Bush is going to Canada soon. And while I apologize to our neighbors to the North, I applaud the massive demonstrations that are being planned to protest him. Bush is opposed by 6 in 10 Canadians, and that will be shown twice on Tuesday in Ottawa; once at noon and once at 5PM, being organized by the “No To Bush Committee”.
Glimmer of hope…. A group called LAW (Lawyers Against the War) is calling for Bush to be arrested and charged with war crimes. Canadian immigration laws prevent entry to those who have engaged in “gross violations of human rights.” Yep, that’d be Bush in a nutshell.
Canada braces for Bush protests
TORONTO, Ontario (AP) — Organizers expect up to 15,000 activists to march on the Canadian capital Ottawa on Tuesday to protest the policies of U.S. President George W. Bush during his two-day visit to the country.
The spokesman for a coalition of protest groups said he expected 10,000-15,000 protesters, including about 4,000 out-of-towners who have already signed up for buses from as far away as Windsor, near Detroit.
The No to Bush Committee is organizing the two main protests in Ottawa on Tuesday: a march at noon and a candlelight vigil on Parliament Hill at 5 p.m. (2300 GMT).
The group is a coalition of the federal New Democratic Party; unions; the Canadian Peace Alliance, which an umbrella organization of some 100 groups; and the Canadian Arab Federation.
“These are meant to be large, diverse, peaceful and powerful protests. This is the mantra that we are working on,” said committee spokesman Joe Cressy.
Speakers will include Brandon Hughey, a U.S. war resister who fled from Texas to Canada, and anti-globalization author Naomi Klein.
Bush is to meet Prime Minister Paul Martin to discuss security and trade issues, such as a ban on Canadian beef.
Bush is then to fly to Halifax, Nova Scotia on Wednesday to thank people there for hosting thousands of U.S. air travelers diverted there during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
Polls show Canadians mostly disapprove of Bush’s conservative values and the war in Iraq. About 59 percent dislike the president and 84 percent support Canada’s decision not to send troops to Iraq, an October Ekos Research survey said.
One group, Lawyers Against the War (LAW), wants Bush arrested and charged with war crimes if he even sets foot in the country. The group says Canadian immigration law bars entry to those who have engaged in “gross violations of human rights.”
Police say they will respect the protesters’ right to public expression, but they will also have riot squads in back if needed.
“Demonstrators have a right to demonstrate,” said RCMP Sgt. Jocelyn Mimeault. “We have contingencies in place. We hope for a peaceful situation.”
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved