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MCPJ: 'Give Peace a Chance'

Mississauga News Staff photo by Nick Perry


Sundus Zuberi joined demonstrators who rallied in Mississauga yesterday. The protest was held to mark the third anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.



Braving the bone-chilling, wintry winds, peace activists from Brampton joined with their counterparts in Mississauga yesterday morning, in a peaceful anti-war, anti-occupation demonstration. Among the speakers present was former Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish.

After their morning rally, many of the peace activists went to downtown Toronto to join with other peace, anti-war, student and union groups for a rally in front of the U.S. Consulate, where speeches were given by several people, among them William Payne of the Christian Peacemaker Teams, and a 15-year-old Iraqi girl who still had family in that besieged country and told of their ordeal there.

Then a large procession of peaceful demonstrators marched throughout downtown Toronto.

About the Mississauga rally:

The message: Give peace a chance.

Members of the Mississauga Coalition for Peace and Justice congregated in the heart of Cooksville today to protest the occupation of Iraq by American and British forces.

On the third anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq, they banded with students, members of the labour movement, various religious groups and other community, braving cold and windy conditions to vent their frustration.

The protest that unfolded at the old four corners of Dundas and Hurontario Sts. was one of many such demonstrations being staged simultaneously around the world.

Former Mississauga Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish, a vocal critic of the President George W. Bush's administration and U.S. foreign policy, joined the protesters in chanting anti-U.S. and anti-war slogans.

Parrish said she supports rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan, but was critical what she termed was Canada's increasing military role in the war-torn country.

Read more from the Mississauga News Online here.

Toronto Demonstration

A picture of the Toronto demonstration, with Peter Votsch (left) and myself (right) trying to hold on to our Mississauga Coalition for Peace and Justice banner during an exceptionally strong gust of wind.

This is the article in The Star about the Toronto demonstration:

Anti-war protestors hit streets
Peaceful march marks third anniversary of Iraq invasion

The Star erroneously reported (perhaps to downplay the event) that the demonstrators totalled several hundred:

"Several hundred anti-war protestors marched through the city's downtown core yesterday to mark today's third anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq."

I know that the correct number was much closer to over 2,000 demonstrators, as I was there as a participant. (I was also among the Mississauga group.)

Read full Star article here.

posted by Annamarie at 2:59 PM