Activists are scrambling to arrange accommodations for thousands of protesters expected at next month's G-8 summit in Kananaskis County, after the latest proposed sites for a mass campground fell through this week.
With less than six weeks to go, some activists are worried the loss of the planned "Solidarity Village" will deter protesters from outside Calgary from attending the summit altogether.
"There are all these empty venues and no one wants us to use them," said Edmonton activist Anand Sharma. "Everyone's trying to shuffle in last-minute with friends or relatives, but not many people have that convenience.
"Hopefully the protest's message won't be watered down because people are moving into Calgary and away from the front lines in Kananaskis -- the message against the G-8 is still the same."
Unions, environmentalists and other activists had hoped to build a tent city to accommodate up to 10,000 activists for eight days around the June 26 and 27 meeting of the leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized countries.
But this week, the province denied them permission to camp on provincial land, then the Stoney First Nation band council quashed a deal to rent reserve land about 25 kilometres north of the summit.
The next option is Shaw Millennium Park in downtown Calgary, but city official Peter Brodsky said no request has yet been made. Furthermore, city bylaws define the Solidarity Village as a political rally, so it wouldn't be allowed in any of the city's parks.
"The governing principle states that the purpose of big facilities like a skateboard park is not intended for political rallies," said Brodsky, spokesman for Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier. "Even if a formal application was presented, the likely response would be no."
According to protest organizers, though, the village is meant to be a peaceful "community of resistance," not a political rally. The goal is to provide a place where activists could bring their own tents, food and water, and in return have access to the community's independent media, as well as medical and legal aid.
Discussions and workshops in the village would not only focus on coordinating and strategizing protests, but also look at issues such as education, poverty, healthcare, and globalization. All of the necessary services and facilities would be paid for by individual activists, labour unions, and organizations such as the Council of Canadians and EcoCity.
Whether or not the village becomes a reality, plenty of housing alternatives exist for those who want to speak out against globalization policies during the summit, said Mike Hudema, a spokesman for EcoCity.
"Organizers are trying to set up an online network where people can apply and find places," said Hudema, who's also president of the University of Alberta Students' Union. "There's definitely a lot of billeting opportunities with residences, and churches may be opening spaces as well for protesters."
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