Toronto People's Summit

Salut rebellions!

So here we are, not intimidated and undeterred by state or police forces and ready to rock the free world…umm…I mean, rock to make the world free!

We’ve all walked this path together and now we’re into the final stretch. Activists across Canada have been busy planning and preparing for months to resist the G8/G20 so let’s give them all a hand <insert sound of clapping and revolutionary cheers!>

Sure the police have tried to scare us and the state has tried to shut us down … but we’re still here, looking around and smiling at each other, tired but satisfied. During this frenetic organizing, some people have found their place, some people have found their voice and I bet some people have even fallen in love.

Yes, we’ve argued, feelings were hurt and wounds were nurses but we’re still here and ready to confront governments which would rather divide than unite us!

It’s great to be alive when living itself becomes a form of beautiful resistance to all the state conspired forces that seek to steal our courage and our breath

Sing it: “G8/G20 / They few, We many!”

Sure, the G8/G20 might be able to host a Summit but Toronto activists can host one hell of an anti-capitalist party!

First off, start memorizing these numbers from the Movement Defense Committee

Keep these phone numbers on your person!

From  June 18th – June 30th:

Arrests/detention/jail calls = 416-273-6761

Family and friends = 416-273-6781

TTY = 416-531-0060

Now let’s get this party started!

The People’s Summit – June 18 – 20, 2010

Ryerson University. One block east, basically the corner of Yonge and Gerrard or Yonge and Dundas; Dundas Subway Station)

More detailed information and to register, click here:

Full listing of events

More info on how to donate or get involved, click here:

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Basic Schedule:

Opening Night Launch: Friday June 18:

Stories and Solutions from North and South

Doors at 6:30pm
Pay What You Can
at The Carlu 444 Yonge Street (at College)

On June 18th, join us for  “Stories and Solutions from North and South,” where we’ll hear from organizers and activists from around the world who are working in their communities to find sustainable, transformative alternatives to the G8/G20 agenda.

Mary Walsh will host this incredible evening, where we’ll hear from:

-Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians

-Lorena Aquilar, Global Gender Advisor, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Costa Rica

-Victor Baez, General Secretary, Trade Union Confederation of the Americas, Brazil.

-Dorothy Ngoma, Executive Director of the National Organization of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi

-Jessica Yee, Executive Director of the Native Youth Sexual Health Network

-Robert Lovelace, Co-Chief of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation

-Ambet Yuson, Secretary General of the Building and Woodworkers International, Phillipines

There will be musical performances by Sarah Marlowe and Eternia

Saturday June 19th and Sunday June 20th: Building a Movement for a Just World

Over 100 civil society groups from around Canada and the world will offer workshops, skillshares, panels, plenaries, strategy sessions, art, performance, and plenty more. 

We’ll tackle major social and environmental justice issues in five thematic streams – Global Justice; the Environment and Climate Change; Human Rights and Civil Liberties; Economic Justice; and Building the Movement.

Saturday Night June 19, 2010

A Night for Women’s Rights and Social Justice

7:00 – 9:00 pm

Artscape — 601 Christie Street

Tickets: $15 at door or through Oxfam.

Featuring: Nomadic Massive

D BI Young and Lillian Allen

Hosted by Ardath Whynacht

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Six Themes of the Weekend:

(click on the link to see schedule)

1: Global Justice

In an increasingly globalized world, the Global Justice Movement is typically labeled as simply an “anti”-globalization movement by corporate media and capitalist institutions. This could not be further from the truth – the Global Justice “movement of movements” (or “alter”-globalization) are interconnected groups and communities across the globe who seek to use tools of communication and solidarity to create networks of resistance. The global justice movement is a struggle against the global expansion of corporate and national imperialism in order to build a better world based on equity, respect and dignity. Corporate globalization offers only one way to develop and grow – the global justice movement is fuelled by a diversity of options, systems and ways of being in this great big, deeply interconnected world.

