My G20 Poem

I Stand on Guard for Thee

June 26^th twenty-ten

Toronto’s G20 was then.

I attended workshops and training in preparation,

I had no idea so many would need reparation.

The People’s Summit was inspiring

but the police were already perspiring,

worrying about what we would do

with plans to throw us in their zoo.

The Week of Action was about our rights

for democracy we are forced to fight.

And while those with a lot of clout

participated in a Shout Out,

the police agencies started to brace

all of their planning resulting in a disgrace.

On that Saturday morning

it was grey and pouring,

yet thousands showed up to say

they weren’t happy with the way,

Harper and his rich friends were ruling

- the entire world they are ruining.

The police told us to stay away

creating fear amongst the fray,

but we came out anyway

despite the threats that we would pay.

And not because we were rebels

or wanted to cause troubles,

but because we love our country

and in theory still are free

to protest and detest

lest we lose what’s best.

The land, water and air

it’s plight just isn’t fair.

Polluted by multi-nationals,

the public getting no rationale.

As Nafta and CETA rob us blind

our public services we’ll no longer find.

Harper forcing trade deals through in a hurry.

Whose favour is he trying to curry?

And yet voices are so critical

at a time so pivotal.

We’re not just fighting for our view

we are fighting for you all too.

So if our marches inconvenienced you,

imagine fresh water for only a few – but not you.

And not your loved ones.

It’ll be protected by corporate guns.

For a steep profit

they’ll clean it and sell it

back to Canadian citizens.

How will we afford our medicines?

Now privatized.

Harper’s dream realized.

Everything in Canada for sale,

even the delivery of our mail.

So for those who were not there,

please dare to be fair.

The media coverage was one-sided,

almost as if they were pre-guided

on what to say and what to play

regardless of the peaceful reality.

It was banality.

Showing burning cars for hours

was media produced by cowards.

Over a thousand arrested,

many never even protested.

Thrown in cages

and igniting rages

that had not been

because the guards were unjustly mean.

Laughing at the sick,

did they forget this was the public

they swore to serve and protect?

The police actions cannot go unchecked.

They must have meant to demean

serving urine in Styrofoam – obscene.

And all because people were on a street

or trying to get home – not beat.

It is berserk

that those who had to work

were expected to accept defeat

as if earning a living was to compete

with the establishment.

Such an embarrassment.

Harper’s legacy - a folly.

Canada’s resources his debauchery.

Tailings ponds growing and leaking

as multi-national corporations are guzzling and sabotaging

our fresh water, our trees, our tar

our land forever scarred.

While trade deals, conceal

true intent, and the extent to which they will

change Canada without our consent.

The G20 hangover is not ending

with the civil action suit still pending.

And as the police add pictures to their line-up

to try to counterbalance their fuck-up.

I, we, us

the active citizens, protesters and anarchists amongst us,

will continue to right the wrongs.

Alone and in throngs.

To bring Canada back to it’s former pride

and if we fail, at least I can say I tried.

Oh Canada, I know you can once again be

a land healthy, strong and free, and so

I stand on guard, for thee.

T.F.

Welcome to Our New Blog

The Toronto Chapter has had a dynamic year since our re-launch and we are looking forward to many important events in 2010.

We are currently working on four campaign areas; Water, Trade, Climate Change and Food.

Our Water Campaign consists of watershed sustainability, Great Lakes water quality and Toronto safe drinking water teams. Collaboratively we will be hosting a Water Forum on Saturday, March 20th at Toronto Metro Hall as part of our World Water Day activities. This will be a full day event featuring guest speakers from local and regional water associated organizations and government agencies. The goal for each water team is to assess the present situation of that issue in Toronto, identify which areas require additional focus and to offer our help to those areas which are in need of, and currently lack, public participation. If you are concerned with, or interested in learning about the myriad of water related issues the Toronto region faces, then we urge you to attend this pivotal event.

In addition, our Water Campaign has launched its Unfluoridate It! movement working towards educating the public about the health and environmental impacts of having fluoride in our public tap water system. Did you know that the fluoride added to our tap water is the scrubber waste from fertilizer production and not the same as the medical grade fluoride found in your toothpaste? We are calling for a moratorium on the addition of artificial fluoride to our drinking water to allow for proper assessment through public health and environmental impact studies, as well as public input.

The Trade Campaign looks to protect the capacity of communities to intervene and manage the economy in the pursuit of social goals such as equality, sustainable/stable jobs, protection of public commons such as health & water and other goals that focus on the protection of human and environmental rights. Free trade with Colombia, an undemocratic inter-provincial trade agreement between Ontario and Quebec, and current negotiations of the Canadian-European Trade Agreement (which directly targets the removal of provincial and municipal purchasing democracy) are all issues that the Trade campaign is organizing against. With the announcement that this year's G20 meeting will be held in Toronto, we will be participating in actions that call for the decisions of our elected leaders to make our economy more fair and democratic. We will be participating in The People's Summit (June 18th-20th) and the demonstrations against the G20 coordinated by the Community Mobilization Network during June 18th–27th.

Our newly formed Climate Change Campaign has the following three subgroups: transportation, air quality and agriculture. Our immediate focus is fighting the Metrolinx plan to use heavily polluting diesel trains on the Georgetown South Service Expansion and Union-Pearson Air Rail Link, with over 400 trains a day. This plan allows for the release of carcinogenic substances into the air through twelve neighbourhoods in the west end of Toronto, and the increasingly polluted downtown. Electric train systems are used worldwide but this plan will utilize the cheapest and most polluting system that exists. Once the locomotives and infrastructure are purchased as diesel, rather than electric, it is unlikely this rail corridor will be upgraded to electric to meet environmental standards. Our urgency is due to the fact that the provincial government is slated to have a downtown-airport rail line in time for the 2015 Pan Am Games. We are working closely with the Clean Train Coalition, a community group that is fighting to ensure that a green, sustainable transit option exists for Toronto.

The Food Campaign is focusing on food chain transparency which includes labeling transparency and consumer awareness. We also continue to host our educational/outreach information booth at The Stop's Green Barn Farmers Market, which takes place every Saturday morning at the Artscape Wychwood Barns (601 Christie St.). This new, innovative, community based space hosts over 40 farmers and vendors who believe in local, ethically sourced, fair trade and sustainable practices. As well as engaging the public on issues we are currently working on, our monthly (during the winter) and bi-weekly (during the summer) activities at the market also enable us to support the work of our regional area farmers and The Stop's community food program.

If you would like to know more or become active in any of our campaigns, we would love to hear from you. We also welcome volunteers to help us at rallies, manage information tables and participate in other outreach efforts. The best way to contact us is via email: torontochapter@gmail.com.

Our email list receives weekly information on upcoming events in Toronto, both for the Toronto Chapter and that of other like-minded groups. News highlights from the Council of Canadians national office are also included. If you would like to join this list please send us a request. We assure you that you will not receive emails more than once a week.