Regional Consulta and Assembly on anti-G8 Organizing

• WHERE?: OTTAWA
• WHEN?: February 16&17, 2002
• WHO?: Affinity groups, organizations, collectives and individuals in the Northeast region wanting to share information and work together on shared political and organizing principles (outlined below)
• FOR MORE INFO OR TO REGISTER: (613)564-0558 or ottawaassembly@yahoo.ca

In anticipation of the upcoming Group of Eight (G8) Leaders' Meeting in Canada, and with the aim of reinforcing local anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist and anti-oppression networks of resistance, activists based in Ottawa, Toronto, Kingston, Guelph, Montreal and Quebec City are convening an anti-G8 Consulta and regional planning Assembly. The Consulta will be hosted by Ottawa-area activists on the weekend of February 16-17.

The Consulta is being called on specific political and organizing principles. Those principles are:

• an analysis that emphasizes a clear anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist position against globalization and war;
• a clear emphasis on anti-oppression organizing and education;
• a focus on local organizing, as opposed to just going from one big protest to another;
• trying to make genuine links between "anti-globalization" issues and local organizing efforts;
• active support and solidarity for initiatives like the Ontario Common Front's economic disruption campaign, or the recent squat project in Montreal;
• a respect for a diversity of tactics, and showing solidarity with the full scope of resistance in our communities;
• distrust and skepticism of lobbying efforts, emphasizing instead grassroots organizing, popular education and mobilizing;
• organizing in a non-hierarchical, anti-authoritarian fashion, as well as within the framework of anti-oppression analysis and action.

Organizations, affinity groups, collectives and individuals in agreement with the above principles are encouraged to attend the Consulta. The Consulta is explicitly aiming to build on the above basis of unity, and not to fundamentally alter the main political and organizing principles. However, the principles will be elaborated and expanded, as part of public popular education work. The organizers of the Consulta have also endorsed the principles of the Peoples' Global Action (PGA) (attached below).

Since the beginnings of the Ontario Common Front campaign in Toronto, as well as the recent anti-G20 protests in Ottawa, activists in the southern Ontario/Quebec region have met informally and discussed how to organize against the G8, while reinforcing ongoing local organizing efforts.

The Consulta is an opportunity to exchange info about local organizing, as well as to plan collaboratively and collectively in the region. Some ideas discussed at a previous Consulta planning meeting include:

• a major counter-conference on alternatives to capitalism and imperialism and anti-oppression organizing, with an emphasis on alternative institutions and autonomous zones; the conference, to last anywhere from 4 days to one-week, would take place anytime between this May to September.
• popular education campaigns across the region, complementing the popular education being undertaken locally by some groups.
• a regional mobilization against the G8 — including protests and direct actions — to coincide with protests in Alberta in June; Ottawa and Kingston are two suggested sites.
• decentralized and coordinated actions to disrupt trade corridors as well as other decentralized and coordinated actions across the region;
• active support for ongoing organizing efforts such as the Common Front campaign in Ontario, local projects and actions, as well as ongoing organizing against war, militarization and racism.

The Consulta is a chance to reinforce radical networks of resistance in our region that have developed thru collective actions and encounters over the past few years.

More detailed info about the Consulta, including the proposed agenda and logistical info, will be forthcoming in upcoming announcements. In order to facilitate broad participation, Consulta organizers will aim to subsidize the travel of participants from marginalized, poor and underrepresented groups to the best of our ability. The Consulta will take place with translation into English and French.

To register, or for more info, please e-mail ottawaassembly@yahoo.ca or phone 613-564-0558.

In solidarity and struggle,
-- The Ottawa Consulta Outreach Committee <ottawaassembly@yahoo.ca>

In addition to the political and organizing principles outlined above, the organizers of the Ottawa Consulta and Assembly have adopted the hallmarks of the Peoples' Global Action (PGA) network. More info about PGA is available at http://www.agp.org.

PGA HALLMARKS:

(as modified and accepted at Cochabamba, Bolivia in September 2001)

1. A very clear rejection of capitalism, imperialism and feudalism; all trade agreements, institutions and governments that promote destructive globalisation.
2. We reject all forms and systems of domination and discrimination including, but not limited to, patriarchy, racism and religious fundamentalism of all creeds. We embrace the full dignity of all human beings.
3. A confrontational attitude, since we do not think that lobbying can have a major impact in such biased and undemocratic organisations, in which transnational capital is the only real policy-maker;
4. A call to direct action and civil disobedience, support for social movements' struggles, advocating forms of resistance which maximize respect for life and oppressed peoples' rights, as well as the construction of local alternatives to global capitalism.
5. An organisational philosophy based on decentralisation and autonomy.

G8 Kananaskis | Actions 2002 | www.agp.org