Protest at Premier Ed’s Stampede Breakfast July 9, 2007

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach will be hosting the annual Premier’s Stampede Breakfast during the Calgary Stampede.

Albertans with a conscience will be there to remind the Premier and his guests of the abject failure of his government to deal with reality.

Unresolved aboriginal land claims, mass environmental devastation, skyrocketing homelessness, the housing crisis in general, the deliberate sabotaging of public healthcare, child poverty, the privatization of public education, impossibly expensive post-secondary education, the impending nuclearization of Alberta, development on critical wild lands, the misappropriation of critical water supplies, the well-beyond extreme democratic deficit, … and the litany goes on, and on, and on.

Bring your info leaflets, placards, banners, noise-makers (bells, whistles, drums), balloons, buttons, chants, songs, etc. There will be some extra placards there, but probably not enough for everyone so please bring what you can.
Western/imperialist wear optional. (Please, no toy guns or other weapons.)

Recommended props/symbols:
• Car brakes (because Ed doesn’t believe in “applying the brakes” when there’s a problem).
• Bootstraps (for people to pick themselves up by).

PLAN:

We will start at about 7am, gathering on the 7 Street sidewalk.
The next two hours will probably consist of handing out leaflets to people going into the event, chanting, hopefully singing some songs, and maybe marching around a bit.

SAFETY, LEGAL RESTRICTIONS AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

This is being organized for our issues to be seen and heard, not to get into a physical confrontation or get arrested. There will be a number of people of various backgrounds participating, so please avoid situations that will endanger the other protesters there.

• We will almost certainly not be allowed onto the McDougall Centre grounds with our banners, placards, etc.
• We do have a legal right to protest on the sidewalk and will peacefully assert that right.
• We are legally supposed to not obstruct the flow of other pedestrians (i.e., not allowed to block people from getting in or out of the event). That doesn’t mean we can’t slow things down a little by creating a “busy sidewalk”.
• It is illegal to utter threats of violence. So, please stick to non-violent chants.

There will be numerous security and/or police on hand. We would like to avoid a confrontation with them. If you are approached by police at the event, please do not engage them in discussion but instead direct them to an organizer so we can be consistent in our messaging with them.

There may be other people there who will be upset with us “spoiling the party” or otherwise opposed to our protest. Please do not engage them in confrontation - that will only encourage them and create a media story that will work against us.

This is a non-partisan action. Members of any political parties are welcome to participate, but please leave the partisan messages and leaflets at home for this one (other than anti-Conservative messages, of course).
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Stelmach and his dictatorial government must be held to account for their destructive and oppressive ways. Let’s join together in making our voices heard!