Letter to the Halifax Mayor
Mar 14, 2015
Letter to the Halifax Mayor
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Dear Mayor Mike Savage,
Today over 200 residents of Halifax gathered, as did thousands across the country, to oppose Bill C-51.
The demonstration in Halifax took place in Victoria Park.
Organisers received a permit from the city, that they had to pay for, and were assured there would be access to electricity (for microphone and sound system/speakers), and that the cobble stoned part of the park would be cleared of ice -- like the Grande Parade is.
Neither was true. There was no electricity available, so there was no microphone for speakers such as Megan Leslie MP who could barely be heard by the the hundreds assembled --due to the traffic. Worse, the site was covered with 4 inches of ice, almost as smooth as any skating rink. No grit had been laid down; someone in the crowd came with his own bag of sand. My son Omri had to improvise a battery operated sound system. Omri said the city was disrespectful to older people. Anyone could have fallen and hurt themself seriously on the ice. There was no safe place to stand or sit as the benches were almost inaccessible.
Honestly, when citizens are willing to stand up for the rights of people in their community, and stand against Bill C-51 in order to preserve rights for future generations, the least this city can do is to live up to its promise to clear the cobblestoned part of the park -- often the site of legal protests -- and to ensure there is electricity available for a sound system.
I would like to know what the city plans to do about this?
I think an meaningful apology is in order.