November 22, 2004

Protests Planned for Bush Visit

by Shannon Hines

The Dominion - http://www.dominionpaper.ca

When U.S. President George W. Bush makes his official state visit to Canada on Nov. 30, 2004, he will be met by protests, in what organizers call a "fierce resistance to the empire."

Justin Podur, who is co-ordinating the mobilization from Toronto, uses his Z-Net article on Nov. 18 to call on all people who "don't want Canada participating in massacres and imperial adventures." Podur says that while Canada's political elite may be "divided and unsure," it is up to Canadians to speak up against Bush's policies. On an online protesters' resource, Bush Not Welcome!, organizers say they have two objectives for the demonstration:
1) Indict Bush for war crimes, and, should that prove difficult
2) Force the Canadian government to stop its complicity with U.S. foreign policy.

On Nov. 17, CBC reported that Prime Minister Paul Martin will press the U.S. on trade irritants, such as the crises involving Canadian beef and softwood lumber. It also reports that President Bush – who will address the House of Commons – will discuss continental security, more support in Afghanistan, and more training assistance in Iraq.

Martin, who has said one of his goals as leader is to improve relations between the two countries, let his actions speak for him when he dismissed MP Carolyn Parrish from the Liberal caucus for speaking out against Bush's policies.

Bush was in Canada twice during his first term - for a meeting of the G8 in Alberta and for the Quebec City Summit of the Americas - but this will be his first official visit since he took office four years ago. Although there was a planned visit to Canada in May 2003, the American president cancelled citing the need to stay in Washington because of the Iraq war.

Shannon Hines

» CBC: Bush to Visit Canada Nov 30

» CBC: History of Official Visits, "Mr. President Goes to Ottawa"

» Justin Podur: Bush in Canada

» Protestors' Resource: Bush Not Welcome!