[van-announce] Tues - Rally Against Stephen Harper and Conservatives in Surrey]

[Harsha W.]

Pick a reason any reason... Demanding Justice for the People Now!

Stephen Harper is visiting the Lower Mainland to mix and mingle with the
invited Conservatives in BC. He overlooked the invitation to the people,
so we’re inviting ourselves. We invite all the individuals, groups, and
social justice forces to come and show their deep concern for what his
Conservative leadership policies have done in past, are continue to do
now. Won’t you join us?


*When? Tuesday, August 4th 5:00pm to 8:00pm
*Where? Senator Gerry St. Germain's ranch, 19359 - 8th Avenue, South
Surrey (easily accessible from 176th or 200th!)


* Need a ride from Vancouver? Meet at the Safeway parking lot at
Commercial Drive and Broadway (on Broadway).  Rides starting at 3:30pm and
last ride leaving Safeway at 4pm. Just show up or if you can,
ideally pease email Marla at marlarenn at gmail.com if you will need a ride,
so we can ensure  we have enough cars.

* Have a vehicle? Please support us with carpools, contact Marla at
marlarenn at gmail.com if you can help, the  more the merrier!

* Driving? *The property is accessible from either 176th or 200th streets.
Park nearby on any side street and walk over.

Bring your noise maker, signs and your friends for a guaranteed good time!!!

This invitation brought to you by: Harper Welcome Committee
(Fraser Valley Peace Council, StopWar, No One Is Illegal, Council of
Canadians BC-Yukon Regional Office)

For more information contact shazkhan1 at hotmail.com in Surrey or
marlarenn at gmail.com in Vancouver.


CANADA OUT OF AFGHANISTAN! IMMIGRANT JUSTICE NOW! END SECURITY
CERTIFICATES NOW! HOMES NOT BOMBS!  NO OLYMPICS ON STOLEN LAND!


*KEY HARPER POLICIES*

* In the midst of a global economic crisis, Harper continues to bail out
corporations while cutting social programs for those most impacted by the
recession and poverty.  His Government has also been looking at
privatizing Canada Post and the Royal Canadian Mint in response to the
crisis.

* Canada has 2,500 occupying troops in Afghanistan. Rick Hillier,
Canada's Chief of Defence Staff, outlined his vision for the troops “We
are the Canadian Forces and our job is to be able to kill people.”
Canadian troops have occupied Kandahar province for over three years,
during which time public opinion there has turned against their
presence. A recent poll found that 66% of the people of Kandahar want NATO
troops out of their country. At the same time, a majority of
Canadians polled have consistently opposed Canada's miltary mission in
Afghanistan.

* $4 billion of increased defense spending. Base defence budget (not
including boosted spending in Afghanistan) has been increased to $16.4
billion annually with a pledge to boost it to about $20 billion by 2010.

* $1.4 billion budget is also going towards a larger police force and
beefing border security across Canada.

* Harper made Canada the first nation to place sanctions on the elected
government in Palestinian territories. Harper termed Israeli aggression-
now universally considered war crimes- on Lebanon a 'measured response'.

* Closer integration with the US through the Security and Prosperity
Partnership of North America

* No firm or clear commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, reduction of carbon
emissions, or climate change.

* Harper and other political elite fund and support the environmental
degradation, corporate exploitation, and theft of Indigenous land inherent
in the 2010 Winter Games and the Alberta Tar Sands.

* Harper told the Council for National Policy not to feel bad about the
million and a-half unemployed and poor because, "They don't feel bad about
it themselves.”

* Called for the privatization of reserve lands, furthering the process of
colonization of Indigenous territories.

* Harper supports the expansion of exploitative guest worker programs,
which allows businesses to exploit migrant labour thus affecting wages for
all working people, while creating a two-tier system of citizenship.

* Harper’s Conservatives have overseen the implementation of the racist
Bill C50 that places quotas on migrants and have conducted a series of
massive US-style immigration enforcement raids against undocumented and
migrant workers.

* The Harper Government continues to provide military aid while refusing 
to condemn the coup against the democratically elected leader Manuel 
Zelaya in Honduras.

* Although he promised open accountable government, Harper has lead one of
the most secretive, authoritarian governments in Canadian history.