Toronto’s financial district came under siege this weekend when thousands of Torontonians taking part in “Occupy Toronto” filled the streets in protest. Toronto was one of over 981 cities in 85 countries that responded to New York’s “Occupy Wall Street” movement, which began last September 17.
In the weeks before September 17, a group called Occupy Wall Street that touted the slogan “We are the 99%”, put out calls for New Yorkers to congregate in New York City’s financial district and oppose bank bailouts, corporate tax loopholes, and the growing gap between the American rich and poor. Four weeks later, a group that included students, nurses, journalists, medics, and web developers began occupying Toronto.
During the lead-up to Saturday’s protests and the occupation startdate, Occupy Toronto held numerous General Assemblies where they voted on and discussed decisions including from press organizations to talk to, what food to bring, how to contact legal aid and how the protesters would maintain a steady supply of water and medical supplies. During these assemblies, organizers kept the location of the occupation secret to keep police guessing.
After hundreds had gathered outside the TD Bank building at King and Bay on October 15, it was announced that the occupation would take place at St. James’ Park. The protesters marched towards the park peacefully, chanting slogans such as, “They say cut back, we say fight back!” and “The people, united, can never be defeated!” — both of which were both used in other Occupy protests around the world. One person held a sign that read, “I can’t afford a lobbyist. I am the 99%,” while another held one that said, “This revolution will not be privatized.”
In the US, the Occupy Wall Street movement has been fueled for a month by concerns ranging from a growing homeless population to high unemployment rates and exposés about the Koch brothers, the billionaire owners of Koch Industries, the largest privately-owned company in the US.
Toronto, however, may be wary of another large-scale protest with G20 events fresh in Torontonians’ minds.
Dr. Wendy Dobson, Co-Director of the Rotman Institute for International Business, doubted Toronto’s protests would be as popular or successful as its American counterparts.
“Canada’s problems are nowhere near what has sent young Americans to those demonstrations,” said Dobson, who pointed out that Canada has a much better unemployment support system and that the country’s banks are highly capitalized.
Although Dr. Dobson mentioned Canada’s lower unemployment rates are keeping people away from civil disobedience, she also said that Canada’s youth unemployment rates are high and the country should be doing more to eliminate that like creating a jobs corps and helping young people stay in or go back to school.
In a general assembly held this weekend, the protesters came to an agreement that there will be a march and two assemblies each day. But with Canada doing much better economically than other countries, it remains to be seen whether the energy and desperation that led protests in New York will continue to stretch north of the border.
