Captive in Canada

Protesters rally across Canada to speak out against wars in Afghanistan, Iraq

Source: Associated Press - 15-mar-08

TORONTO — Thousands of protesters filled streets across the country on Saturday to speak out against Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan and to mark the upcoming five-year anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq.

Rallies were organized in 20 communities nationwide in a joint call for the federal government to recall its troops from Afghanistan and instead adopt a peacekeeping role, which protesters said is Canada’s true calling.

“The majority of Canadians want the troops to come home now - shame on Parliament,” said Diane Alexopoulos at a rally on the front lawn of the Ontario legislature in Toronto.

More than 1,000 demonstrators then marched a couple kilometres through busy stretches of the city, bewildering motorists, locals and tourists along the way.

Within the diverse crowd of different ethnicities and ages was father and son Kevin Barrett and six-year-old Caleb, who had to be convinced that nothing was wrong, even though a phalanx of police officers stood by ominously looking like they were ready to pounce.

“He was afraid they were going to shoot him,” said Barrett, who stood on the sidelines for the march but was part of the protest.

“And then he was confused about why police would be here when we’re a bunch of people who are concerned about peace, so why on earth would they think we would do something violent when we’re here to promote peace.”

Caleb, who is a veteran of protests and brought along a homemade sign, said he thinks protests are fun.

“I like peace, peace is good. I don’t want there to be wars everywhere, life is no fun if there’s wars everywhere.”

Federal New Democrat Leader Jack Layton attended the protest and said he was impressed by the size of the turnout, which was larger than he expected.

He said the people that did show up at events across the country represent the views of millions of others Canadians.

“I want to encourage all the citizens who are continuing to speak up, it’s vitally important that voice be heard,” Layton said.

“Don’t be discouraged . . . let’s keep working for a path to peace.”

The weather wasn’t very inviting in Ottawa, where snow was falling from grey skies, but several hundred people still trudged through slush-covered Sussex Drive for a protest on the lawn of Parliament Hill.

The crowd took aim at the Conservative government and the opposition Liberals for voting this week to extend the Afghanistan mission to 2011.

Jessica Carpinone, 21, said she was skeptical about Canada’s reasons for sending soldiers into the war-torn nation.

“The original reasons for going in were justified based on 9/11. You hear wavering justifications, like, ‘Oh, well now we’re in to spread democracy,”‘ she said.

“First it was to protect us, now it’s to protect them.”

In Montreal, hundreds more protesters waved flags and sang as they marched through the city’s downtown core, and clogged several city blocks.

“I’m here because I’d like our government to divert all that spending and all those brains to find peaceful solutions,” said Maureen Adelman, 74, who held a placard that read “No war, no way, no where.”

“Young men and women are getting killed. Innocent people in Afghanistan are getting killed.”

In downtown Halifax, several dozen people turned out and university student Rob Sangster praised the efforts of his fellow protesters, saying rallies are a means of sparking change.

“When you think of the Vietnam war, for instance, you think of this huge social movement happening at the same time, and the same thing for Iraq and Afghanistan,” said the 19-year-old.

“It does make a huge public statement, and does show the politicians that there are tons of people who object to this.”

And what began as an anti-seal hunt protest in Calgary quickly transformed into a rally against Canada’s troops being in Afghanistan.

Fifteen minutes before the anti-war rally was scheduled to begin, a line of protesters held placards calling for an end to the seal hunt. Moments later, they swapped their signs and spoke out against the war.

But there were some dissenters in the crowd.

Merle Terlesky stood nearby the protest with a sign that read “Fight Terror - Support NATO.”

“When these people call for an end to the coalition and the troops out now it would mean abandoning the people of Afghanistan,” he said.

“That’s what these peaceniks want them to do and I will not allow that to happen.”

Related: War on Terror

March 15th, 2008 News | no comments | Email it! |  Print This Post | 97 views