Posted on 11/25/2004 3:50:04 PM PST by Entropy Squared
Ottawa — Protesters are frantically organizing to yank the welcome mat out from under U.S. President George W. Bush when he arrives here Tuesday.
Sporadic graffiti heralds what could be a nasty reception as he starts a two-day visit to Canada.
The black scrawl spray painted across a walkway near Parliament Hill uses a familiar obscenity to tell Bush to stay away.
A noon-hour rally Tuesday is expected to draw thousands of marchers anxious to vent their views on everything from the war in Iraq to plans for a U.S. anti-missile defence shield. Smaller events and candlelight vigils are planned in cities and towns across Canada.
Organizers say they hope participants will be peaceful but warn they can't control individual troublemakers or the police.
“We're organizing mass, inclusive demonstrations,” said Ottawa resident Jessica Squires of the No to Bush Committee.
“I would hope that police would not repeat their mistakes of the past, would not provoke confrontations, would not use dogs and batons.
“If they're well behaved, we'll be well behaved.”
Ottawa Police Staff Sgt. Monique Ackland said officers with local and provincial forces will join the RCMP in a “soft hat” approach. Police in helmets and riot gear will not be seen unless trouble erupts, she said in an interview.
The same tactic was used for large but mostly calm marches two years ago when Canada hosted the G8 group of world powers.
Police respect the public's right to demonstrate but will respond “professionally and appropriately” to any crime, Staff Sgt. Ackland said.
“This is a high-profile visit with very high security.”
Protesters are also mobilizing in Halifax, where Mr. Bush is expected to express thanks Wednesday for the city's warmth toward stranded travellers after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Tamara Lorincz, a spokeswoman for the Halifax Peace Coalition, is promising a “very bold and creative action” but said it will be peaceful.
“We would actually prefer to welcome President Bush with open arms but we absolutely cannot,” she said.
“We must bear in mind that the United States has launched this illegal war and occupation that has slaughtered at minimum 100,000 innocent Iraqi men, women and children.
“Wherever Bush is going to be, we are going to have a mass convergence of people there.”
The U.S. must allow Iraq the freedom to define itself, said Sid Lacombe, co-ordinator of the Canadian Peace Alliance. The coalition includes individuals, churches and labour groups across Canada.
“We want to see self-determination for the Iraqis,” Mr. Lacombe said. “The Iraqi population is under the thumb of an occupation that does not represent them.”
At least one conservative group is planning a pro-Bush rally and hopes police will keep any rabble-rousers in line.
Connie Wilkins of Free Dominion is baffled by the extent of American-bashing among Canadians and even some politicians. She co-founded the on-line forum that offers about 5,000 members a place for right-wing views but is not officially linked to any political party, she said.
“We stand behind the United States and we stand behind their President,” Ms. Wilkins said in an interview. “We consider them as our allies and their country as our friend.
“If it had been the CN Tower that had been bombed instead of the World Trade Center, the U.S. would have been right there.”
I love the way these low-lifes get all heated up for the insult and GW just doesn't acknowledge stuff like that or let it get to him. I love the way he just sticks with his agenda without being sooooo sensitive to all the "noise" in the background!
Canadians are weak, whimpering crybabies who are terrified that the United States will close their borders and forget Canada even exists and they will all starve to death if they don't die waiting for health care they can no longer get in the USA.
The fact that they can gather in masses, because they are generally unemployed or running up huge debt 'attending university' on the public titty, explains everything you need to know about the Canadians who will be at these riots.
Incidentally, when they tried this trick in Toronto, there were about 100 demonstrators and over 500 riot police. A lot of the demonstrators were homeless people who had been paid to be there.
WAY TO GO FREE DOMINION!
Maybe you need to stick around next time, and watch the debates on TVfor Prime Minister like I did a while back.
Stephen Harper is a forthright Conservative, but still has to deal with the ugly frogs in Quebec, along with the pampered libs.
We have to deal with the left coast, and the socialist utopia in the US NE.
Be cool, and think it through next time.
The only people that have reason to be in the streets right now are those in Ukraine.
“We stand behind the United States and we stand behind their President,” Ms. Wilkins said in an interview. “We consider them as our allies and their country as our friend.
Thank you! Good luck with the rally!
Here's is a link to Free Dominion's home page: http://www.freedominion.ca/phpBB/portal.php
The banner on the main page reads: WELCOME RALLY FOR PRESIDENT BUSH!"
I just sent them a note of thanks and support and hope my fellow freepers will follow.
I bet those protesters are the same few people.
Did you see that they are thinking about banning trans fats? They're going to pull donuts off the shelves! We should organize a black market for all the junk food they're going to be without. Or we could set up a Trans Fat Mart right outside their border for people to cross over when they need a fix. We'd be rich!!! :-)
There is an explanation for that GWB attitude, you see down in Texas, where politics has been a blood sport for decades (LBJ being a practitioner of same), protesters, rabble rousers, all of them are summed up by the eternal Texan observation, "ignore that pissant".
Which is exactly what GWB does. And that drives the leftists and their liberal fellow travelers even MORE insane.
Believe this people, if God should ever decide, in His eternal wisdom, to give Canada an enema, the nozzle will go in at Halifax, and what gets flushed out will burst forth in Ottawa, and it will all smell like Quebec.
You have to understand, if the liberal Canadian Politicians had to run on issues instead of the "how much do you hate America" platform every election, no one would vote for them!
They (liberals) bankrupt every program!!!
If we are faithful to G-D, he will continue to bless us.
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