Controversial charity to open men's centre in Ottawa

[Tennis]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...lies-1.4279125

The same charity that brought a controversial men's rights documentary to Ottawa last year is opening a new centre for men in Ottawa.

Called the Canadian Centre for Men and Families, it's the third such facility from the Canadian Association For Equality. There's already a centre in Toronto, and a third in Calgary that's open just one day a week.

The association was in the news late last year in Ottawa after the Mayfair Theatre cancelled a screening of a men's rights documentary called The Red Pill because of complaints. The screening was to serve as a launch event for a fundraising campaign for the new centre.


The screening ultimately went ahead in a room at Ottawa City Hall, and CAFE went on to raise $80,000. The centre's grand opening is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the new office on Montreal Road in Vanier.

A peer support program for fathers dealing with separation or divorce will be among its initial offerings, said executive director Patrick Wright. Later plans include legal services for both victims of abuse and those accused of it, along with mental health services.
Mark and Austin-George Cooper

Mark Cooper donated this photograph of him and his son Austin-George Cooper for the new men's centre, after struggling himself with a shortage of supports while going through a separation and custody battle. (Mark Cooper Photography)
'You feel very much alone in this'

The centre is currently furnished with donated items, from furniture to artwork.

Mark Cooper, an Ottawa photographer, donated photos including one of himself and his own son, Austin-George Cooper. He first connected with CAFE during an acrimonious separation and custody battle over the boy, who's now five.

"I thought this was a stand-up group, with what I thought to be genuine, fair motives," Cooper said.

Cooper said dads going through separation are in dire need of support groups and help to navigate the system around child custody.

"It's really quite a shock to your sensibilities when this happens to you," Cooper said. "It's a bit of a nightmare, frankly. You feel very much alone in this."
Getting men to ask for help first battle

One goal of the centre is to provide a place where men feel comfortable asking for help in the first place.

"For a lot of men, we have this attitude where it's not OK to seek help, whether it's for mental health problems or any kind of health issues," said executive director Patrick Wright. "Even seeing the dentist, a lot of guys don't want to do that. So I think having a centre even just on its own is a way of saying to men it's OK to ask for help.

The Ottawa director of the charity funding the centre said that reluctance to seek help is an outgrowth of a bigger problem in society.

"We just naturally empathize more with women and children than with men," said David Shackleton. "I think this comes out of our history where we expected men to be the warriors and go off to battle. If you empathize a lot with your warrior, it doesn't work so well."

Empathy from government is also lacking, Shackleton said, as evidenced by a shortage of government-funded services for men.
Women's advocate says centre is welcome

Women's advocates have frequently protested CAFE's events but one vocal activist in Ottawa said she's prepared to welcome the new centre.
Julie Lalonde on Sparks Street

Women's advocate Julie Lalonde says she welcomes the new centre for men, if the focus is on providing services instead of attacking feminism. (Susan Burgess)

Julie Lalonde, who runs the anti-harassment movement Hollaback! Ottawa, was among those who complained to the Mayfair about CAFE's film screening. She said CAFE supporters have interrupted events devoted to violence against women, to complain that men's stories of abuse by women were being left out.

A shift to focus on service is encouraging, she said.

"They are very vocal in saying there are no spaces for men, and so I appreciate that they took the initiative to actually create that space," she said.

Women as well as men stand to benefit if the centre allows men to talk about mental health concerns, the experience of childhood abuse and "what it means to be a man in the 21st century."

"We all suffer from men not being able to have those conversations."

It is important that centres exist for different types of people.

However, it does make you wonder what the controversy is about?

[Trassk]

well, it's happened, Tennisace found something we can all agree with.

[Doctor Amadeus]

Yeah thumbs down for this just the trying to raise funds off Red Pill bullshit eh NO! Guess they have a right to put their hate group where they like.

[Tennis]

Yeah thumbs down for this just the trying to raise funds off Red Pill bullshit eh NO! Guess they have a right to put their hate group where they like.

I've basically never heard of red pill and alpha/beta etc in real life but it seems rampant on the interwebz.

[therealstegblob]

Yeah thumbs down for this just the trying to raise funds off Red Pill bullshit eh NO! Guess they have a right to put their hate group where they like.

I can not decipher what this post is trying to say.

At any rate, nothing seems controversial about this, unless you're someone who believes men shouldn't have dedicated support groups for some reason.

