[OPIRG-EVENTS] Stopping Secret Trials in Canada: Planning Meeting TODAY

[Jamie Kneen <jkneen@magma.ca>]

Stopping Secret Trials in Canada:

Planning Meeting (oh no, not a planning meeting--but wait, this one 
will be fun!)
To: Discuss the first-ever nonviolent direct action at CSIS, Canada's 
national spy agency

Wednesday, July 23, 7 pm The Bronson Centre, 211 Bronson Ave (near Laurier)

What is this meeting about? Homes not Bombs and the National Campaign 
to Stop Secret Trials in Canada are campaigning around CSIS and the 
Secret Trial Security certificate, under which refugees and 
immigrants can be arrested, held without bail, and tried without 
access to the secret evidence against them, and deported to face 
torture and execution.

On Friday, October 31, Halloween, early morning rush hour, we plan a 
large, creative, theatrical, nonviolent direct action, the first ever 
of its kind, at CSIS national HQ in Ottawa. This mass trick-or-treat 
will seek the secret evidence which has held 5 Muslim men behind 
bars, much of it in solitary confinement, a cumulative 89 months, 
without charge or bail.

It will also be an opportunity to Provide Psychological Help for CSIS 
Agents Whose Irrational Fear of Arabs and Muslims is Throwing 
Innocents Behind Bars, Breaking up Families, and Deporting Refugees 
to Sure Death (save those old couches for the action!)

The field is open, so bring your costume ideas, your creative spirit, 
and help plan an action to put the national spotlight on the threat 
to democracy posed by the CSIS secret trials.

(CSIS recently declared just about everyone who has ever protested in 
Canada a terrorist threat in their June annual report to Parliament. 
So perhaps a meet and greet with those of us whom CSIS has tarred is 
in order too!)

Among our slogans and ideas (feel free to add):

Help turn Canada's National Spy Agency into Canada's National Pie 
Agency (what else would we do with all those surplus fall apples? And 
don't they make "northern spy" apples?????)

Watch as REAL detectives (Nancy Drew, Miss Marple, Hardy Boys, 
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Sam Spade, The Dukes of Hazzard, 
Starsky & Hutch, Baretta, Magnum P.I., the guys from Hawaii 5-0, 
Hercule Poirot) teach CSIS the basics of no-fault police work.

Set up an Affidavit-Writing Workshop so CSIS can learn how to produce 
one without factual errors, hearsay, or "feelings" in place of facts.

Keystone Kops affinity group, complete with handlebar mustaches and 
briefcases with important files in them which can be accidentally 
left behind at the end of the action!

Perjury Inoculation Team (PIT). As CSIS agents drive in to work, they 
can have a PIT stop and receive a free inoculation against perjury so 
they won't continue lying under oath in court.

Kangaroo affinity group (needs some costume work), but with kangaroos 
wearing placards that simply read "court," the case will be made.

Guilt-By-association Game. Show how the guilt-by-association nature 
of the security certificate should, by its very logic, provide for 
the lock-up of every single person in Canada, including our leader, 
Mr. Chretien himself.

The "How does it Feel" Affinity Group, which will be stationed at 
both entrances to CSIS, snapping picture after picture of every face 
and licence plate going into CSIS!!!

Jealousy workshops to help CSIS get over its poor sibling 
relationship with the RCMP, which was at the core of their screw-up 
over the Air India disaster.

The Wizard of DREO affinity group (When characters from the Wizard of 
Oz went to the space warfare agency two falls ago, they shut the 
place down for the day -- maybe they can bring that luck to CSIS)

...And whatever other costumes and masks are appropriate top the 
spirit of the day (including masks of the faces of those currently 
held on certificate). Heck, do you think they'd arrest you on 
Hallowe'en for wearing a mask? This could go before the Crimes 
Against Holidays Commission at the United Nations.

Soundtrack suggestions Theme to Hawaii 5-0 Secret Agent Man Miss 
Marple Theme Murder, She Wrote The Thin Man

For more info: Homes not Bombs, tasc@web.ca or (613) 237-0730 ext. 1 
or (416) 651-5800
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