About 25 Council of Canadians chapters participated in 21 occupations across Canada this week-end.
AM 1150 reports, “The Occupy Kelowna demonstration brought about 150 people out to Kerry Park on Saturday. …While demonstrators held signs with pointed opinion on a wide variety of issues, for Peter Kerr, a member of the Council of Canadians, the message of the protest is clear. ‘The goal is to make people aware of what’s happening and to change society so that there is less inequity like there is now.’ Kerr was joined by several colleagues. They handed out pamphlets and chanted with some of the speakers who got on a stage that was set up.”
The London Free Press reports, “Members of London’s Council for Canadians (were at a small Occupy London gathering) hoisting a giant octopus they had stitched out of a blue tarp to protest a Canada-European Union trade agreement in the works. The agreement, known as CETA, will threaten our social fabric and local economies, said the protesters. Calling their puppet a CETApus, the council said its eight arms represent eight elements of society under threat.”
Council chairperson Maude Barlow was joined by climate justice campaigner Andrea Harden-Donahue, water campaigner Meera Karunananthan, Ottawa chapter activists, members and me at Occupy Ottawa in Confederation Park across from City Hall. About 500 people joined that gathering. By 6 p.m. tents were set up in the park as the rain began to fall.
Health-care campaigner Adrienne Silnicki reports from Occupy Nova Scotia at Grand Parade Square in Halifax that, “One of the speakers at the gathering here said, ‘I collected my mail this week and I saw a letter from the Council of Canadians. It said, System change, not climate change. I think that’s a good place to start.” She added later in the day that there are about 100 people there this evening and 18 tents set up.
Prairies organizer Scott Harris says about 500 people were out for Occupy Edmonton this afternoon.
And Ontario-Quebec organizer Mark Calzavara writes in his blog, “More than 2,000 people have already taken part in Occupy Bay Street today despite the lousy weather and dozens of tents are now set up in St. James Park.” To read his blog, go to http://canadians.org/blog/?p=11188. Trade campaigner Stuart Trew was there early in the day noting a big crowd was gathering. Media officer Dylan Penner writes, “Leo Broderick and I will be marching over from Canadian Peace Alliance convention at 1 p.m., under the banner of ‘Occupy Bay Street, not Afghanistan.’ And Board member and Peterborough-Kawarthas chapter activist Roy Brady adds, “Well over a thousand, probably two, in Toronto today. Occupation of St. James Park downtown has been completed. General Assembly would be ending soon.”
More to come.
Photo: Council of Canadians at Occupy Nova Scotia
Support rabble today!
We’re so glad you stopped by! Thanks for consuming rabble content this year.
rabble.ca is 100% reader and donor funded, so as an avid reader of our content, we hope you will consider gifting rabble with a donation during our summer fundraiser today.
Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet.
Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet.
Become a rabble rouser — donate to rabble.ca today.
Nick Seebruch, editor
