Nationwide #ShutDownCanada protests called for February

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      The countdown is on to #ShutDownCanada 2015. A call to launch nationwide protests on February 13 has been making the rounds in social media.

      “It’s basically the work of organizers across the country, trying to draw attention to multiple causes,” Ambrose Williams told the Straight in a phone interview. For locals, the focal point will be Port Metro Vancouver, where oil and coal exports are shipped.

      “What’s planned so far is a rally and a number of art installations around the city,” Williams said about the action outside the port.

      According to Williams, a former president of Aboriginal Life in Vancouver Enhancement Society, the nationwide protests will not focus on a single issue. He explained that communities will decide what cause they will highlight, ranging from oil and gas development to pipelines, mining, and missing and murdered women.

      In 2013, #ShutDownCanada protests were held in solidarity with Mi’kmaq people opposing planned drilling for gas in New Brunswick.

      Williams recalled that the idea for a new #ShutDownCanada was born last summer, when he and other activists met at a camp set up by the Unis’tot’en clan of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation in the path of a planned gas pipeline in northern B.C.

      Comments

      10 Comments

      LMAO

      Jan 21, 2015 at 1:31pm

      Good luck with that. Is this part of the "Idle Most of the Time" movement that evolved from the most well publicized diet in Canadian hIstory? Whatever the groups involved the message will distill into "waaaah! Colonialism is bad! Waaaaah! Capitalism is bad!" The day after nobody will care.

      Tommy Khang

      Jan 21, 2015 at 1:42pm

      They plan on protesting and blockading Port Metro Vancouver? Cool beans, I mean seriously, that's one way to piss everyone off!

      LOL

      Jan 21, 2015 at 4:24pm

      The usual motley crew of special interest groups trying to out-victimize each other!

      Should be good for a laugh, and very little else.

      You know, I’d love to join in cause it looks fun but I have to work that day as it is on a weekday. After all, a lot of people on welfare are counting on me!

      RealityCheck

      Jan 21, 2015 at 7:03pm

      OMG! Art installations! RUN!!!!

      Consumer Dropout

      Jan 22, 2015 at 5:00am

      This kind of "protest" is completely pointless. What's the message: "We the people can shut you down whenever we want. See? We stopped the show for two hours today."

      What a load. You have to BE the change you want to see. It accomplishes nothing to stand around chanting for an hour and then stop off at Winners for $5 pantyhose on your way for a latte.

      Stop giving corporations your money. Period. The change you want will happen within a few weeks.

      I'm Ascared!

      Jan 22, 2015 at 12:33pm

      If it's even 1/10th as successful as Occupy, then our awful colonialistic, patriarchal society will be brought to it's knees!

      HoHmmmmm......

      Jan 22, 2015 at 1:38pm

      They should ShutDownUselessProtesters instead.

      Silent Centrist

      Jan 22, 2015 at 2:41pm

      Not a Conservative fan, but I hope they pass Bill C-609 in time to throw these guys in jail. Protesting is great, but just because you are an angry person doesn't mean you get to block traffic, stop transit or try to shut down the port. If you want to gather around some art instillation have at it, but with a hashtag like #ShutDownCanada, I am going to guess you are not going to stop there.

      http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2014/parl/XB412-609-1.pdf

      John Birch

      Jan 24, 2015 at 4:56pm

      Bring it Ambrose . Prepare to be put down asshat.

      Chris J

      Feb 7, 2015 at 3:07am

      Cant wait..the indigenous women and girls will get justice soon, the government doesnt deserve our support aince they dont care bout us and they only want to take away our freedoms