OPSEU G20 billboard campaign
May 26, 2010
OPSEU has three billboards during the G20 Summit, which will be in place from June 15 to July 15. Two of the billboards will be along the Gardiner, catching the incoming traffic near the event: 90m east of Jarvis, north side facing east and 515m west of Strachan, north side facing west. The third billboard is at the corner of Windsor and Front streets, just two blocks to the west of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
OPSEU has also booked three transit shelter ads during the G20 Summit. These are all at the corner of Simcoe and Front Streets, next to the Convention Centre.
Download poster with billboard graphic
Download poster with transit shelter graphic
Information on the Summit
People First! We Deserve Better!
May 26, 2010 The G8 and G20 Summits taking place in Huntsville and Toronto will last only three days, but will come at great cost to all of us. While official events will exclude labour groups, grass roots organizations and community activists, OPSEU will be participating in having these crucial voices heard through a rally, events such as an open forum and a billboard campaign.
Close to 20,000 attendees are expected at the G8 and G20 Summits as well as 5,000 media personnel and 15,000 police and security officers. The cost to Canada of hosting this massive event now stands at 1.1 billion dollars, significantly more of our tax dollars than the 933 million dollar security bill revealed by the Conservative party.
The security measures being taken for the Summits are unprecedented in Ontario. A huge portion of Toronto's downtown core will be sealed off by a three meter fence and five-tier system of security. There will be untold disruption to traffic, businesses and residents.
Safety of protestors is a concern and all participants in the G20 events should take precautions. Most recently, ‘Sound cannons’ also known as long range acoustic devices (LRADs) have been purchased by police for the event. These can be used as weapons, and are known to cause permanent hearing damage if used improperly.
While economic policies are being formed behind closed doors, protest events are being held simultaneously to democratically address the real issues such as good jobs, poverty and climate change. Join OPSEU members and other activists at these planned G8 and G20 protests. See more information below.
The G20 Summit
Finance ministers and central bank governors from 19 countries plus the European Union have been invited along with representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to gather in Toronto on June 26 and 27 for the fourth G20 Summit.
The Group of Twenty (G20) was formally established in Berlin at the 1999 G7 meeting of Finance Ministers, and the first G20 Summit was held in Washington in 2008. The primary focus of G20 dialogue is economic and financial policy issues.
The G8 Summit
The 2010 G8 Summit will be held on June 25, in Huntsville, Ontario at the Deerhurst Resort. The G8 includes representatives of Canada, France, United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Japan, and Italy. While at first the G8 originally largely addressed macroeconomic issues it now has a broader agenda, including dialogue about international economic, political, and social issues.
The 2010 People’s Summit
The 2010 People’s Summit is civil society’s alternative “counter Summit” to the G8 and G20 Summits. Diverse local and international movements will democratically organize to advocate and educate for global justice.
For more information about the People’s Summit taking place from June 18 to June 20, please visit http://peoplessummit2010.ca
For more information about labour’s response to the G20 Summit, please visit the Canadian Labour Congress site at http://www.canadianlabour.ca/action-center/g8-g20
FAQs
Where do I find information about security during the G20 Summit?
Inter Security Unit (ISU) site: http://www.g8-g20isu.ca/g20/index-eng.htm
Are Toronto highways shut down during the Summit?
According to the ISU site the highways will remain open although there will be intermittent closures due to motorcades.
Will TTC services be available during the Summit?
The subways will operate as usual. Some buses will be diverted.
Visit http://www.ttc.ca for updates.
What is the route for the rally and march on June 26th?
The march will begin and end at Queen’s Park.
Who is sponsoring the June 26 rally and march?
Sponsors include Greenpeace, Oxfam, the Ontario Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress.
Will I be safe if I attend the June 26 rally and march?
There will be 300 marshals who are trained to provide on site assistance. The march will be several blocks away from the security zone at all times, and it is anticipated that it will be a peaceful demonstration.
Where is the security zone?
