Last night, Occupy Toronto took to the streets again starting at 9:00 pm - after a May Day cultural event - and marched through the financial core to their new occupation site at Simcoe Park.

Activists all across the world had been urging people to individually skip work or participate in a general strike in their city to celebrate May Day.

Hundreds converged on the streets of downtown Toronto on Tuesday afternoon. 

They came here because somewhere in Toronto a city worker is struggling to survive working part time hours for seven to 10 years before being offered a permanent full-time job.

They came here because somewhere in Toronto a disabled woman is worrying herself sick wondering how she'll survive when the government is only increasing her benefits by 1 per cent this year.

They came here because somewhere in Toronto a sex-trade worker is trying to make a living every day without getting assaulted or murdered.

They came here because somewhere in Toronto a young mother, trapped in an extremely abusive relationship, prays she won't be beaten or killed this evening.

May Day, what a wonderful day to call in sick!

Why? Because cities across Canada are hosting May Day events on May 1, 2012 and have heeded the energy of the Occupy movement calling for a general strike on International Worker's Day -- and if not a general strike in your city, at least a show of support for labour and social justice movements across Canada.

International Workers' Day (also known as May Day) is a celebration of the international labour movement and left-wing movements. May 1 is a national holiday in more than 80 countries. It is also celebrated unofficially in many other countries such as Canada and the United States. But don't let that stop you from participating in your city's May Day festivities.