[Org4j-announce] May Day !!!! May 1st !!!!

[Organizing 4Justice]

We'd like to wish you all a great May Day,
and let you know what's going on here in Ottawa
... but first:


Exactly one year ago today was the
*Organizing For Justice May Day Weekend Community Consulta*
==> please check the newly-posted report-back from that consulta,
at: https://organizingforjustice.ca/?p=760
(check and comment on the different topics sub-pages, or print and read
offline)



This year, May Day in Canada and the US is getting a boost from the Occupy
movement

In Ottawa, there are a number of events on May Day (Tuesday, May 1st) itself
 (see below)

But also, there is a call to Occupy Parliament on *Sat May 5th* starting at
1pm
(already over 1000 people 'attending' on facebook)
https://www.facebook.com/events/326943627328522/

AND,
Occupied Ottawa returns *Sat May 12th*
"Free Parking! (March, Speakers, Demonstration and Rally)"
March begins at 3pm: Canadian Tribute to Human Rights (Corner of Elgin &
Lisgar)
https://www.facebook.com/events/300064303405433/


and now ... May Day 2012 in Ottawa:
**

*
*

*MAY 1st:  **TAKE TO THE STREETS TO STOP THE CUTS ***

**

*11:30AM – Confederation Park: Gather & March
* *12:00PM – Rally at the Prime Minister’s Office*

*
*

*2:00PM – 4:30PM – Teach-In Against Austerity*

St Andrew’s Church, 82 Kent @ Wellington

Session A [2:00 – 3:15] The Meaning of Austerity

Greg Albo [York University]
Janet Fraser ]Elementary Teachers Federation]
Brian McDougall [Federal government Worker]

Session B [3:30 – 4:45] Fighting Back

Morna Ballantyne [Solidarity Against Austerity]
Nadia Willard [ACORN]
Clayton Thomas-Mueller [Indigenous Environmental Network]

*
*

*5:30PM – 7PM –  Community Supper*
St Andrew’s Church, 82 Kent @ Wellington

$10 or pay what you can

*
*

*7:30PM – Gil’s Hootenanny: Songs of Protest, Songs of Hope*

National Arts Centre Fourth Stage, $15
Unable to join the downtown Ottawa rally & march? Take action in your
neighbourhood or at your workplace! Visit the Solidarity Against Austerity
website for ideas.

Organized by Solidarity Against Austerity
http://maydayottawa.ca/
@MayDayOttawa
#may1ott


***Please Forward to your Networks and take part in May Day ***


DISCLAIMER: We recognize that resistance to harmful institutional policies
and laws are on-going. In no way do we intend to suggest that struggle is
not continuously n progress. We are essentially calling for collective
action around the issues of austerity that is wreaking havoc on all members
of Canadian society indifferent ways.


On Tuesday May 1st, we will join cities from across the world in
commemoration of International Labour Day. This day we remember those who
have fought and died for labour rights, and who continue to resist social,
political and economic inequalities. The current Canadian government led by
a Harper Conservative majority has made their priorities clear. Their
priorities that they have demonstrated in their latest policies, form
social, economic,environmental and political policies all reflect interests
and values that neglect the needs of most communities in this country,
including, but not limited to; Indigenous communities, immigrant
communities, migrant workers, queer communities, womyn, students, political
and environmental activists, persons of colour, youth, and persons with
alternate abilities. The time is now to combine forces and collectively
address the diverse and asymmetrical ways in which we are and will continue
to experience current economic and political policies of this government.
We must resist, we can fight back!
As we step into a period of austerity, the government’s commitments
prioritizes the privatization of valuable and essential services. They
value building more prisons that will further increase the disproportionate
representation of Indigenous peoples and people of colour, they value
criminalizing dissent, and adding to the continuous colonization of
Indigenous peoples and lands. The government is promoting the increased
surveillance of Muslim communities and other racialized sub-groups. They
encourage a police system that brutally assaults Black men, women and
children with impunity, and continues to devalue the lives of Indigenous
women and their communities as they continue to go missing and murdered.
Public programs that tailor to the specific needs of various communities
that are culturally specific and deal with the root causes of inequalities
(i.e. institutional and environmental racism, crime, food and housing
insecurities, sexual health and trans* inclusion, etc) are in danger of
having their budgets severely cuts. This government would seek to allocate
such funds to other initiatives. Furthermore, the government is allocating
tax-dollars to purchase F-35 fighter jets; military weaponry utilized in
acts of aggression upon areas of conflict of predominately civilian
populations and other colonized and occupied lands/areas of Western
interests. We must resist, we can fight back!

New policies such as Bill C-31 introduces new destructive agendas on
migrant workers, their families, immigrants, refugees who further face the
risk oflosing any hope of family reunification. The government wants to
benefit off of the labour of non-status persons, while effectively banning
them from attaining any sort of rights and freedoms. We must resist, we can
fight back!

Instead of encouraging and enhancing human rights and social justice, the
government is coercing non-governmental organizations from criticizing
government policies.These organizations that produce policy reports and
provide alternative,transparent, and accessible information to Canadians
are now under the risk of having their non-governmental status revoked and
their funds slashed. The time is nowto join forces. We must resist, we can
fight back!

We recognize that this not a comprehensive list of struggles. In our
recognition that austerity affects most communities and individuals
differently, we call upon you to join us on May 1st and make your voices
heard and to hopefully engage in a sustainable solidarity network. On May
1st,we provide the space for you to shape the discourse on the effects of
austerity on your communities, as well as the actions of resistance and
solidarity that you see most appropriate to your issues.

We hope that you and your communities join us on a banner and puppet-making
day, where you can form your own messaging. We will provide a wide range of
resources to accommodate materials and costs for this day. Details can be
found at the bottom of this letter.

InSolidarity,

SolidarityAgainst Austerity- Ottawa


Website: www.maydayottawa.ca

Email: against.austerity at gmail.com

Twitter: @MayDayOttawa

Facebook: Solidarity Against Austerity


*Solidarity Against Austerity *is a newly formed network of
community,student, labour, peace, environmental, and anti-poverty
organizations, which is organizing to stop the cuts to our public services
and defend workers rights.

May Day is a commemoration and active civic engagement that takes place on
International Labour Day, whereby we remember the struggles of workers
across the world who have fought and continue to fight for fairer wages,
better working conditions, and equal economic opportunities. This day, is
for all members of Canadian society.

Both citizens and non-status peoples, persons of colour and queer
communities, migrant workers, women, youth, children, students, persons
with disabilities, persons of all faiths. Our government and the corporate
elite are deploying measures of austerity that is leading to the depletion
of our much valued social and public services, an increase in
criminalization and racialization of our communities, continuous colonial
and environmentally racist practices against indigenous peoples and lands,
and supporting wars that are killing innocent civilians.

Join the protest to stop the cuts at 11:30 AM at Confederation Park and
March to the Prime Ministers Office at Wellington and Elgin for a Noon Hour
Rally featuring John Gordon (PSAC) Natalie Mehra (Ontario Health Coalition)
and Clayton Thomas- Muller (Indigenous Environmental Network)
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