example:

1. Nominating themselves illegally for the position of President
2. Altering the TENANTS ASSOCIATION Constitution without authorization to suit individual wishes
3. Sending unsolicited egregious emails to a resident for no apparent reason
4. Posting notices on the Notice Board without proper knowledge of office decorum
5. Threatening a resident for exposing the discrepancies
6. Removing the names of two innocent nominees who have not done anything illegal to be barred from the election.

Based on the alleged transgressions and violations of the laws brought to the attention of the Landlord there has been no consequences nor has the alleged perpetrator been barred from standing for elections as required under the Volunteer Code of Conduct – TENANTS ASSOCIATION. The only action taken was to deprive the residents of a free and fair election. If this is not discrimination and unfair creation of “toxic” environment, what it is?

When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous, but terror to evildoers. (Proverbs 21)

“….Life is like a garden that you must constantly tend to in order for it to yield good results. Taken care of the garden can produce amazing fruits and vegetables.

Yet, a garden is always under constant threat from weeds, bugs, animals, bad weather and other unforeseen dangers. If one stays aware of these dangers most of them can be traversed.

Your life is the same way. If you stay on top of things there is no limit to what you can accomplish. If you do not stay on top of things, you will absolutely face a mountain of issues that will slow you down or even defeat you….”

When good people in any country cease their vigilance and struggle, then evil men prevail. Pearl S. Buck

Let the eye of vigilance never be closed. Thomas Jefferson

The candle of liberty has always been kept lit by a few vigilant. Russell Pearce

Some information for this blog is taken from https://medium.com/@patrickbyron/how-constant-vigilance-by-establishing-routines-and-habits-leads-to-success-and-prevents-failure-in-807bebed2ca8]