With the leaders of the world's richest countries arriving in Kananaskis in two days, anti-G-8 activists are struggling to have their voices heard.
"The stakes are high. They don't really get much higher than this," says Calgary's Sarah Kerr.
"People need to learn about the issues and about why so many people in so many places around the world are willing to go to such great lengths to speak out against what's going on."
It's impossible to predict how many people will protest in Calgary and Kananaskis but organizers suffered a setback when they were unable to secure space for their Solidarity Village.
Kerr says problems around the village were frustrating but won't dishearten activists.
"We've moved forward and found different small venues," she says. "It'll mean a lot of moving around the city that wouldn't have taken place otherwise."
Potential violence at protests is an overriding concern for many Calgarians but activists say the issue is a red herring drawing attention from the issues.
Kerr says Calgary activists are ready to support G-8 protesters through legal aid, medical assistance and even mental health counsellors.
"It can be traumatic realizing the powers the state will use to keep you quiet," she says.
A variety of activists will be making their voices heard at the summit. Here are some:
Raging Grannies
The Grannies will be belting out tunes from a repertoire of 220 songs, with some new material for the G-8.
The Grannies -- with 65 chapters, or "gaggles", across Canada -- are reknowned on the protest circuit for their commitment to social justice and clever new lyrics written for old songs.
"We have fun, but we're very serious," says Edmonton Granny Betty Mardiros.
"We're not getting a better world We're getting a greedier world and a world that doesn't care so much."
G-8 Bike Brigade
Critical mass bicycle rides on Calgary streets during the summit will promote options to automobiles and the need to cut vehicle emissions.
Riders from Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton, Saskatoon and even a group from Scotland will carry the message of global environmental protection and ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, says organizer Yori Jamin.
Many of the brigadiers are from the environmentally conscious Sierra Youth Coalition, whose members occasionally dress as frogs to draw attention to global warming.
G-8 Legal Collective
You gotta fight for your right to protest.
If you've been arrested, if your clothes reek of tear gas and you're contemplating your one phone call, ring the legal collective.
"If they're on the inside, we're on the outside," says Sarah Dover, one of 25 collective volunteers who works closely with more than 20 lawyers.
"We explain what the law is supposed to provide for activists versus what they actually experience.
Members help activists mount their legal defence and even walk dogs or water plants as activists work their way through the court system long after the summit.
The phone number is 263-7440 and Dover tells people to write it on their arm if they plan to take part in demonstrations.
Revolutionary Knitting Circle
If a stitch in time saves nine, as the saying goes, then maybe knitting entire "tree cozies" may just save K-Country.
For those who prefer quiet and contemplative forms of protest, an international knit-in against the global corporate agenda is planned for Wednesday.
"We've called for Revolutionary Knitters from around the world to engage in knitting protests near the seats of corporate power in their communities," says Calgary co-ordinator Grant Neufeld.
They will symbolically protect trees in Kananaskis by knitting "tree cozies" to object to security forces trampling the forest.
They will also knit banners.
"They'll have messages against the G-8," Neufeld says, "and they'll double as blankets for the protestors at night."
Gaia Resistance
Anti-G-8 witches and pagans plan to employ religious rituals to protest destructive environmental practices .
"A religion that comes from the earth has to be concerned with what happens to the earth," says Samuel Wagar, a local witch and founder of the movement which takes its name from the goddess of the earth in Greek mythology.
"The type of extractive industrial activity with highly polluting industries moved to Third World countries where there are no pollution controls is not good for the earth."
There are about 1,500 Alberta pagans and Wagar says 100 will protest the summit.
Calgary Street Medics
"Medic!"
If an activist is injured during
G-8 demonstrations, street medics will come to their aid.
Up to 40 volunteers -- wearing the medical insignia -- will be on hand at large protests. Many are simply activists with basic first aid skills but the group includes doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians.
"We're preparing for a worst case scenario like the use of chemical weapons and rubber bullets by the police," said medics organizer Nicole Reilkoff. "We're also ready for baton injuries, canine units and traumas caused by police horses."
They'll do most of their work at protest sites buthave access to a downtown clinic.
Greenpeace Canada
Greenpeace wants G-8 leaders to commit to sustainable development and, in particular, ensure safe, clean, renewable energy for the two billion people currently with no access to electricity."
Greenpeace will make its point demonstrating a truck fuelled by a mobile solar generating station powered by a soy product.
"It demonstrates the obstacles to renewable energy are not technical but political," says campaigns director Jo Dufay
Greenpeace also works directly with G-8 countries on environmental issues.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. NoNonsense English offers this material non-commercially for research and educational purposes. I believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, i.e. the media service or newspaper which first published the article online and which is indicated at the top of the article unless otherwise specified.