The security zone is approximately from Spadina avenue to the west, Yonge street to the east, King street to the north and bounded by the lake on the south. See the map below for details.
Map of security zone and traffic zone.
For more information, please visit http://www.cbc.ca/toronto/features/g20/2010/06/mapping-the-g20.html
Events
People First! We Deserve Better! G8 & G20 rally and march
The G8 & G20 Summits offer Finance Ministers and central bank governors an opportunity to discuss our economic and financial policies. Come out to the rally that will address the real issues of economic recovery, environment, human rights, decent jobs, and social justice.
Date: Saturday, June 26, 2010
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Place: Queen's Park – Toronto
See map below for March route
G8 & G20 OPEN FORUM
International speakers
Dynamic discussions
Response package
Date: Saturday, June 19, 2010
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Place: Macleod Auditorium
Room 2158, Medical Sciences Building
University of Toronto
1 King’s College Circle
(opposite Convocation Hall)
For more information about these events, please contact the Canadian Labour Congress at Ontario@clc-ctc.ca or 416-441-3710.
For more information about labour’s response to the G20 Summit, please visit the Canadian Labour Congress site at http://www.canadianlabour.ca/action-center/g8-g20
People first!
During the latest global recession, 34 million people lost their jobs – this in a world where billions already live in poverty. Public services are being slashed, and the destruction of our environment continues. It’s time to make banks, corporations, and the politicians they control accountable for the crisis they’ve created.
At the G20 Summit this month, politicians will debate behind security barricades. The rest of us will be saying our piece right out in the open. Join OPSEU members and thousands of others to tell world leaders it’s time for action on what really matters.
June 26, 2010 OPSEU is reporting on the rally and protest events all day.
June 10. 2010 OPSEU is encouraging its membership to participate in upcoming G20 events including a rally on Saturday, June 26. Some FAQs about G20 security and access are now available.
June 8, 2010 Based on a leaked G8 communique, the Council of Canadians has called to “scrap the summits”.
Leaked G8 communique further proof of need to "scrap the summits"
Saturday, June 5, 2010
What will the billion dollar G8 and G20 summits produce?
Not much, and certainly not what is needed.
The Canadian Press reports today that, “A leaked draft of the final communiqué for the upcoming G8 summit suggests Canada has dodged a bullet on the thorny issues of abortion and climate change.”
Maternal health/ access to water
“The draft, obtained by The Canadian Press, says the world’s most powerful countries are prepared to throw money at ‘all factors’ affecting the health of women and children in poor countries but doesn’t specifically mention abortion.”
The Globe and Mail reports, “An annex to the draft, outlining the maternal health plan, says the initiative includes other elements (and lists) clean water,” but provides no further details or spending commitments.
Funding
“There is no agreement yet on specific funding for the maternal initiative, climate change, food security or aid to developing countries, despite strong words urging concrete measures.”
“Sources have told The Canadian Press that Canada is willing to put up about $1 billion as long as other countries contribute as well. But in the draft communiqué, the total amount is still just an X.”
The CBC reported last week that this $1 billion pledge is less than the cost of the summits and “it’s also far less than the $2 billion over five years that the United Nations’ children’s fund has said is necessary for Canada to make a meaningful difference in the health of poor mothers.”
Climate change
The Canadain Press reports notes, “On the environment, the only thing G8 negotiators have apparently agreed to is that fighting climate change shouldn’t hurt countries’ economies — a position the Harper government has been pushing.”
Democracy
“The draft also talks about the importance of keeping the G8 as a leader in international affairs despite the rising prevalence of the broader G20 — another Harper position. It defines the G20 as a body to deal with economic issues.”
No bank tax
Additionally, the Globe and Mail reports that, “Canada has won a key fight in its high-profile international campaign against a global bank tax as G20 finance ministers approved (in a communique) a plan that allows countries to manage the issue as they see fit.”