[Destump]

Yeah thumbs down for this just the trying to raise funds off Red Pill bullshit eh NO! Guess they have a right to put their hate group where they like.

Were you talking about the red pill on the internet, or the movie and the movement that was in the documentary the red pill?

Because I have to agree that the red pill on the internet can be a cesspool, but the movement in the documentary the red pill is not affiliated with them and I can 100% stand behind the group from the doc.


And yeah, I agree that a men's centre is a step in the right way. Both men and women deserve this kind of protection, but many centres do not accept males.

[Doctor Amadeus]

I've basically never heard of red pill and alpha/beta etc in real life but it seems rampant on the interwebz.

Yeah these are not allies to anyone other than straight white males real close to alt-right BS.

- - - Updated - - -

Were you talking about the red pill on the internet, or the movie and the movement that was in the documentary the red pill?

Because I have to agree that the red pill on the internet can be a cesspool, but the movement in the documentary the red pill is not affiliated with them and I can 100% stand behind the group from the doc.


And yeah, I agree that a men's centre is a step in the right way. Both men and women deserve this kind of protection, but many centres do not accept males.

Would have supported this if I had not seen The Red Pill thing.

[Destump]

Would have supported this if I had not seen The Red Pill thing.

What about the movement from the doc makes you dislike them?

I mean, yeah some of the guys were a bit too extreme for my liking but their group wasn't any worse than the average feminist group in the west.

And most of the problems they brought up I can get behind, the men's centres and the problems for divorced fathers etc.

[Doctor Amadeus]

What about the movement from the doc makes you dislike them?

I mean, yeah some of the guys were a bit too extreme for my liking but their group wasn't any worse than the average feminist group in the west.

And most of the problems they brought up I can get behind, the men's centres and the problems for divorced fathers etc.

That's a big umbrella for one group. If this is a group about helping men that's awesome I'd support that. If it's some fucked up backwards way of coming together to hate women and promote toxic masculinity like real men need to eat raw steaks and howl at the fucking moon bullshit yeah they can go fuck themselves. That's some help as a man I don't need. Maybe some do but if it has to do with that Red Pill immature bullshit.

Yeah that isn't any better than any other misguided feminist or anyone else being an idiot.

[Destump]

That's a big umbrella for one group. If this is a group about helping men that's awesome I'd support that. If it's some fucked up backwards way of coming together to hate women and promote toxic masculinity like real men need to eat raw steaks and howl at the fucking moon bullshit yeah they can go fuck themselves. That's some help as a man I don't need. Maybe some do but if it has to do with that Red Pill immature bullshit.

Yeah that isn't any better than any other misguided feminist or anyone else being an idiot.

true, agreed /10char

[Lochton]

There is no controversial thing with this. It is a common thing as you also have it for women.

Everyone can be a victim.

[downnola]

However, it does make you wonder what the controversy is about?

Let us know when you figure out what all the hub bub is about. I for one would like to know what the hot take is.

[Ooid]

I wonder how long it will take for this center to shut down from harassment and lack of funding.

[Doctor Amadeus]

I wonder how long it will take for this center to shut down from harassment and lack of funding.

If they are legit and not bullshit maybe the feminist could help them raise money and that doesn't happen. And both go on to really help people.

Maybe dispelling myth from reality for both who get a bad rep from misguided supporters.

[the game]

There is no controversial thing with this. It is a common thing as you also have it for women.

Everyone can be a victim.

Really we need a shelter for the liberal victims on mmo-champ off-topic.

[Mehrunes]

If they are legit and not bullshit maybe the feminist could help them raise money and that doesn't happen. And both go on to really help people.

Maybe dispelling myth from reality for both who get a bad rep from misguided supporters.

The last center for men in Canada was legit, the maker of it didn't engage in anti-feminism and feminists didn't help for squat. Instead they were the ones who did the harassment @Ooid mentioned. Which led to its funding getting cut, as they also mentioned. Then eventual closure due to lack of funding, the maker of it getting depressed and killing himself.

[Tennis]

There is no controversial thing with this. It is a common thing as you also have it for women.

Everyone can be a victim.

The news article said it was controversial. Who are you to disagree? What's your credentials?

[the game]

The news article said it was controversial. Who are you to disagree? What's your credentials?

so you think men can't be victims then?

[Tennis]

so you think men can't be victims then?

Victims of what? Is

[the game]

Victims of what? Is

abuse? sexual abuse, domestic abuse, rape? Do you need more examples?