The Council of Canadians held a Go Vote 2015 public forum in Scarborough this evening.
The panel of speakers featured Maude Barlow (Council of Canadians chairperson), Paul Moist (CUPE national president), Joanna Kerr (Greenpeace executive director), Rejean Hoilett (Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario chairperson) and Sturla Gunnarsson (Emmy Award-winning filmmaker).
We get a sense of the evening from these tweets:
Maude Barlow
@FredHahnCUPE: Not just Harper – it’s the ideology he represents – we have to rid ourselves of that @MaudeBarlow #GoVote2015 #HeaveSteve #TM4PM
@FredHahnCUPE: We’re faced with the destruction of “the commons” – what we built together @MaudeBarlow #GoVote2015 more reasons to #KeepHydroPublic
@DylanPenner: @MaudeBarlow: Harper’s clear-cut of social movements is intended to undermine democracy #govote2015 #cdnpoli
@DylanPenner: @maudebarlow at #govote2015: growth of # of billionnaires parallels the precariat #scarborough #topoli
@travellingdoris: Harper goes after charities they don’t like such as naturalists who care about #bees notes @MaudeBarlow #GoVote2015 forum #Scarborough
Paul Moist
@travellingdoris: totally agree with @CUPENatPres that decreasing voter turnout diminishes our democracy #GoVote2015 #IWillVote2015 #Scarborough
@travellingdoris: vote for your hopes and not your fears #GoVote2015 brilliantly said @CUPENatPres #cdnpoli #canlab
@FredHahnCUPE: @GoVote2015 Vote your hopes not your fears – Canadian Values remain progressive – Never let them tell you it can’t be done @CUPENatPres
@FredHahnCUPE: Strategic voting problem, can’t inspire participation in democracy by encouraging to vote against something @CUPENatPres #GoVote2015
Joanna Kerr
@DylanPenner: @joannadkerr: top 10 reasons things will change next elxn: opposition to C51, grassroots organizing, & more #govote2015 #Solidarity
@DylanPenner: @joannadkerr: reason # 1 elxn will bring about change: “courage is contagious” #govote2015 #elxn42
@DylanPenner: @joannadkerr: reason # 2 things will change next elxn : “activism is in, it’s cool” #govote2015
@travellingdoris: the outrage over #BillC51 is a sign of hope notes J Kerr @GreenpeaceCA #GoVote2015 forum #Scarborough #TOpoli
Rejean Hoilett
@travellingdoris: @raejanh notes importance of @CouncilofCDNs organising events like #GoVote2015 in #Scarborough – often ignored by these discussions
@travellingdoris: @RajeanH rocking day 1 as @cfson chair speaking youth voting, need of orgs & parties to talk about youth/student issues #govote2015
@ArchanaARampure: #govote2015 hears from @rejeanh @cfson about importance of reaching out to students & going outside the downtown!
@CFSON: Chairperson speaking about importance of engaging youth in democracy by taking their concerns seriously #GoVote2015
Sturla Gunnarsson
@FredHahnCUPE: Things created through an act of Will are only sustained by an act of Will @sturlagunn reminds us of Culture in Canada @ #GoVote2015
@DylanPenner: @sturlagunn speaking at #govote2015: current gov’t is hostile to free thought
@travellingdoris: filmmaker @sturlagunn incredibly moving plea at #GoVote2015 forum here in #Scarborough #IWillVote2015 #thankyou @CouncilofCDNs
Tonight was the seventh #GoVote2015 town hall meeting organized by the Council of Canadians. The next public forums will take place in Toronto (June 18), London (June 22) and Courtenay (June 24).
For more on our democracy campaign, please click here.
Blogs on our previous #GoVote2015 town halls:
Big audience in Vancouver for election town hall forum (April 30)
A full house at Ottawa election town hall forum (May 7)
Winnipeg election town hall a success (May 12)
250 people at ‘go vote’ town hall in Saskatoon (May 13)
#GoVote2015 public forum held in Bridgewater (May 19)
#GoVote2015 forum in Moncton (May 20)
Photos by Garry Neil and Mark Calzavara.
