Don’t it always seem to go…
This week, our organizers have been thinking a lot about a Joni Mitchell lyric.
We don’t know what we’ve got ‘til it’s gone.
The institutions being dismantled in the United States were far from perfect, but they upheld basic pillars of a free and fair society. We are now seeing those same pillars hanging in the balance here at home. Independent media, academic freedom, and human rights are all at stake.
They raze civic freedoms and put up a cheap despot.
April 19th Recap
Thank you to those who made it out to the last event on Saturday, April 19. Your presence and support is appreciated.
If you are wondering how you can help more, there are simple ways.
Tell others about the events. Talk about your experience. Share why you think it’s important to show up for democracy right now.
We appreciate our community and continue to fight!
Next Up - Rallying for democracy in Canada
Why the urgency now? We are gathering again because the stakes could not be higher.
The federal election this Monday will shape the future of democracy in Canada.
And no matter the outcome, we need to send a clear message: We are watching. We are engaged. We will not be silent.
Across the border, we see what happens when fear, disinformation, and authoritarianism take hold. A sitting judge was arrested this morning in the United States for allegedly defying federal immigration orders. This is a grim reminder of how quickly basic rights can collapse under pressure.
We cannot allow that story to repeat itself here.
We are standing up now, not just against one candidate or one party, but against the slow normalization of anti-democratic ideas.
This Saturday, April 26 at 1 p.m., join us at Vancouver City Hall.
More info here.
We stand strong together.
We will not back down. We will not go away. We will not normalize these events in the United States or allow the anti-democratic ideologies that support them to take hold here in Canada.
Our numbers continue to grow online and in person.
Volunteers are offering their support and services to the movement. The coalition is growing along with other local groups such as Toque Off, True North HQ, and others.
Future Protests
We’re pausing on organizing our next round of protests until after Monday’s federal election. To be clear, there will be more protests and rallies regardless of election results. However, the results will shape where we put our energy.
If Canada elects a Conservative government, we know the direction things are heading and we’ll be ready to respond.
But even if a progressive government remains in power, the work doesn’t stop. We will continue to show up in solidarity with our American neighbours who are facing a democratic crisis. And we will keep showing up here, because the number of people in Canada who are misinformed, disengaged, or drawn in by fear is growing. Support for Pierre Poilievre has risen substantially, and that should concern all of us.
MAY DAY (May 1st) will be a great protest opportunity to support workers rights! If anyone wants to organize a local rally let us know and we will help get the word out.
Connect with each other.
Our community chat is vibrant with individuals sharing information and resources. Please join our Signal Community chat
Continue to learn from and inspire each other. Here are several recent resources to help inform the continued and certainly long battle ahead.
Resources:
WATCH: Journalist and author Maria Ressa on how to stand up to a dictator
What the New Deal Teaches Us About the Current Rise of Fascism
