[IPSM] June 18-25: March on Ottawa! NO ONE IS ILLEGAL! A call for solidarity and support ...

[No One is Illegal Montreal]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005 00:54:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: sans frontieres! <sansfrontieres at resist.ca>

[Please post and forward widely ...]

A call for solidarity and support

:::::::::::::::::::
NO ONE IS ILLEGAL!
March on Ottawa!
June 18-25, 2005
:::::::::::::::::::

Solidarity Across Borders -- a Montreal network of self-organized refugee 
groups, individuals and their allies -- is planning a one-week march from 
Montreal to Ottawa to draw attention to the struggles of refugees and 
immigrants for life and dignity in Canada and Quebec.

The four basic demands of the Solidarity Across Borders network are: the 
regularization of all non-status people in Canada; an end to deportations; an 
end to detentions; and the abolition of security certificates.

Lack of status, deportations, detentions, and security certificates all 
contribute to making migrants vulnerable to exploitation, poverty, insecurity 
and indignities that no one should suffer. In the current political context, as 
Canada rushes to harmonize its border policies with the United States and 
create a unified "Fortress North America" in the context of the so-called "war 
on terror", the situation of immigrants and refugees is worsening.

Every day, thousands of migrants and their families struggle against the 
uncertainties created by the racist and anti-poor processes of criminalization 
carried out by Immigration Canada. They are forced underground; threatened with 
detention or with deportation to often desperate situations; and subjected to 
discriminatory legal standards which fall far short even of international human 
rights standards. The migrants leading the march are simply demanding their 
basic rights to a secure life, dignity and a future.

The one-week walk to Ottawa will take place from June 18th to 25th, 2005. We 
will begin the march in downtown Montreal, proceed through some of Montreal's 
immigrant and working class neighbourhoods and out to the West Island. By day 
two, we expect to be marching out of the island, and onto the highway that will 
take us to Ottawa. We are contacting Mohawk and Algonquin peoples whose lands 
we will be passing through to acknowledge them as the first peoples of the land 
and to express solidarity with their struggles for self-determination. During 
the march, we will be stopping to speak to people in communities and towns 
along the route.

The march is an enormous undertaking, reflecting the seriousness of the current 
situation of migrants. It recalls earlier marches to demand basic rights and 
dignity for workers and for women. The preparation is intense: outreach across 
the country, along the march route and within Montreal; logistical support for 
a week-long march; physical training; childcare for the march; gathering 
material supplies; setting up events along the way, and more.

Strong public support is crucial for the success of this historic march and we 
are calling on you to help give that support.


YOUR SUPPORT COULD INCLUDE:

-> participating in the walk;

-> organizing solidarity actions in your city the week before or during the 
march (delegation to government office, picket, march, public speaking event, 
etc.);

-> endorsing the march (organisational endorsements; send to email address 
below);

-> inviting us to give a presentation on our campaign and the march at your 
school, community centre, organisation, religious centre, etc. (if you are in 
Montreal);

-> donating (both financial and in-kind donations or loans (food, vehicles, 
shoes, cell phones, bicycle carts, etc.) are greatly needed - please contact us 
for more details);

-> including an article about the march in your publications, newsletters, 
websites, on your radio shows, etc.;

-> sending us letters, audio recordings or videos of support (we will use these 
in our public outreach work as well as during the march, to encourage 
marchers);

-> sending us personal accounts of your struggle as a refugee or migrant 
(again, these will be used in public outreach and during the march);

-> writing a letter to your MP to express support for the march and encourage 
your MP to offer tangible support for the march and our demands;

-> passing on this message through your networks and encouraging further 
support; and

-> participating in the organizing effort (if you are in Montreal).


Please don't hesitate to contact us for more details on any of the above or 
other ways of getting involved. In addition, we are contacting groups along the 
route and in Ottawa for the specific forms of support we need from those 
communities. If you are in Ottawa or one of the communities on the road to 
Ottawa, please contact us to find out how you can help or participate.

We thank you for taking the time to read through this appeal and respond. We 
look forward to being in touch with you and we have no doubt that, with your 
support, our common struggle will succeed.


-- Solidarity Across Borders

e-mail: sansfrontieres at resist.ca
tel: 514 859 9023
web: www.solidarityacrossborders.org