Ottawa: Rally Against Unborn Victims of Crime Bill

Over a hundred people met today in front of the Women's Monument in order to denounce the Unborn Victims of Crime Bill. Bill C-484 is a private members bill introduced by a Conservative Party MP. It passed the house of commons overwhelmingly in its first reading. The bill is created to pass extra sentencing on violent offenders who attacked pregnant women and cause problems or even death to the fetus.

At first glance of the bill most people would be favourable towards the bill. However, a better understanding of Canadian Law and looking more closely of the content of the bill may change that. Canadian Law already has provisions in the Criminal Code for pregnancy or spousal abuse to be aggravating factors leading to harsher sentences. The bill would however, give fetuses legal rights.

Many pro-choice advocates worry that to give the fetus legal rights would lead to the erosion of the legality of abortion. Abortion has only been legal in Canada for 20 years, it was made legal thanks to the work of Henry Morgentaler. Despite it being legal it is not very accessible with on 15% of Hospitals and a minority of clinics that do. All of these Hospitals and clinics are in urban centers and, one province P.E.I. has no where that abortion is available.

The speakers at the rally brought up that no one is happy about having abortions and, that it is unfortunate that women have to go through them. However, they said being pro-choice means that women actually have choices. These choices stemmed from a need for proper sex education, proper health care, proper child care and, a need for real pay equity. They condemned the current government as having not done any of these things nor, protected the rights of women to be free of violence.

The crowd included the Pro-Choice Coalition of Ottawa, Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, University of Ottawa Women's Center, Public Service Alliance of Canada, Ottawa-Center NDP MP Paul Dewar, Ottawa West-Nepean NDP candidate Marlene Rivier, multiple violence against women campaigns, The Raging Grannies and, more. The event was closed off by a rendition of Bread and Roses and a moment of silence while everyone stood in a circle around the Womens Monument. It was supposed to take the street afterwards, but the rally was denied a police permit "due to the nature of the protest."

Note images are my property. First was drawn on the path in Minto Park. Second is of one of the many speakers at the back of the crowd is Paul Dewar and Marlene Rivier of the NDP. Third was part of the circle of the closing, rocks shown are the side of the women's monument

Ottawa: September Activist Event Round Up

It has come to my attention that a number of events are coming up this month in Ottawa. Here is a list of the major ones I have been told about.

Taxi to the Dark Side
Fundraiser for Nowar-Paix.
Thursday, September 11, 7pm
Bytown Theatre (downtown on Rideau near King Edward)
* This Iraq War documentary won the 2007 Oscar for best documentary

Human Rights Rally:
Bring Abousfiam Abdelrazik Back To Canada!
Friday, 12 September, 12 Noon
Human Rights Monument (Elgin at Lisgar)
Abousfian Abdelrazik, a Canadian citizen, is currently in limbo in the Canadian Embassy in Sudan, with the Canadian government obstructing every effort to bring him home. His lawyer, Yavar Hameed, needs public support in his effort to bring Abousfian back. Please join the rally. Speakers include Paul Dewar, Monia Mazigh and Yavar Hameed. They will indicate the extent to which the government is repeating the same shameful behaviour as in the Mahar Arar case!

uOttawa Cinema Academia
Every Friday, MacDonald Hall auditorium (MCD 146), 150 Louis Pasteur Street.
Doors open at 7pm, film starts at 7:30pm.
Friday, September 12th
Film: DOGVILLE(USA / 2003 / 178 minutes / English)
http://www.iconmovies.co.uk/dogville/
Organized and facilitated by professors Claude Lamontagne and Denis
Rancourt.

Stop The Deportations: Let US War Resisters Stay in Canada
Saturday, September 13
2pm: mass leafletting session at entrance to Byward Market (on Rideau & Williams)
3:30pm: march to the Prime Minister's Office
5pm: film screening at Cafe Nostalgica (University of Ottawa)

Feminist Discussion Group
Sunday September 14th, 1-3pm
Umi Cafe 610 Somerset St. West
This will be the second of what will hopefully become a bi-weekly feminist discussion group. For a possible discussion topic, we had decided on the following question: "What role do men and people of other genders have to play within the feminist movement?" People of all genders, orientations, races and (most importantly) opinions are welcome!

