Occupy Toronto's Operation #MapleSpread has brought the Red Square Spirit to Toronto.

True to the #Maplespread hashtag, Red Square's first demonstration in Toronto was on Tuesday May 22, 2012, when students joined up with Occupy Toronto to organize the first Ontario/Toronto solidarity action with striking Quebec students against Jean Charest's, draconian Law 78, which severely restricts the right to demonstrate.

The deets:

June 4 at 6:30 p.m. until June 8 at 9:30 p.m. 
Various locations across Toronto

The call out and schedule:

Join us and continue a tradition of community lead action for justice -- for our people, and for the protection of the water, air and forests that give life to us all.

Tuesday June 5
Grassy people speak
Speaking event with Judy Da Silva and Dr. Harada
6:30 p.m. Steel Worker's Hall (25 Cecil Street)

Wednesday June 6
Fish fry
Noon -- Queen's Park

The tactic is referred to as "casseroles" in case you were curious about that hashtag on Twitter and activists in Toronto are asking that all allies to the Maple Spring bring their pots and pans to Dundas Square tonight at 8:00 pm to show tandem solidarity with Montreal's pots and pans protests.

Ottawa students occupy the Offices of the University of Ottawa

Reports on the scene from the Toronto Media Co-op state that unionized staff from the University of Ottawa were sent home today with pay.

For an on-site interview, please see: Interview (5 mins) from inside University of Ottawa administrative offices barricade.

I will keep updating this story as news rolls in.

Here is the press release.

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Offices of the University of Ottawa barricaded by its students

OTTAWA, ON,

24 May 2012

In support of striking students in Quebec against the Charest government and Law 78, Occupy Toronto is answering the call from Quebec to bring the spirit of the student strike to Ontario.

Both Quebec and Ontario students have the same demands, accessible education.

In Quebec, the student strike - which sparked the Maple Spring - has been going on for months. 160,000 students are on strike, approximately 35% of the post-secondary student population in the province. Of those, 65,000 are CEGEP students, all in Montreal and surrounding regions.

Rally in Solidarity with Quebec Students - Vancouver

The Deets:

Tuesday May 22, 2012
4:00pm in UTC-07
Vancouver Art Gallery
750 Hornby Street
Vancouver, BC

The Call Out:

The brave student movement in Quebec needs solidarity from students in the rest of Canada. In the face of undemocratic laws, human rights violations, and serious police brutality and repression, these students need solidarity more than ever.

Montreal city councillors voted today to approve a city-wide bylaw that bans the wearing of masks at public protests in a vote that passed 33-25.

The ban on wearing masks comes into effect tomorrow as thousands of students took to the streets tonight to protest the ban and the new bylaw by the Quebec General Assembly that severely restricts the rights of demonstrators in the province.

"When a cause is just, why is it necessary to hide behind a mask?" Mayor Gérald Tremblay quipped at a news conference after the vote.

Occupy Toronto Free School this Sunday at St. James Park

MEDIA ADVISORY - FREE SCHOOL (SKULE) OCCUPY AFFINITY GROUP OFFERING OUTDOOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO RAISE FUNDS AND AWARENESS ABOUT ALTERNATIVES FOR EDUCATION IN COMMUNITIES.

Beginning Sunday May 20 at St James Park from Noon 'till evening and ongoing weekly in different areas of the city. See TorontoFreeSkule.blogspot.ca for classes and teaching info as it develops.

Statement:

The deets:

Saturday May 19, 2012
1:00 p.m. 
U.S. Consulate
360 University Avenue

The call out:

NATO will be holding a summit in Chicago from May 19-21to decide the future of the war in Afghanistan and the future of military alliance itself. It is expected that the summit will rubber stamp the U.S.-Afghan strategic partnership which will see foreign troops occupy the country until 2024. Stephen Harper and the Conservative government in Canada have already indicated that they may keep Canadian special forces soldiers in the country.

Update:

Occupy Toronto has endorsed a demonstration to bring the Quebec student strike to Ontario.

Spread the Quebec Strike. Demand Free Education.

Tuesday May 22, 2012

2:00 pm

Hart House (U of T)

7 Hart House Circle

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The following is an open letter to the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), signed by student activists and supporters of the student movement across Canada. 

Support Quebec Students by Bringing the Movement to Ontario!

To our representatives at the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) and affiliated student union locals,