By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON June 8, 2012 We may have spoken a little too quickly – when we said there would be no one marching on Mike Wallace’s Constituency office in Burlington. An organization that calls itself “leadnow” is currently looking for assistance with organizing this event in Burlington to Tell Mike Wallace: “Be a Hero, Stop the Budget Bill.”
They want to gather on Wednesday, June 13th, 2012 @ 05:30 PM at Burlington Mall 777 Guelph Line, Suite 209, Burlington ON, L7R 3N2 Where is Wallace’s constituency office? You got it, same place. Question now is – how many local people will show up and attempt to convince Marvelous Mike to Be a Hero.
The marchers are protesting the 425-page ‘budget implementation act’ – would change over 70 laws ranging from nearly every federal environmental law, to the pension age and rules for the unemployed
Local group want to turn Marvelous Mike Wallace into a local hero. Asking him to oppose the current budget implementation bill before the House of Commons. What are the odds of that happening?
Each rally is coordinated by a volunteer host, and while each will be a little different, the core of each action is simple: we’ll gather at Conservative MP offices, and support locations across the country when there are no nearby Conservative MPs, and take a photo with a banner that says: “Be a Hero, Stop the Budget Bill.”
Each family friendly action will range in size from a few friends to a few hundred people, and give you a chance to stand with people who share many of your hopes and concerns for our country. If you like, we encourage you to bring signs that express your reason for standing against the Federal Budget Bill.
The default time for these actions is 5:30PM, local time, so they take place a few hours before Casseroles Night in Canada. Participants and organizers are welcome to combine the spirit of these pro-democracy demonstrations.
Why “13 Heroes?”
While the opposition parties step up their efforts to slow down and split apart the Federal Budget Bill, Conservative MPs are under intense pressure to pass the bill from Harper and his cabinet. “ It’s our job to counter that pressure, and call on them to represent their constituents and a majority of Canadians by stopping this bill, splitting it and starting over”, claim the group.
“The Opposition parties are already united against the Budget Bill, and, by working together, 13 Conservative MPs can make sure that Harper and his cabinet have to change plans or lose the support of the majority of votes in Parliament they need to pass the Budget Bill”.
“We will shine a spotlight on the choices being made by individual Conservative MPs, and focus the national conversation onto the fact that concern about this Bill reaches all the way across the political spectrum.”
“Finally, we will highlight the fact that our representatives have become increasingly powerless to represent their constituents in Ottawa, and kick-start a much needed debate about the need for democratic reforms and the opportunity for MPs to reclaim some independence.”
Who are the people organizing this event? And, just as important, will they manage to get enough people out to march on Wallace’s office?
What is it that is important about what these people are trying to do? Governments tax the people to raise the money to pay for things like the Passport service, the Correctional Service and the Armed Forces. Part of the process is to prepare and announce a budget that gets voted on in the House of Commons. When the budget is approved, the government then prepares a bill, a document that sets out how they will spend the funds raised. This is all part of running the federal government.
Burlington did have one public demonstration in front of the Waterfront Hotel. Are we due for another one.
What many groups are upset about is that the government has included in this bill all kinds of new rules related to the environment and they believe that environmental bills should be discussed and voted on separately.
Burlington doesn’t have a history of public demonstration or protest but there was a crowd outside the Waterfront demonstrating against Tim Hudak, leader of the provincial Progressive Conservative Party.