2: The Environment and Climate Change

The environmental movement is represented by a huge range of individuals and organizations – from grassroots movements to international NGOs — and therefore includes a diverse range of issues, tactics and goals. Major struggles of our era are about land, water, and climate change, resource use, pollution, and food security. There are lots of ideas and alternatives, however one thing is clear: we must transform the current socio-economic systems that are wreaking havoc with the earth’s biodiversity, climate and ecosystems. We must act with urgency towards environmental justice and sustainable societies — now.

3: Human Rights and Civil Liberties

Adding to historical oppressions, this past decade has brought sweeping attacks on human rights and civil liberties. Poverty, racism, patriarchy, xenophobia, all forms of oppression, and undemocratic governments and institutions stand in the way of the basic principle that: “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of solidarity.” Freedom comes with responsibility — as governments and corporations restrict our movement, stifle self-expression, and limit access to basic needs, we must push back — as mass movements, working in solidarity for dignity and justice for all, against all war and occupation, racism and patriarchy, repression and the police state.

4: Economic Justice

Economic globalization (whether you call it neoliberalism, neoconservatism, neo-colonialism or simply capitalism) is exploiting the global South and increasing the gap between the rich and the poor — both between and within countries. Exemplified by the global corporate bailouts of the recent economic downturn, this model of international trade agreements and national financial policies are putting profits before people while ownership and distribution of resources gets put in an increasingly small amount of hands. Economic justice explores alternatives; whether it’s community control over resources, resistance to free trade, anti-poverty organizing, taxing the rich to support the poor, we are organizing as workers, communities, and people to challenge global capitalism!

5: Building the Movement: Skills for CHANGE!

As we organize to resist, we must always seek to come up with dynamic, inspiring, effective and creative ways to get our messages across and build partnerships and coalitions. In order to counter corporate media, we must use new tools to become the media and use creative techniques of communication to spread ideas and knowledge. In order to build our movements, we must constantly expand our reach out to groups and communities while recognizing power and oppression within and amongst ourselves.

6: Holding Canada Accountable

As Canadians, we are often told that Canada is an example of diversity, justice and human rights around the world; but lately this nation has been more of a pariah than a role model. The Canadian state maintains an abusive colonial relationship to Indigenous people on their native land, condones atrocities committed by Canadian companies across the world, refuses to adequately acknowledge and act on the climate change crisis, carries out and supports wars of occupation, and is currently attacking hard-won rights for women, migrant communities, workers, the poor, and other oppressed groups. The G8 and G20 Summits in Canada are the perfect place to hold Canada accountable for its policies and practices at home and abroad.

Open Spaces at the People’s Summit:

Throughout the weekend, space will also be offered for anyone to create or participate in open space sessions on the key issues being explored at the People’s Summit.  From these sessions, strategies, actions, networks, initiatives, declarations, catharsis, and self-expression may emerge.  Open spaces are what you make of them.

Art: All the time in the HUB.

Environment and Climate Change:  SAT 11AM – Noon, and 2:30 – 3:30PM

Economic Justice:  SAT 1 – 2:30PM

Global Justice:  SAT 3:30 – 5PM

Human Rights and Civil Liberties:  SUN 1 – 3PM

Holding Canada Accountable:  SUN 3 – 4:30PM

Moving Forward – Final Reflections from the 2010 People’s Summit SUN 4:30 – 6PM

Open Space Workshops are based on seven basic principles:

1) Whoever comes are always the right people

2) Whatever happens is for the good

3) Conditions should be taken for what they are

4) The composition of the group is determined by chance

5) Everyone may start whenever they feel like it

6) Everyone may stop whenever they think it is time to

7) Everyone is free to move around as they like

Krystalline Kraus

krystalline kraus is an intrepid explorer and reporter from Toronto, Canada. A veteran activist and journalist for rabble.ca, she needs no aviator goggles, gas mask or red cape but proceeds fearlessly...