Scrap the summits
With a billion dollar-plus price tag, infringements of basic civil liberties, massive disruptions for those who live in Toronto, and a ‘business as usual’ agenda that serves neither people nor the planet, the Council of Canadians is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to scrap the upcoming G8 and G20 summits.
As Canadians already know, the prime minister must now also acknowledge that a billion dollars could be better spent on any number of urgent international priorities, such as providing access to clean drinking water worldwide.
Given the overall costs, and the 16 hours of formal and informal meetings that are planned, the bill comes in at about $75 million per hour for these summits.
In that a child dies every 8 seconds from drinking dirty water, during the G8/G20 weekend, 21,600 children will die because they have been denied the fundamental human right to clean water. The billion dollars being spent on the summits would save those children and millions more.
The place for national leaders to meet is not in behind barbed wire fences in small groups of eight or twenty, but rather in the General Assembly at the United Nations. That’s what the United Nations was created for, and it has the buildings, infrastructure and appropriate security in place for gatherings of world leaders.
It is our belief that these G-192 meetings should also include a true dialogue with broader civil society. The narrower corporate interests should not have the kind of exclusive privileged access that they now enjoy. Read more about what the B20 (the Business 20) will be saying to the G20 finance ministers in Toronto at http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=3763 .
Write the prime minister, your Member of Parliament, your local newspaper, and say that it’s time to ’scrap the summits’.
Visit the ’scrap the summits!’ action alert at http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=3761.
Brent Patterson,
Director of Campaigns and Communications at the Council of Canadians.
Join the OPSEU delegation at G20 rally
June 25, 2010 OPSEU President Smokey Thomas and NUPGE President James Clancy will lead our Union"s delegation at the G20 rally on Saturday, June 26 at 1 pm.
Join us as we demonstrate against G20 governments who have spent trillions of dollars to save banks and financial markets only to turn around and cut public spending, public services and jobs. We are calling for a Robin Hood Tax – a tiny tax of 0.05% on trades in stocks, bonds and currencies – which would not affect ordinary consumers but would raise $650 billion a year to create jobs, reduce debt and fight poverty.
The rally begins at Queen"s Park on the lawn south of the legislature. OPSEU will have a truck at the northeast corner near the stage with free green Robin Hood Tax T-shirts for the first 300 OPSEU members and staff. Our truck will also have water and snacks available.
Please see the map and the route of the march below.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
G20 rally updates all day on OPSEU website
June 25, 2010 Follow the G20 rally blog on the OPSEU website Saturday, June 26. Starting at 10 am the OPSEU website will be posting rally updates. Focussing on the OPSEU and NUPGE delegation, www.opseu.org will include photos and details of the day’s activities from the heart of the action.
Court ruling limits use of LRADs
June 25, 2010 The Court has acted in favour of The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) by ruling to limit the use of “sonic cannons” or Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs).
OPSEU to support Robin Hood Tax at G20 rally
June 22, 2010 OPSEU will be handing out free Robin Hood Tax t-shirts to hundreds of OPSEU members at the G20 rally. Be sure to come early to the OPSEU station at the north-east of Queen’s Park to get your t-shirt. Show your support for this important proposal to impose a small tax on financial transactions which would bring in billions of dollars for much need funding for the public good.
Events
People First! We Deserve Better!
G8 & G20 rally and march
The G8 & G20 Summits offer Finance Ministers and central bank governors an opportunity to discuss our economic and financial policies. Come out to the rally that will address the real issues of economic recovery, environment, human rights, decent jobs, and social justice. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"default","fid":18575,"fields":{"format":"default","filename_field[en][0][value]":"\r\n\tDownload rally poster PDF"},"link_text":" Download rally poster PDF","attributes":{"class":"file media-element file-default"}}]]
Date: Saturday, June 26, 2010
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Place: Queen"s Park – Toronto
See map below for March route
Buses to the G20 Summit from around Ontario:
OPSEU buses to the G20 Summit from Region 4:
Locating OPSEU at Queen’s Park during the rally: