BY BRENDAN, WEARECHANGETORONTO.ORG

January  04 2012

On December 7th, 2011, President Obama and Prime Minister Harper met in Washington to discuss border security and trade agreements, establishing a new Beyond the Border Working Group whose priority would be, among other things, to “strengthen cross-border law enforcement,” further engulfing Canada and the U.S. into a North American Union. Speaking to press, Obama announced, “this can be a win win situation — Where not only are we making our regulatory systems more efficient in our respective countries. . . We’re also seeing greater convergence between our two countries.”

In response, on January 1st 2012, Occupy Toronto protesters traveled to Niagra Falls to meet with American protesters on the Canadian / US Rainbow Bridge. The event was called Bridge the Divide, meant as a show of support and solidarity with Occupy Buffalo whom currently remain encamped and have been for the last 3 months but it’s greater purpose was to raise awareness about the recent the agreements to create a “continuity of government” between the two nations, thus further centralizing power into the hands of corporate and state heads and threatening the sovereignty of both countries.

Statement:

Occupy Toronto, working alongside Occupy Hamilton, Occupy London, Occupy St. Catherine’s, Occupy Niagara and Occupy Buffalo, is conducting direct action taking place at Niagara Falls’ Rainbow Bridge on January 1st 2012 at NOON for an International General Assembly (GA) in alliance with the UN’s International Day for Peace.

We are standing in solidarity with Occupiers across North America to protest the National Defence Authority Act (NDAA), and the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). We, along with many members of the press, feel these policies are a detriment to the Constitutions of both Canada and the United States. Our leaders are quickly ushering these draconic policies into legislation with little to no public debate. The Occupy movement stands firmly against North American lawmakers who continuously impose laws that restrict the freedoms of Canadians and Americans. All the while our governments allow numerous Corporate criminals on both Wall Street and Bay Street to continue to manipulate and control the outcome of our two countries.

Members of the public and press are invited to participate in and witness the Occupy movement’s first International General Assembly. Speakers will be reflecting on the dangers of these current issues, the NDAA and SPP. Delegates from all Canadian occupied cities will also cross the Rainbow Bridge on foot and share letters of solidarity with American delegates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6EV608j9pM

Bryan of Occupy Toronto:

“Why are we here right now, and why do we Occupy? Is about awareness and education. Bridging the Divide is about unifying the people of North America against corporate greed, the industrial military complex, the industrial prison complex; both being enacted by recent legislation on both sides of the border.

We as Canadians . . . must do our best to bring awareness to the SPP, the Security and Prosperity Partnership. What that does is it shares our identities and the identities of Americans with law enforcement on both sides of the border. While it is being enacted under the guise of trade, we know that this will also be used against whistle-blowers and social entrepreneurs like ourselves — for when you fight the system, they’re going to want you to stop.

The funny thing is the SPP is being overridden by an association called the North American Competitiveness Council; it is an amalgamation of of thirty some odd corporations. Guess who that includes? [Weapons Contractor] Lockheed Martin,  Bell Canada [Communications], and Suncore — if you know who Suncore is, they run the [Alberta mining] Tar-sands; also, General Electric and General Motors.

Basically an international agreement is now being overseen by the few and mighty, the corporate elite of both Canada and America. We must retake our borders, we must make them on our terms. Unification on our terms not Globalization on a plutocrats terms.”

Speaker on behalf of Occupy Buffalo:

“Occupy Buffalo. Has been in occupation for three months. And we’re looking forward to being in occupation for as long as it takes. What are we trying to do? Inform the world, reform our corrupt government and transform the world!”