[All] Foodfest update & Occupy Waterloo Region events.

[Louisette Lanteigne]

Hi folks

Lots happening. Lots more than I planned but it's all good. 

Foodstock Update:  Media coverage
CTV news http://swo.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111017/foodstock-shelburne-20111017/20111017/?hub=SWOHome
Global http://www.globalnews.ca/protesters+opposed+to+planned+quarry+gather+for+foodstock+in+rural+ontario/6442502575/story.html 
Toronto star  http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1070839--foodies-unite-en-masse-to-oppose-land-excavation
Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/malcolm-jolley/foodstock_b_1018566.html



Occupy Waterloo Region 
My daughter has a friend involved with the facebook group: Occupy Waterloo Region. Her friend stated the group was run primarily by concerned high school kids and that they wanted to organize a demonstration in solidarity with the larger Occupy Wallstreet movement. They were planning to do a demonstration this evening in front of Waterloo Square Oct. 19 so I spread the word out a bit to help the kids out. 

At the last minute the website announced the Oct. 19th event as a "Meeting" not a protest. I knew folks would turn up to participate regardless so I brought my banner and waited to see what happened. About 55-60 people showed up and NOBODY was taking any leadership at all. They didn't even make arrangements with the city to use the space but I smoothed things out with the mall and the city rep to allow for us to remain.  None the less the people showed up so I improvised an event where we gathered in a circle and shared concerns about why we were willing to meet in the rain to support this issue. What happened was simply amazing. 

I listened as people voiced concern about climate change and the decline of the environment. Students voiced concerns about education costs. They literally don't have food money and are scared of their growing debt loads. We have people concerned about the marginalized in our community, how our society economically separates people by class and we need to foster more social cohesion opportunities. We need to change values in our culture to include those who don't fit the traditional models of success.  Others voiced concern about voter apathy, how policy needs to be refocused towards supporting community economics over global economics. People were concerned about their future, their kids and long term sustainability issues. Not one person blamed any specific corporations, individuals etc. The concerns shared were reflecting genuine concerns based on issues of compassion, social equity and environmental sustainability. One person stated, "The system
 is broken, but we don't want to fix it. We want to create a better system." 

I was so moved by the concerns, I told the group I would do my best to help facilitate a workshop where we could gather, sit and write these issues down and help craft solutions. We can share the end data with elected, officials, the media and the public to help clarify what we represent, what the issues are and what solutions we would like to propose.

So now I'm working in partnership with Jane Robertson of Resilient Waterloo to guide the process. Hopefully we can secure the First United Church as a venue. Just waiting to hear back from them. If anyone wishes to get involved let me know. Would we like to adopt this event as a GREN/Resilient Waterloo collaboration? Either way I'm sort of the default setting right now to organize the activites and I'm up to the job. It's fun. If GREN would like to get involved let me know.  

I've just secured administration access to the Facebook page for Occupy Waterloo Region here: http://www.facebook.com/occupykitchener
I created a twitter group named OccupyKW where updates will be posted. 
To view what happened at the October 19th event visit here:  http://www.resilientwaterloo.ca/

Here are key times for our next Occupy events in out area are: 

Occupy UW at the Arts Quad Friday Oct. 21, from 10am to 3:30pm. Bring signs etc. the public is invited to  Facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=288652554488334


Occupy Guelph Sat. Oct 22 they've already got a tent city but they're going to have a rally at 3pm at St. George's Square. 

Class War on the Shop Floor Speaking Tour Kitchener. Monday October 24  Lyle S. Hallman - Faculty of Social Work at 120 Duke St. West Room 101 Kitchener. Postal Worker Rachel Stafford will outline a perspective on workplace organizing that is not dependent on union executives but rather on empowering workers to fight their own battles. It will suggest why it’s important to deal with issues as they arise on the floor with direct action rather than relying on formal grievances or legal complaints. It will draw from experiences with boots to the ground organizing that is directed from the rank and file and prioritizes direct action, worker education, and participatory decision making to build the kind of struggle that can aim for the whole pie, not just a bigger piece. 

That's all for now. If anyone from GREN knows of Occupy Events, please email me so I can spread the word. 

Thanks!
Lulu :0)
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