Boycott possibility for 2010 Olympics

The [url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/04/17/fontaine-olym... and [url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=b6eac5a0-a544-47fe... Columbia bands[/url] have been making some noise about taking a page from the Tibetan protests, and throwing in their own spanner for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. What fun!

It'll be interesting to see the reaction of Canadian officialdom to this.

quote:

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VANCOUVER - Organizers of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics have a strong relationship with first nations, but native leaders said Thursday that may not be enough to prevent aboriginal protests like those against China's Summer Games.

Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Phil Fontaine told reporters in Ottawa there is some discussion among native leaders about trying to use the Vancouver Olympics to make their point internationally.

"What that speaks to is the desperate situation in our communities," said Fontaine, speaking at a news conference announcing May 29 will be the second annual National Day of Action for first nations.

"We find the Tibet situation compelling," Fontaine said. "The Tibetans are disenfranchised people. The situation here is similar, but it's different in this sense: the poverty we're talking about exists in Canada's own backyard.

"It's okay to express outrage with the Chinese government's position against Tibet, but (Canadians) should be just as outraged, if not more so . . . with what is being done to first nations here."

Tibet protesters have been making international headlines with their demonstrations.

Stewart Philip, grand chief of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, said native protests during the Olympics are "not just being commented on by the national chief (Fontaine), it's the topic of widespread discussion across the country."

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[ 17 April 2008: Message edited by: ceti ]