The Council of Canadians Windsor-Essex chapter helped organize a protest to coincide with a visit by Stephen Harper to their city today.
CTV had reported, “Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected in Windsor later today and the timing of the visit has people talking. The Windsor-Tecumseh conservative federal riding association nomination meeting was Tuesday night, with councillor Jo-Anne Gignac earning the nod.” There is speculation that the Conservatives think they can win that riding. That may be because NDP MP Joe Comartin, who has held the seat for the past 15 years, announced this summer that he would not be seeking re-election in the upcoming federal election expected on October 19.
The article adds, “Harper is [also] expected to be posing for photos at a business roundtable at the Waterfront Hotel tonight. …On Thursday morning, he’s expected to make an announcement at Valiant Machine and Tool. Another photo op is planned for the afternoon, although the location has not been released yet.”
Yesterday evening, Windsor-Essex chapter activist Randy Emerson posted, “Harper will be at the Waterfront Hotel, 277 Riverside Dr West for a 6:00 pm meeting tomorrow. He will probably be arriving between 5:15 and 5:50. Who wants to protest there. Say meet across the street @ 5 p.m. Bring a sign on whatever bugs you about Harper.”
And people did come! Emerson posted several photos this evening noting, “Many groups, including Council Of Canadians Windsor/Essex, protesting PM Harper’s visit to Windsor.”
For more, please see the Windsor-Essex chapter Facebook page here.
To read Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow’s latest report Broken Covenant: How Stephen Harper Set out to Silence Dissent and Curtail Democratic Participation, please click here. The report is an indictment of the past nine years of the Harper government and examines the impact that has had on democratic institutions, families and workers, women, First Nations, the environment, health care, arts and culture, farmers, human rights and social equality.
Photos by Randy Emerson.
