June 11th Canada Out of Afghanistan Picket Report

On Thursday June 11th, peace loving people and antiwar activists picketed in front of the Canadian Armed forces Recruitment Center for the 55th time to demand:

Canada/US/NATO Out of Afghanistan Now!
Independent Public Inquiry into the Government of Canada’s War Drive in Afghanistan!

The picket began with MAWO co-chair Janine Solanki, who read the picket statement. The statement drew attention to the latest death of a Canadian soldier on Monday June 8th, who was the 119th Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan. In light of the fact that for over three years the majority of people in Canada are opposed to Canada’s war and occupation of Afghanistan, the statement read, “More and more people in Canada are questioning why the government of Canada is conducting this brutal and criminal war drive in Afghanistan, and what they have achieved in eight years of bombs, tanks, bullets, and weapons whose purpose is to kill.”

After an energetic round of picketing and chanting, the picket heard from Max Tennant, a BCIT student and MAWO organizer. Max talked about how the government of Canada is not only waging war abroad, but also a war here at home against poor and working people, including students. While college and university tuition skyrockets, students in Canada are facing higher and higher debt or are unable to attend post secondary school, yet the government of Canada can afford to spend over $8.1 billion to date on war and occupation in Afghanistan.

The picket wrapped up with MAWO secretary Nita Palmer, who spoke about the escalating war and occupation of Afghanistan and how Afghanistan and its people are the first major victim of this new era of war and occupation waged against third world nations by imperialist countries.

Throughout the speakers and rounds of picketing and chanting, the picket was joined by the honks of passing cars, in support of the picket and in response to the “Honk for Canada Out of Afghanistan!” sign.

The picket ended with a resolve to keep educating, organizing and mobilizing actions against Canada’s war drive in Afghanistan, until the criminal occupation is ended.