Report On Ottawa SPP Protest April 19

Protestors gathered in Ottawa this past weekend to speak out against the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) as the leaders of Canada, the US and Mexico prepare to meet to discuss the agreement Monday and Tuesday in New Orleans.

Organizers of the Ottawa protest included the Council of Canadians, Tyrone Drummond, and Mike Fancie (Student Federation of Ottawa U ).

As Drummond told Vive, "We had a march from the Black Spider to the American Embassy and then to Parliament Hill for speeches. About 60 or 70 people through the day showed up for speech about the SPP and related topics. RCMP were quiet cooperative and supportive to the march and speeches. It was recorded by a local activist and hope to have media available on the web soon."

"I would like to add , it was a lot of work to plan this, the other organizers can attest to that. However we felt it was important to something, anything to bring awareness to the Security and Proprierity Partnership.

There were six speakers including myself, Mike Fancie, Jane Scharf, Camille from the Council of Canadians, Mike St. Onge( Canadian Action Party ), and O'neil Brooke.

We need to have more events like this one, not just when they have their meetings, but on a much more frequent basis. We have to realize that we are all bound by this agreement and all trapped by it. It affects us all, everyone in Canada, US and Mexico.

The only way we can get out of this mess is with enlightment. Knowledge of the real issues, only then can we can move forward, together and reclaim our country from corrupt politicians and corporate interests.

I believe we can stop this , after all we are Canadians ! We love our country and it's time to stand up and show it, not just when hockey is on.

Like the falling of stones that starts an avalache in the mountains, this momentum of patriotism will sweep North America . Something will happen that has not happened for a very long time, the people will wake up and find that they are strong."

NEW: Watch the YouTube video of Mike St-Onge's speech:
Mike St-Onge of the Canadian Action Party speaks out on Parliament Hill against the SPP!

To see pics, visit: Ottawa SPP Facebook Protest Album

Josef Mieto, who attended the protest, reported the following (posted with his permission):

Arriving at around 1:15 pm, a group of about 50 or more people had already gathered around the spider statue.

People were making "Stop the SPP" signs, passing out kazoos, yo-yoing and generally socializing. The atmosphere was positive and the weather was absolutely perfect. By about 1:30 the group had to be over 60 people, and more were showing up. About 5 minutes before we marched a cameraman and journalist from CBC made their way to the center of the group and located the organizer of the protest for for an on-camera interview. After his interview, the organizer turned on his loudspeaker and rallied the protesters with a short pep talk.

With our signs and kazoos we made a path from the spider statue down Sussex, to Wellington st and west to Parliament, chanting anti-SPP slogans and trying to draw public attention. Halfway down sussex we were intercepted by RCMP officers who spoke briefly with the organizer, and then followed us in cruisers to Parliament.

We arrived at the gates of Parliament hill and were told to make even more noise as we marched through the yard to the steps right at the foot of the nation's headquarters.

There was another 20 or more people waiting there for us; speakers and their entourages I suppose.

There was about an hour and a half of speeches over a loudspeaker right on the steps of Parliament. A dozen or more cameramen circled the group snapping shots of protesters and the speakers the whole time. A lot of people who were in the area joined the group and listened for a while. There were a lot of people curious about what was going on and more than once someone asked me what the SPP was. There were flyers being handed out in an attempt to spread awareness.

There definitely was a police presence. About 4-5 officers stood directly over the group at the top of the stairs listening, and I noticed RCMP cars drive by every 10 or so minutes to get updates from the officers.

The speeches were well done, generally quick and to the point. What the purpose of the protest was for, what we can all do to help, what is being done, what the current state of affairs regarding the SPP/NAU is ,etc.

All in all, it was peaceful. Nothing dramatic at all. There was a plan to march to the U.S. and Mexican embassies but after the speeches it was getting hot and people were getting tired so the protest was ended at around 3:30 pm.

I stuck around and was able to converse with some of the speakers, a rep from the Canadian Action Party, as well as a member of 9/11 Truth Ottawa.

In my opinion it was a succesful protest, in regards to creating public awarness and sparking curiosity, as well as providing people with infomation on how and where they can do their own research.

Josef Mieto, Ottawa On.