Indecent Sex Acts On Parliament Hill
Thursday September 18th
5-6pm Parliament Hill
POWER (Prostitutes of Ottawa / Gatineau Work Educate & Resist) -- cordially invites you to witness...
INDECENT SEX ACTS ON PARLIAMENT HILL
Please join us in this call to protect sex workers’ rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and international human rights law by repealing Sections 210-213 of the Criminal Code!

Take Back the Night!
30 years- A March to end Violence Against Wimmin
Thursday, September 25th
6:30 pm: Rally at the Women's Monument at Minto Park (Elgin and Gilmour) with speakers and aboriginal drummers.
7:00 pm: March to the University of Ottawa
MAKE NOISE! Feel free to bring whistles, horns,
tambourines, drums, pots, pans, etc!

Canada: Let the Greens in Already..

There has been an argument over letting the Green Party into the federal debate. In Canada with our plurality of parties, allowing the Green Party to participate makes a lot of sense. Last election the Greens were not even added to the CBC website as one of the federal parties. I can understand not allowing every party in existence into the federal debates with 16 political parties currently registered ranging from the Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada, to the Marijuana Party, to the Western Block Party, to the Neo Rhinos who actually state they don't have a platform they have a happyform it would be slightly absurd to include all parties. The Greens however, have become a viable party.

The Greens unlike the many interesting other parties do compete and organize on a national stage like the Conservatives, Liberals and, NDP. The Greens put viable candidates in pretty much all ridings across the country and in certain ridings are even more organized then some of the other parties. Last election they brought in 6.6% of the popular vote and are currently polling closer to 9% on a national scale. However, due to our first-past-the post system it is difficult to have enough regional concentration to win proportional seats.

The Greens now have their first MP Blair Wilson-West Vancouver. Wilson was formerly a Liberal but left the party and became an independent just recently joining the Green Party. Some see this issue with contention however, the switching of parties has become more frequent within Canadian Politics.

With candidates across the country, their first MP, an established and recognized leader and, a viable National party platform the Greens should be participating in the debates. They are being barred from participating most likely due to the work of the Conservatives and NDP. The Conservatives cite that they shouldn't be allowed because, of a promise of by the Greens and Liberals to not run candidates in their leaders' ridings, something that has actually happened before in Canadian Politics. The NDP essentially have cited the same incident but it is more likely due to a worry of lost votes of left-leaning voters who would "go Green" so to speak. It is even reported that the Stephen Harper and Jack Layton told stations they would refuse to participate in debates if Elizabeth May was included. To me any party that viable should be included. The Bloc despite not running outside Quebec is included and the Progressive Conservatives when they lost all but two seats were included. What are you really scared of about including the Greens.

Elizabeth May talking about the Election Debates:

Document: Letter to MPs about Afghanistan mission

I sent the below letter to MPs in response to the fact that a vote on Afghanistan is happening today.

Dear Honourable Member of Parliament,

I am deeply concerned about Canadian troops in Afghanistan. According to a recent Strategic Council poll 54% of Canadian oppose Canadian soldiers being there, yet despite this Parliamentarians have not represented Canadian views. The reasons that Canadian citizens are given for the mission also is not true. Women's rights are far from protected as reported by the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan who was called the "only credible voice of Afghan women" according to CBC on November 19th, 2001.

Who we are working with in Afghanistan is also troubling. It has been widely reported that we are working with warlords and drug lords. The drug lords have increase opium production to 87% of the world opium trade according to the UN Office of Drugs and Crime. The Karzai government is also known to torture detainees. With Canada's continued involvement this will only lead to more deaths of our brave soldiers and possible complicity in War Crimes. I implore you to actually listen to Canadian citizens and support our troops by bringing them home. Democracy is also supposed to work on foreign policy.

Sincerely,
Aurora Jade Pichette
Concerned Canadian Citizen