CANADIAN POLITICS/AMERICAN POLITICS:

SHOOING BUSH AWAY FROM CALGARY:

In a hideous profanation of the most sacred day of the year ex-emperor George Bush II plans to visit the Canadian city of Calgary this upcoming St. Patrick's Day, March 17. What a lousy way to spoil a good bender ! Needless to say many are not pleased with Georgie's first feeble attempt to cash in on the lecture gravy train. Here's a story from the online news magazine Straight Goods about what some feel should greet Bush when he arrives on Canadian soil.

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Canada should bar or prosecute Bush: lawyer:
Foreign Affairs stays silent on upcoming Calgary visit.
by Jeremy Klaszus for Fast Forward Weekly
As George W Bush's St Patrick's Day visit to Calgary draws near, the federal government is facing pressure from activists and human rights lawyers to bar the former US president from the country or prosecute him for war crimes and crimes against humanity once he steps on Canadian soil.

Bush is scheduled to speak at the Telus Convention Centre March 17, but Vancouver lawyer Gail Davidson says that because Bush has been "credibly accused" of supporting torture in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Canada has a legal obligation to deny him entry under Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The law says foreign nationals who have committed war crimes or crimes against humanity, including torture, are "inadmissible" to Canada.

Immigration Act bars foreign nationals who have committed war crimes or crimes against humanity.

"The test isn't whether the person's been convicted, but whether there's reasonable grounds to think that they have been involved," says Davidson, who's with Lawyers Against the War (LAW). "... It's now a matter of public record that Bush was in charge of setting up a regime of torture that spanned several parts of the globe and resulted in horrendous injuries and even death. Canada has a duty."





In February, Davidson sent a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other cabinet ministers asking the Canadian government to either bar Bush from Canada, prosecute him once he arrives, or have the federal attorney general consent to a private prosecution by LAW against the Texan. She hasn't received a response, and concedes she's fighting "an uphill battle" with "terrific challenges." Davidson laid torture charges against Bush during his visit to Vancouver in 2004, but a judge quashed them within days.





The federal government is keeping silent on the upcoming visit. "We have no comments to offer on the visit of Mr George W Bush to Calgary," said Foreign Affairs spokesperson Alain Cacchione in an e-mail to Fast Forward. When told about Davidson's letter, a spokesperson with the Canadian Border Services Agency said, "We wouldn't comment on something like that."





Davidson is one of many voices around the world calling for Bush's prosecution. Earlier this year, Manfred Nowak, the UN's Special Rapporteur on Torture, said the US has a "clear obligation" to prosecute Bush and former secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld for authorizing torture — a violation of the UN Convention on Torture. "Obviously the highest authorities in the United States were aware of this," Nowak told a German TV station in January.





Joanne Mariner, terrorism and counterterrorism director for Human Rights Watch, says that while there's legally "all the reason in the world" to prosecute decision-makers in the Bush administration, "it's a different story" politically. "The Obama administration certainly has not given much in the way of encouraging signals for such a prosecution," says Mariner, who's based in New York. "Obama has consistently said that he wants to look forward." Mariner says that while a US justice department investigation is unlikely, a congressional investigation is more probable — and "that could lead to recommendations for prosecution."





Mariner's not expecting a Canadian prosecution against Bush. "Obviously the Canadian government would have to be in favour of it, and that seems rather unlikely," she says.
Calgary activists, meanwhile, are organizing a number of events for the week of Bush's visit, culminating in a noontime rally outside the Telus Convention Centre during Bush's speech. "We want to give him the welcome that he deserves — which is we want him to go back to the States, or we want him arrested," says organizer Collette Lemieux. Activist Julie Hrdlicka, who visited Iraq twice during the American occupation, agrees. "We need to send a clear message to him that he's not welcome," she says.





Lemieux is hopeful that Bush will eventually be prosecuted. "Do I think that it's going to happen very soon? No," she says. "But I think that it's very important that we keep the pressure up.... We have to make it clear that there's accountability."





The Plaza Theatre, meanwhile, is screening three Bush-themed documentaries for a "Bush Bash Film Fest" the night of the visit. Half the box office proceeds will go to the United Way.





Jeremy Klaszus is the staff writer for Fast Forward Weekly in Calgary and a former contributing editor for Alberta Views magazine. His writing has also appeared in Geez magazine, Swerve magazine and the Edmonton Journal.
Website: http://jeremyklaszus.com/.
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Yes, Virginia Cow Town actually does have radicals, and they are busy,busy busy preparing for the ex-emperor's visit. Here's a schedule of events from the People Versus Bush website. No rose petals spread in front of this criminal's path.

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Bush is coming to Calgary - Event listing :
Note: This can also be used as an email announcement that you can send to your lists.
GEORGE BUSH IS COMING TO CALGARY
On the sixth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, President George W. Bush is coming to Calgary. To coincide with his visit, a series of events culminating in a rally to coincide with his speech have been organized. The events are centred around the theme of putting George Bush on trial for his war crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan, his crimes against humanity and his disregard for the rule of law.
For more information:
Webpage: www.peoplevbush.ca
Email:
info@peoplevbush.ca
Events listings
George Bush Go Home Rally!! While Bush is giving his speech, we will be outside of the Telus Convention Centre letting him know that we don't want him in Canada and that he must be held accountable for his war crimes.




