The only way to get rid of them is to make them extremely uncomfortable. Blast some really crappy music on loudspeakers day and night, and when it gets colder rent a snow making machine from COP.
I don't know the overall numbers, but my cousin is down there, and he's decidedly not homeless.
I'm pretty sure the fact that if he gets kicked out of there he'll be going back to his parents proablbya $2 MM house up on signal hill means he's actually part of the 1% he's "Protesting" against.
My cousin may be down there, but I can say with all sincerity, I hope they all get tear gassed.
The city has shown them a huge ammount of courtesy, respect, and tollerance, and if they refuse to recriprocate by clearing out so a pre booked event can go forward in a public space, then they deserve whatever they get.
Apparently homelessness of ones on the Island is about 95 %. Not sure about the Plaza ones.
The Constitution shouldn't stop the city from fining them or billing them for damage to the park and destruction of the outdoor bathroom facilities for example.
They're there at the suffereance of the citr of Calgary and its citizen's and they are starting to become an inconvienience. The city is also paying out of pocket for things like the increased police presence, the damage to the area and the delay in maintenance work.
Well really you can't put limits on what is acceptable for peaceful protest, or say that peaceful assembly is only allowed if you can afford to pay the bills. That is basically what the entire point of protest is, right?
I agree that its ridiculous and embarassing....but I do think that the city is caught here. So while I don't agree with most of the occupy Calgary beliefs (whatever they actually are!), I still would defend their right to occupy and protest peacefully. Its exactly what we have troops defending around the world.
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One of the questions is regarding employment. Under "occupation".
I said it to Slava the other day. I clearly have a different definition of occupation.
I'm sure there are a few that are homeless, and if that's the case fine go ahead and protest, but do it on St. Patrick's Island.
What really bugs me though is kids like my cousin who are so freaking clueless. He wants to protest everything about Calgary despite the fact that he's reaping all the benefits of being in that 1% he thinks actually exists, and his biggest problem is arguing with his siblings on facebook about who is going to take out the garbage (I swear to God that's not something I made up). Meanwhile he bitches about how it's impossible to find a job (with his degree in eco tourism, yes apparenlty that's a thing), and instead of doing something productive like looking for a job, he goes down to Olympic Plaza to hang out and sing s****y protest songs for two weeks. And, he's doing this with a bunch of smell hippies who I'm sure are, or soon will be reaping the benefits of the social security net being provided by the 99.99% of us who are actually being productive members of society.
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I still would defend their right to occupy and protest peacefully. Its exactly what we have troops defending around the world.
I support their right to protest peacefully but I don't support their "right" to occupy. The city has been playing nice so far, but I think most Calgarians feel the occupiers are taking advantage of that.
I support their right to protest peacefully but I don't support their "right" to occupy. The city has been playing nice so far, but I think most Calgarians feel the occupiers are taking advantage of that.
I don't think its even a protest anymore, its become a camping trip with some signs hung up.
Its become a squatters paradise ala the depression, but the thing is, we're not in a depression.
I'm sympathetic to an extent, but for example, how many of these people are unemployed and on UI and sitting down there instead of working hard on finding another job?
I have my real doubts that there's a true 99% in Canada, I would believe that its smaller then that by a large extent.
When Lucia Corbella did her two parter on the occupy Calgary camp it was laughable because of the lack of knowledge about what's wrong with the system, and their unrealistic demands.
If your going to protest, then protest, if your going to assemble for the strict reason of assembling, then your wasting your time.
And that still doesn't address that the city is going to end up paying for this. For example, when they decamp because of the weekend events that area is going to probably need double or triple the cleanup by the city to get it ready for the weekend.
Yes, I'm a terrible person because I don't consider myself in the 1% but I'm certainly not in the 99% and I can't garner sympathy for these people, and unlike the Occupy Movement in the states where they have a really legitimate reason to be angry, this seems like a waste of effort.
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I agree that its ridiculous and embarassing....but I do think that the city is caught here. So while I don't agree with most of the occupy Calgary beliefs (whatever they actually are!), I still would defend their right to occupy and protest peacefully. Its exactly what we have troops defending around the world.
I respect their right to protest. They have no right to "occupy". If they feel breaking laws and bylaws is necessary to make their point, they should be ready to face the consequences of their actions.
I respect their right to protest. They have no right to "occupy". If they feel breaking laws and bylaws is necessary to make their point, they should be ready to face the consequences of their actions.
The occupation is the protest though....so how do you get around that? Of course they are breaking bylaws but that is what civil disobedience is.
Nenshi's hands may be tied... I suggest he subcontract this to our Chinese overlords.
Forget the Chinese, a couple good ol' boys with trucks and train horns circling the block for a few nights would work. It's a shame theres apartment buildings west of the plaza.
The occupation is the protest though....so how do you get around that? Of course they are breaking bylaws but that is what civil disobedience is.
So they are upset because the few (1%) are speaking, acting, making decisions for the many (99%).
It seem quite hypocritical to me that the few protesters are now negatively impacting the rights of the many who have paid to use the plaza and are willing to conform to the rules set in place.
So they are upset because the few (1%) are speaking, acting, making decisions for the many (99%).
It seem quite hypocritical to me that the few protesters are now negatively impacting the rights of the many who have paid to use the plaza and are willing to conform to the rules set in place.
Are there really a lot of people who paid to use the Plaza that have not been able to at this point? I really have no idea.
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So they are upset because the few (1%) are speaking, acting, making decisions for the many (99%).
It seem quite hypocritical to me that the few protesters are now negatively impacting the rights of the many who have paid to use the plaza and are willing to conform to the rules set in place.
I'm not defending what they are protesting or anything like that, I want to make that clear.
The problem as I see it is that we need to have the right to peaceful assembly as citizens, and we can't allow it sometimes but not others. I think that a lot of the issue here is based on the fact that most people seem to disagree with the issues being protested.
I actually would rather they were forced out (hence my send in the tanks comment a few pages back), but clearly this isn't an option. I also wish that the city could shut down that street church or whatever it is in front city hall. I know its a little different, but the reality is that we can't infringe on peoples rights in a selective fashion.
I'm not defending what they are protesting or anything like that, I want to make that clear.
The problem as I see it is that we need to have the right to peaceful assembly as citizens, and we can't allow it sometimes but not others. I think that a lot of the issue here is based on the fact that most people seem to disagree with the issues being protested.
I actually would rather they were forced out (hence my send in the tanks comment a few pages back), but clearly this isn't an option. I also wish that the city could shut down that street church or whatever it is in front city hall. I know its a little different, but the reality is that we can't infringe on peoples rights in a selective fashion.
Rights only extend to the point that they begin to impinge upon the rights of others. I don't know that a lot of people are being impacted by this occupation in the plaza, but if they are the fact that this is a protest doesn't mean it trumps the interests of those other groups or people.
People say that these protests are nothing like the sixties, but in truth they are exactly like the sixties, they are made up of people that don't want to do the un glamorous grunt work of affecting political change, endless days and nights working on campaigns with no reward, lots of donations to various movements, membership to a party.
These 'protests' are in reality lazy and uncommitted to change, change comes through work, not screwing around and having fun at what is essentially a crusties party.
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