The occupation of Toronto

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from NOW Toronto:




The occupation of Toronto
A new movement for a fair economy in the midst of a global financial crisis showcases a fresh paradigm where leaders, demands and hierarchies no longer exist – and that’s a good thing

By Ellie Kirzner


As night fell in St. James Park, lowering its dark ceiling over trees rapidly losing leaves in the fall winds, I couldn’t shake the sense of the surreal.

To my left were assorted rhythm sections, to my right the candlelit people’s library was dispensing nighttime reading, protesters were chilling in a tent area way too confined for sleeping comfort, and at different points on the damp grass committees were trying to resolve profound policy dilemmas that would decide the governance of the tiny civilization created miraculously in just a few hours on Saturday.



In this perfect space – though not perfect season – with its lit gazebo and proximity to a stunning cathedral, a sleepover standoff against corporate greed is forging a new protest paradigm.

Sitting there with the chill creeping up my legs, I was awestruck and have continued to be for five days. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=183280

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