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12
Cities Across Canada March Against War on Iraq
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Chants
of “Enough of War, No Blood for Oil” filled the avenue as the
march proceeded eastwards to Gazebo Park
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By
Tamir Abu As-Su`ood & Waleed Najmeddine, IOL Canada Correspondents
EDMONTON,
November 18 (IslamOnline) - Calls for the end of American threats to
invade Iraq were heard down Whyte Avenue in Edmonton, Canada on Sunday,
November 17, as around 700 people of various religious and cultural
backgrounds marched in a peaceful demonstration in support of helpless
Iraqis.
The
march down one of Edmonton’s busiest avenues began around 12:00 in the
afternoon at Corbett Hall on the University of Alberta campus.
Chants
of “Enough of War, No Blood for Oil” filled the avenue as the march
proceeded eastwards to Gazebo Park. Marchers carried Iraqi and Canadian
flags as well as signs denouncing American invasions of Iraq and the
demand for investigation of weapons of mass destruction.
In
the beginning, the organizers distributed leaflets showing the NDP (New
Democratic Party) Jack Layton's call on Canada at September 10, 2002 to
oppose Bush's Iraq Plans.
"George
Bush can't have it both ways," said Layton. "He can't thumb
his nose at the world on climate change, the international criminal
court and the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty and then demand the world to
support his plans for invading Iraq because it ignores the world.
"The
United Nations isn't a passport of convenience and selective
multilateralism is a dangerous trend that Canada must oppose," said
Layton. "We must oppose Canadian involvement in or support of
reckless American Plans to invade Iraq, and be a powerful voice for our
multilateral answers to global problems. George Bush is wrong and we
should be unafraid to say so."
The
theme of the rally, organized by The University of Alberta Coalition
against War and Racism, was “No for War on Iraq - End the violence”
and called for America to give up the idea of attacking Iraq, as a
precursor to a just and sustainable peaceful future.
"This
has felt like a war on us," said Gamal Abdel-Shehid, a University
of Alberta professor, said for many Canadians of Middle Eastern or South
Asian descent.
"Racial
profiling and harassments at airports have increased exponentially.
These are very disturbing developments," Gamal added.
The
focus of the rally was to open the eyes of Canadians and the government
to the double standard policy that America is adopting in dealing with
the Middle East and to demand human rights for the Iraqi people.
Representatives of most local news media were present and the march met
with honking horns, claps and shouts of encouragement from passers by.
The Edmonton Police Service escorted the 90-minute march down Whyte
Avenue.
In
Ottawa, around 500 demonstrators rallied on Parliament Hill to oppose
what they call an "immoral" potential war on Iraq, demanding
the Canadian government provide no support for military action.
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The
theme of the rally was “No for War on
Iraq
– End the violence”
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"We
should be asking questions about these kinds of actions and not just
blindly following the United States government or any other regime
around the world," said Mick Panesar of the Ottawa Iraq Anti-War
Action Committee, which helped organized the event.
On
Saturday, thousands of demonstrators in Toronto marched from the Ontario
legislature to the American Consulate as part of a national series of
protests this weekend against ongoing sanctions and the possibility of
war in Iraq.
"The
war against Iraq will have a horrific impact against innocent
civilians," said Marilyn Churley, an NDP member of provincial
legislature who was among the speakers.
"Canada
should take back our traditional role as peace-makers and say no to
war."
In
Vancouver, a rally of about 3,000 people jostled together in the rain at
Sunset Beach after marching near the city's downtown.
You
are rallying in "the peace capital of Canada" said New
Democrat MP Svend Robinson to the demonstrators who braved weather and
huddled under bright umbrellas to avoid the rain in order to promote a
message of “peace not war” on Iraq.
"We
in British Columbia are here today to send a message to our government,
to send a message to Jean Chretien, that Canada must not be part of an
immoral, illegal war on Iraq," said Robinson.
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