Opinion: Ineffective Protests

As of late I have become more and more irritated with the ineffective protests which occur in this city. I've said before that Ottawa is the city of major issues and, apathetic action. Perhaps due to living in a political city most people simply tune out dealing with politics, or maybe it is due to the system that we live in which discourages action or at least marginalizes it. There seems this concern to not offend people, to not cause too much trouble, but feel some form of satisfaction from simply making some noise and then going home.

I find it interesting that for instance Canadians' opposition to our forces being in Afghanistan is comparable to that of Americans' opposition to the Vietnam War in the early 1970s. Yet at that point there was a consciousness of action throughout the United States from the multitude of movements building into it the Civil Rights Movement, the 2nd Wave Feminist Movement, the Prisoners Rights movement and, the First Nations Right movement. These were movements who were willing to take risks, risks that result in multitudes of people loosing their lives, but provided for better quality of life as well as preventing the silent deaths of others. The silent deaths of Blacks by lynching and other violence, the silent deaths of abused wives or womyn with illegal abortions, the deaths of prisoners by guards, the continuing genocide of the First Nations, the deaths of countless soldiers, Vietnamese and Laotians. Sadly many silent deaths still occur, but now there is an outlet for them not to happen.

For a protest to be effective there needs to be some sort of risk involved, whether that be individual or collective. Most of the protests these days in Ottawa have no real risk factor involved, they march down the street usually to parliament with their nice police escort and then everyone goes home. This type of protest for the most part is one thing that diverts people genuine rage at unequal systems whether economic, violent, racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise and in turn keeps in place the existing system of power.

First Nations seem to be one of the few alive movements left in this country that are willing to take risks. They are willing to risk going to jail blocking mining companies from destroying the land, to cut of trains and roads to make an economic impact and, to defend the broken morsels of Mother Earth that are left in their care. I think the reason for this is because, the First Nations have less to lose. Physical then cultural genocide have been committed against them, the land they were stewards of for the Creator have been taken and destroyed and, on the whole most First Nations live in extreme poverty man of which not even given some necessities of life such as clean water. So, they risk because, what else can they do.

What of the rest of us however, those of us with certain amounts of privilege. Most of us sit in our warm homes or ivory academic towers saying things like "oh how horrid" instead of taking real political action and risking that privilege. But, what of poor urban communities one might ask. Instead of exploding in social action, communities turn on themselves thinking if only I could best the person next door I can get some of that privilege. Believing the words of corporate made rappers or rockers that some day I will have that too.

What we need is liberation. What we need is action. What we need is real risk.

Ottawa: Status for All March

Last Saturday across the country there were vigils and marches for immigrant and refugee rights. The protests have mirrored a wave of protests for immigrant rights across the United States, but on a much smaller scale. The Canadian protests which were held in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, Peterborough, Fredericton and, more. An image of the Montreal demonstration is to the left.

It was estimated that there are upwards of 800,000 illegal immigrants in Canada. Though the providing of status to the illegal immigrants was the core issue of these demonstrations three other related issues were brought up the Security Certificate Five, Israeli boycotts and, American War Resistors.

The Security Certificate Five of course are the five Muslim men detained on anti terror legislation that take away the right to fair trial. Mohamed Harkat an Algerian born, Ottawa resident was recently granted bail, which was taken away by an appeal by government lawyers. Only one of the Security Certificate Five is out on bail the other four are at a prison in Milhaven Ontario which opponents are calling Guantanamo North.

Boycotts of Israel are not a new invention. However, being an apartheid state it has created huge amounts of immigrants and refugees fleeing the country. Many have made there way to Canada as a refuge as well as many other places. Canada historically has voted against helping Israel, but the last two governments have changed that record. Originally votes in the UN were changed to abstention and now outright support of Israel. On the same day as the Status for All protest CUPE Ontario a union which represents 200,000 workers vote in favour of a boycott of Israel. They have since received a lot of hate mail for such a bold stance. You can send you opinion to them here.

The third related issue of American War Resistors were touched on and, in the Ottawa crowd was one of the War Resistors that I have previously met. There are twenty War Resistors openly applying for status in Canada. Campaign members believe there are about 200 underground. Canada took in thousands of War Resistors during the Vietnam War with Pierre Elliott Trudeau's proclamation that "Canada should be a refuge from militarism." Thirty years later Canada is participating in a war in Afghanistan, a coup against the democratic government of Haiti and, is the sixth largest producer of arms in the world.

Ottawa: Justice for Mohamed protests "Guantanamo North"

The Justice for Mohamed Harkat committee and some three to four dozen people met on tuesday in a emergency protest in front of Immigration Canada. Mohamed Harkat one of the five Muslim men being held on Security Certificates was transfered secretively to a new facility near Kingston. Sophie Harkat, his wife was unaware when it happend as it was done without warning. The group chanted and sung things like "Where is the evidence against these men?" and "Down with, CSIS." Many people spoke in support of Sophie including Jessica Squires of International Socialists - Canada, Stuart Ryan for the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW), Jo Wood for the Ottawa Raging Grannies, Colin Stuart for the Religious Society of Friends, myself, and Christian Legeais media representative for the Justice for Mohamed Harkat Committee.

Opponents to the facility are calling it a Guantanamo North. The facility will house those on sercurity certificates which includes no charge, secret trials, and unavailability of the evidence held against them. Mohamed has been held for over 3 years without charge or fair trial. Unlike camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay however, the inmates will be able to see their families though, under strict conditions and, the names of all the inmates is known. There has also been widespread talk of torture at Camp X-Ray as the camp is a legal blackhole so, the same rules on human rights don't apply. This new facility is on Canadian territory and therefore not a black whole, but it could be why the Canadian government won't criticize what goes on at Guantanamo Bay.

Image From a December Protest

Tags: Protests, Ottawa, Security Certificates, Immigration Canada, Mohamed Harkat