On To Ottawa :: SOS

The past year has been one of uprising and revolution, inspiration and challenge, with people in all corners of the world taking action towards change. Even comfortable Canada has been infected by this noisy spirit, with new people feeling empowered to act on the inequalities, injustices, and opportunities for positive social change. This past Autumn, the ‘Occupy’ movement fired up people of all kinds, and as Spring arrives, the seed that was planted is growing, and growing fast!

This summer, in a way like never before, people from all across Canada will be joining together in a walk for change – the On to Ottawa :: S.O.S. trek.

Inspiration:

The On to Ottawa :: S.O.S. walk is inspired by the 1935 labour march on Ottawa that brought down the Conservative government of RB Bennett ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-to-Ottawa_Trek ) as well as the millions of people who have been taking a stand against governments and systems in the recent and current uprisings, movements, and revolutions around the world.

Goals:

• to bring people together in order to facilitate the building of solidarity, connections, collaboration, and empowerment of individuals and communities
• to spark dialogue, awareness, and momentum around multiple and diverse issues faced by people living in Canada
• to create an alternative vision to the one presented by Harper’s Conservative Regime

How:

• by gathering in service projects in order to strengthen connections, communities, and the environment
• by gathering in regional meetings to discuss, plan, and create
• by gathering at demonstrations to make some noise about the injustices we are up against

Let us converge on Ottawa from every corner of the country, bringing the people’s perspective back into power.

Details:

The walk leaves Victoria, BC on May 1st, Windsor, ON in mid July, and Newfoundland on a date still TBA. These walk and bike groups will converge in Ottawa the weekend before Parliament reconvenes (Sept.15th). We expect that walkers will join for a day, a week, or even a few months – depending on their abilities and circumstances. Support vehicles will be available to transport exhausted walkers, and regional organizers are working on logistics as we speak.

Join us on facebook: www.facebook.com/OnToOttawa

Follow us on twitter: #sos2ottawa