Canadian Natives Protest 2010 Olympics

[hsteele]

Vancouver Activists Prepare Anti-Olympic Protests

And in Canada, activists in the city of Vancouver are gearing up for protests against this month’s Olympic Games. The Olympics Resistance Network has organized a people’s summit to coincide with the Games’ opening ceremonies next week. Harsha Walia of the Olympics Resistance Network said the games are undermining indigenous rights and social services.

Harsha Walia: “We see that the Games have been overrun with a budget of over $7 billion. Indigenous lands continue to be exploited and stolen with ski resort development all across British Columbia. Increasing poverty and criminalization of the poor in the Downtown Eastside. A massive cutback in public spending and an increasing budget for policing and militarization here in Vancouver. We have $1 billion that are being sunk into a military-police state in the lead-up to the Olympics.”

[Malapertinent]

Well I know of one Canadian native, my client, who isn't objecting the Olympics.  SHE WAS A TORCH RUNNER!

[canadianmom1974]

This happens in every city Olympics are held in.  There's always a group of people who protest them.  And the Natives have been protesting for quite a while, though of course not all of them.

[tericared]

And they should protest.......Tons of money just happens to show up every four years,,,and where ever they are held could have used that money for something else to help the locals....

[hsteele]

This. Look, I think the idea of the Olympics is fantastic, fostering peace, sharing of cultures .... but its not like it actually works. It is a competition for glory that costs the hosts ridiculous amounts of money that besides affecting the natives, could be going to the poor and education or whatever else.

Quoting tericared:

And they should protest.......Tons of money just happens to show up every four years,,,and where ever they are held could have used that money for something else to help the locals....

[Joqui]

I agree..

though I have to admit I probably would not protest it because I kinda really dig the Olympics

Quoting hsteele:

This. Look, I think the idea of the Olympics is fantastic, fostering peace, sharing of cultures .... but its not like it actually works. It is a competition for glory that costs the hosts ridiculous amounts of money that besides affecting the natives, could be going to the poor and education or whatever else.

Quoting tericared:

And they should protest.......Tons of money just happens to show up every four years,,,and where ever they are held could have used that money for something else to help the locals....

[Randi02]

It's not just the natives...

I don't know a single person who is happy about them being here. Myself included. I grew up in Whistler and they have DESTROYED the valley for just a few weeks of "glory"

I was actually shocked when we got the bid. That week, there was a huge flash flood that actually close off Whistler and Pemberton for almost a week WHILE the IOC was there. The "improvements" to the sea to sky are not going to make it anymore safe... Portions of the mountains alongside the highway are constantly falling and causing closures, there have been bridges etc. washed out and with buses going from Vancouver to Whistler every 45 seconds, it wouldn't surprise me at all if a chunk of that highway ended up in the pacific.

Also, there are changes to the transit systems, locals are being laid off because they are unable to work during the games (my brother is laid off for the month) and tons of money has been wasted on things like Athletes Village and double decker buses which will not be used after the games are over. They are running empty now and it's ridiculous. Helicopters are patrolling from Vancouver to Whisler 24/7, the military is everywhere and has been for weeks... dogs are sniffing packages and vehicles and nothing has even started yet! We are going to be paying for this for a VERY long time :(

Oh, and not to mention the fact that there is no snow on Cypress LOL They are using helicopters, hay, chemicals and trucks to try and lay the terrain and preserve it. Very interesting...