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THE 1999 WTO CARAVAN'S OKANAGAN TOUR
(This article is from the Jan. 16-31/2000 issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $25/year, or $12 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $25 US per year; other overseas readers - $25 US or $35 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, Canada, V5L 3J1.)
By Elmar Nabbe
One of the key steps in building Canadian participation for the WTO protests in Seattle was the WTO Caravan Tour by a group of activists during November 1999. This article by Elmar Nabbe, a leading activist in the Okanagan region, shows how the anti-WTO message was spread with excellent results.
The "Okanagan Tour" basically consisted of holding an event in each of the main centres in the valley: Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon, and Salmon Arm. This was the second Okanagan Tour of 1999; the first was during the Yugoslavia War last spring, when Shuswap Okanagan Citizens for Peace hosted Michel Chossudovsky and Rollie Kieth in conjunction with peace groups throughout the valley.
Penticton: An afternoon forum was held on Saturday, Nov. 20 with sixty people in attendance. The forum was organised by Dave Cursons of the Green Party, who also arranged for Bill Boyd to do a live radio interview on the CBC Daybreak program on Nov. 19. A highlight of the forum was when one of the concerned citizens asked about environmental materials, and the small contingent of people from the South/Boundary Labour Council (CUPE, HEU) talked about what they had done and had available. It was a very positive exchange. We hope this will lead to bridges being built between and within these groups.
Kelowna: On Sunday, Nov. 21, the events kicked off with a luncheon at the Great Wall restaurant with the Council of Canadians and other community activists. Then the Caravan made its way to a public presence at the WAC Bennett Clock Plaza. Dora Stewart, as fearless as ever, led the Caravan (including a small train of cars) through downtown Kelowna with banners flying, horns honking, and the bullhorn blaring "Say No To The WTO." At the destination, a number of other activists and a CHBC TV News camera were waiting. The Caravan and cars then moved on to a shopping mall for a successful leafletting campaign.
An evening forum was opened by the Raging Grannies, followed by native activist and CoC member Nita Grass, who gave dire warnings of the marginalisation of Canadians in the global corporations' drive for profit. The five "caravanistas" then gave their presentations to a crowd numbering at least 70. The events were organised by Bill Boyd representing the Council of Canadians (CoC).
Okanagan University College (OUC): For the events of Monday, Nov. 22, the Caravan was initially split with Pam, the CFS rep. and Alain from ATTAC doing a forum at the North Campus at 12 noon. The forum was kicked off at 11:30 by the Raging Grannies in the foyer of the Student Services Building. At least half a dozen students stopped and listened to the performance, and the presentation was attended by better than twenty interested students. Considering previous disappointments at OUC, this was a major victory over student apathy! The events here were organised by student activist Jody Martens-Forrester.
Vernon: Earlier on Nov. 22, a rally was held in Vernon, in front of the Public Library. It was attended by about a dozen members of "Citizens for Alternatives," the CoC, and CUPW. Representatives from the local newspapers were present, including the Vernon Times and the Morning Star, which later ran a positive article. MIX 105, a local radio station, also mentioned the rally. This was followed by a downtown leafletting action and then lunch at the Schubert Centre.
Lumby: A rally was organised for 3:00 pm on the 22nd, at the site of the now closed Weyerhaeuser mill site. The rally attracted about a dozen people - a little disappointing considering the recent mill closure and an unemployment rate that now likely exceeds 30% in a community dependent on a local forest industry. What we lacked in numbers we made up for in spirit. The "Caravanistas" from the OUC events rejoined the Caravan at this point, each giving a lively address. A key speaker was Sean Ardis, a tree planter and Monashee Community Forest Committee member, who gave an excellent talk on the impacts of the mill closure and alternatives for the local forest industry. He called for invoking an article in the existing forestry agreement, to lift Weyerhaeuser's logging license for not employing local workers in processing the lumber. The event was organised by Tim Anderson of the Monashee Forest Committee.
The day concluded with a public forum where Caravan participants, as well as Tim Anderson (representing the Monashee Community Forest Committee), spoke to a crowd of about 50 people. The Vernon events were organised by Steve Heeren of Citizens for Alternatives, in conjunction with the CoC.
Salmon Arm: A noon rally took place in front of the Post Office in downtown Salmon Arm on Tuesday, Nov. 23, attended by over 30 people. A successful downtown leafletting action followed, then lunch and media activities. The day concluded with a public forum at the Salmon Arm Campus of OUC. Over 40 people took part, forming a steering committee to coordinate local protest events for Nov. 30th. The event was organised by David Lethbridge of the Communist Party of Canada in conjunction with Dale Werechuk of CUPW. Sharon Lethbridge did a phenomenal amount of work organising, as well as mobilising CUPE throughout the valley.
