With only a night or two left, Id say overall the womens camp functioned fairly well considering there are only a handful of activists and just a few people who have experience with protest camps. Over the years, Ive done my share of organizing for various demos like the G20, Ive been at occupations, took part in stand offs, set up camps, blockades and ect.. At this camp I helped Sandy behind the scenes because shes aware that you need to understand what youre doing in order to make protest like this possible. I bring a lot to the table in the sense of experience and safety. Its not just security you need, its so many other things that have to be understood and put in place, like police issues and boundaries.. I know that when it comes to civil disobedience and who is involved, is how the police will handle a protest. Also, when its children, women or even youth, you need to know the backgrounds of people who maybe a risk and because of CFS. And there are always agitators, people with their own agendas and the jealous who want to take over or ride the wave. In protest you never give up ground or jeopardize the safety of the collective at the request of a few and this camp almost went down more than once, but managed to remain because of the voices of experience. Also timing is everything and knowing when to declare a victory or when to regroup. As an activist and NVDA trainer, I have never had any of our people arrested or injured and the longer the womens camp remains the chance of something going wrong becomes more possible and bad publicity would kill all they have done. Right now a round table will not take place until next year, because first the premiers have to work on an action plan at the next national Aboriginal womens summit and then the round table which has no set date. Its Winnipeg and protesting at memorial park until next year is not the best idea. People will freeze, most will go home and only the homeless along with empty tents would remain. Its not the occupy movement, the police will roll in a tell you to pack your shit and beat it. A long term protest requires long term planning, funding and the right cause. With the last 2years for those of us who also do charity work, we know that in the winter times are tough. The few youth there and some of the men who are homeless want to remain and continue to protest, under the banner of anti-CFS and the inquiry, and thats their right too. But I was looking more at getting the handful of first nations youth who need their ID, and welfare appoints made,.. done. As well as I offered to find a way to get them into housing because last year we had a Native man, who froze to death in the streets.. I guess in the end the decision is theirs, but not one I would advise.. I can only suggest how to dig in and prepare for the cold, but if there is something I can do later on to maybe help 1 or 2 of them, I will. Right now the inquiry protest is over and the next battle is already beginning..
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 07:40:14 +0000
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