As an act of solidarity with this event, people are sending in shoes from across Canada that will be displayed as a symbolic gesture.




Bring banners, drums, placards, yourselves and friends.




The rally is a family friendly event. We ask that people respect that it is a peaceful rally. When: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 11:30 A.M until 2:00 P.M.
Where: East of 1 St. S.E. on Stephen Avenue (Between Teatro's and Epcor Centre)
Public Forum
A public forum will look at the issues being brought forward in the trial. Speakers will discuss the illegal invasion of Iraq, the use of torture and the treatment of American soldiers.




Confirmed speakers include Julie Hrdlicka, former executive director of CANDIL, who will speak on breeches of international law that directly affect Iraqi citizens and her personal experiences in Iraq. A war resister will also speak on their experience in the US military and why they felt they had to come to Canada to seek refuge.
When: Monday, March 16, 2009 - 7:00pm and 9:00pm
Where: Parkdale Nifty Fifies Meeting Room, 3512 5 Ave N.W. (adjacent to Parkdale Community Association Building)
Trial - The People vs George W. Bush
George Bush and his administration will be tried for war crimes, crimes against the peace and crimes against humanity based on submissions of evidence from people around the world. When- Saturday March 14th at 2pm
Where - TBA
Banner Displays downtown on the Stephen Avenue
Large banners, with the theme "Take Back the Future from Those Who Have Stolen the Past", serving as a “Memorial Wall of Shame”, with images and messages showing the legacy of the Bush Administration will be displayed. Opposite to that, will be a “Wall of Hope” with similar imagery and messages depicting the just, sustainable, and equitable society for which we, collectively, hope and work towards.




People are welcomed and encouraged to come and add their messages on these banners. When: March 11-13,11:30am to 1:30pm
Where: 100 block Stephen Avenue S.E. (Telus Convention Centre)
Help Needed
Volunteers are needed for most of these events. We need people to help with set up, hold banners, etc. If you are interested, please let us know (info@peoplevbush.ca).




There are people coming from out of town and billets are needed. If you can coordinate, please let us know (info@peoplevbush.ca). If you have space available, then please fill in the form found on www.peoplevbush.ca.




We also need funds to pay for event locations and bringing in the war resister from Toronto. If you would like to donate, please go to www.peoplevbush.ca and click on the Fundable link.




People from Lethbridge, Toronto, Vancouver, and Edmonton have expressed interest in attending. If you have suggestions or have heard on any opportunities for car-sharing or bus-sharing from these cities, then please let us know.




The People Vs Bush group is an ad hoc committee that has come together in their belief that Bush should stand trial for his crimes.
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Can't make it to Calgary ? Wouldn't be caught dead there ? Well, there's a solution. Send your shoes instead. That's what the graphic above is all about. The following gives details about the 'Shoes for Bush' campaign. Gathering footwear from across the country to give Bush the boot. Besides the link given below there is also a Facebook site for this campaign. March on over. Have some sole. Don't toe the Emperor's line. Betcha you never thought you could sign a petition with your feet. Hey, don't forget to catch this other site about the "warm" welcome being prepared for Little George.
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Shoe Campaign Underway!:
George Bush is coming to Calgary! Send your shoes to Calgary to give Bush the “boot”
For more information: info@peoplevbush.ca
http://www.peoplevbush.ca/index/campaigns
George Bush's first international speech after finishing his presidency will be to the Calgary Rotary Club on March 17th, the sixth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, and the Calgary's activist community would like to give him the welcome he deserves.




There will events throughout the week leading to Bush's visit but for those outside Calgary we wanted to give you a chance to give him his due welcome. To that end the local activist community in Calgary is asking people from around Canada to send us your old shoes so they can be a symbol to boot Bush Out of Canada! We are hoping people will send shoes in from across the country to show solidarity.




Also, people can include notes or letters with their shoes and we will post them with the wall of shame or attach them to the shoes at the rally for people to see.




The sent in shoes will be displayed around the perimeter of the “George Bush Go Home Rally” and the conclusion of his trial. We are also going to build a shoe-cannon that will fire shoes at a picture of Bush.




The CUPW, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Calgary Local has enthusiastically agreed to have their Calgary office as a location where shoes could be sent and stored:




CUPW -Calgary Local 109 - 5621 - 11 St. N.E. Calgary AB. T2E 6Z7




After the rally, some shoes will be sent to George Bush's best friends and local MP's, Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney. We will donate the remaining ones to an appropriate clothes bank.




For people in the Toronto area please drop your shoes off at the Canadian Peace Alliance office at 427 Bloor St west so we can send a package to Mr Bush. Contact cpa@web.ca for more info.