The caravan brought a good group of speakers to our Valley: Pam (CFS), Alain (ATTAC), Cindy (CUPW), Edward (Sierra Youth-Australia), and Tony (Sierra Club).
Pam gave a terrific presentation on the impacts of the WTO on our social services, focussing particular attention on issues surrounding education. Her dynamic and energetic style was quite energising for the audience as well. She easily and confidently responded to the audience's questions and engaged the audience by encouraging dialogue throughout her presentation.
When Alain spoke the audience was silent, intently listening to each word. It was obvious his speech came straight from the heart. His monologue was clearly and concisely presented. Leave it to a philosopher to cut through all the chaff and hit all the relevant points, and bring them to a sharp, pointed conclusion.
Cindy had a very calm and grounding effect to her presentation. She brought the issues home to the workers through this style, letting people know directly how the WTO would affect them at a day to day level.
Edward was the shining optimist in the group. The sun was around every corner. His belief that we would win this was infectious throughout the room he was presenting in.
Tony's knowledgeable presentation brought home another significant point. WTO will have a serious impact on the food we all eat and need to survive. The dangers of genetic engineering, growth hormones, steroids and fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides were clearly laid out, as was our declining input into what are deemed acceptable standards. The WTO would set the standards, and we would have to pay the price.
Things did not end here regarding WTO protest activity in the Okanagan Valley. In solidarity with and in support of the Seattle protest, demonstrations were staged in major centres of the Valley on Nov. 30.
In solidarity with the protest in Seattle the Vernon office of North Okanagan/Shuswap's federal Reform MP, Darrel "I've got the gonads" Stinson was picketed. Stinson had mentioned the WTO in his usual weekly column of incoherent ramblings in the previous week. Figuring out what exactly he said still has many of us confused. However, his past record of defending the "free" market, NAFTA and the MAI leaves little doubt about his position, making him an appropriate target.
Stinson usually closes his column with the rhetorical question: "What do you think?" Well... the people told him what they thought!
The protest started small, with about half a dozen members of the Council of Canadians and Citizens for Alternatives present at the 11:00 am "start-up" time. The CoC banner was prominently displayed.
The protesters were immediately inundated with media. Reporters from our three local newspapers and both radio stations showed up for interviews and photos, although they were gone by the peak of the protest.
Protesters arrived and left throughout the two hour picket. At its height there were a good dozen of us on the sidewalk in front of the office, no small feat since some of the most dedicated of our number were in Seattle at the time!
In Penticton, there was a demonstration the same day on the boulevards in the centre of Main Street. Approximately 25 people came out to protest the WTO, including a significant number of students. The event caught the eye of the local media.
An anti-WTO march was held in Salmon Arm, with 35 people marching through town chanting slogans. We covered the downtown core, including the steps of city hall. David Lethbridge made a fiery socialist speech which was well received.
And it didn't stop there! After the events in Seattle, follow up activity took place in Kelowna, where 22 people took part in a protest on Dec. 9 at a highly visible corner. The protest was mostly organised and made up of high school and some university and college students. The event was organised by SEED, and also drew the attention of the local media.
On Dec. 15 at the Kelowna Public Library, the Council of Canadians (Kelowna Chapter) hosted a video showing ("live from Seattle") together with Maude Barlow's address: "November 1999, when the World Trade Organisation Stood Still!" The event drew over fifty people, many of whom contributed to a lively discussion afterwards.
And it continues into the future...
A valley wide anti-WTO/Globalisation summit, aimed at bringing together the Okanagan Valley/Shuswap's progressive forces into a broader, unified movement is in its formative stages, and will be held early in the spring. This is being spearheaded, as a joint effort, by the Valley's Party Clubs. Let's keep the momentum going!
(Author's note: The Okanagan leg of the WTO Caravan was initiated largely by local clubs of the Communist Party of Canada in conjunction with other progressive groups and activists. The flurry of activity which lead to a successful tour was brought about by the announcement of the formation of the WTO Caravan passed on through the Comparty list serve.
We wish to thank the organisations that came together in the spirit of solidarity and cooperation to organise the WTO Caravan and send it across the country. We are also grateful for all the written materials supplied for distribution by CUPE, the Council of Canadians, CUPW, the Canadian Federation of Students, and others at the local events. The welcome spirit of solidarity and cooperation spread through groups at the local level as well. The tour certainly could not have been accomplished without all their hard work!)
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