The Council of Canadians is organizing the first-ever street protest against the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement for next Friday.
The Harper government has trumpeted that CETA will be larger in scope than NAFTA.
Hundreds are expected to rally outside Old City Hall (111 Sussex Drive) on Friday October 22 at noon hour while Canadian and European officials meet inside for the fifth round of negotiations on the deal. Their aim is to have the deal signed next year.
Speakers at the Halloween-themed rally will include:
- Maude Barlow, The Council of Canadians
- Terry Boehm, National Farmers Union
- Peggy Nash, Canadian Auto Workers
- Clayton Thomas-Muller, Indigenous Environmental Network
- Claude Vaillancourt, ATTAC-Quebec
- Dave Coles, Communications, Energy and Paperworkers
- Len Bush, National Union of Public and General Employees
- Dave Molenhuis, Canadian Federation of Students
- Denis Lemelin, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
- as well as speakers from the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Canadian Labour Congress.
The protest promises to be large. The Council of Canadians will be busing about a hundred people from its annual general meeting in the city. The CAW has organized two buses from Toronto to bring people to the rally. We also have word that more than a dozen people will be coming in from Montreal as well. Through outreach, particularly from our Trade Justice Network partners, we also expect many more from the general public in Ottawa.
And the Canadian Press reported today on the National Farmers Union opposition to CETA. That article noted, “(NFU president Terry) Boehm will be (in Ottawa) along with other social justice organizations to protest the deal. He will be joined by the Sierra Club, the Council of Canadians, and the Canadian Auto Workers to name a few.”
Don’t let Harper create a trade monster. Help us chase CETA out of town!
