Halifax Media Co-op

News from Nova Scotia's Grassroots

More independent news:
Do you want free independent news delivered weekly? sign up now
Can you support independent journalists with $5? donate today!
Not reviewed by Halifax Media Co-op editors. copyeditedfact checked [?]

My response to the restatement of the city of calgary offer

Blog posts reflect the views of their authors.

Hi bill,

 

 My name is Aaron Doncaster. Myself and another gentleman met with you and Mike shoot,(an individual who claims to be a negotiator for the city) as elected delagates, elected through the occupy calgary General Assembly which is a decision making body that occupy calgary uses to make desicions.

 

First off, I want to inform you that as a result of the city cutting off negotiation with Occupy Calgary, I and many other individuals who identify with Occupy Calgary are unsure as to whether or not my role, as an individual who was intrusted with keeping lines of communication open with the city, exists any more. Even though I have never been recalled by the G.A., When the city shut down lines of communication with Occupy Calgary, the modus oparendi of my role ceased to exist. My role may be still relevant if the negotiation we not terminated but rather suspended for a time. since I and many others are unsure as to the status of my role as someone who keeps lines of communication open with the city, my words in this reply are from Aaron Doncaster, an individual that identifies with Occupy Calgary who speaks for himself and not on behalf of any other person who may identify with Occupy Calgary or as a representative of the group.

 

After we received the offer on October 17th,2011, We brought it to our following Saturday G. A.  and it was decided that a working group would be formed to discuss the offer and put forth a proposal at the next G.A. we made every effort to contact all those who identify with Occupy Calgary. Seeing that there are potentially thousands of Calgarians who identify with Occupy Calgary. It was difficult, in those few days we had between our G.A and the time you destroyed most of our village, to contact all citizens of Calgary so that those who identify with Occupy Calgary could respond

 

Also, we did not have time to discuss it in the working group before CPS and Calgary By-law came and took down many of our tents and gave tickets to those who occupied their tents and refused to be moved. During this near complete destruction of our village by CPS and Calgary By-law, I was informed by mike shoot, an individual who claims to be a city negotiator, who I and a comrade of mine sat down with on many occasion ,under the agreed upon authority of the Occupy Calgary G..A, that negotiations were off with us representatives from Occupy Calgary.

 

now, it appears that you wish to re-open negotiations with Occupy Calgary. I have two concerns with a potential re-opening of negotiations with Occupy Calgary.

 

My first concern is that I am not too sure that you have the authority to re-open negotiation. I thought It was Mike Shoot who was the city negotiator. It appears to me that there may be a power struggle of sorts between the city, By-law and the CPS. This would make sense seeing that there is evidence in other cities across North America that their is some dissension within the ranks of governments and their institutions with respect to the issues taken up by the Occupy Movement

 

My second concern is that the offer has not been modified. I feel that there is ample evidence that suggests the courts, the media and the people of Calgary are starting to rally behind and in support of the issues taken up by Occupy Calgary. With this being said, your unwillingness to modify your offer seems disingenuous not only to those who identify with Occupy Calgary, but also to all of the citizens of Calgary. This  unwillingness to adapt, by the city of Calgary, to a changing situation is an intransigent stance that is unbecoming of a governing body that claims to uphold democracy.

 

I feel that it is impossible for me to respond to a letter that talks about addressing  the Occupy Calgary issues, when it is clear to me and many others who identify with Occupy Calgary that the issues taken up by Occupy Calgary are issues that are of concern to many, if not all Calgarians. To exclude the vast majority of the citizens of Calgary while agreeing with a few when helping to create a broader public form, is to show extreme disrespect to all Calgarians

 

I Aaron Doncaster, as a calgarian am offering to help get you out of this jam you have got yourself in. I do not want to see the majority of Calgarians turn on you as a result of your poor choice of wording. So here is what I, as a Calgarian, am prepared to do in an attempt to help you. Besides bringing peanut butter and bread, I will help you craft an inclusive offer to the citizens of Calgary that appeals to the issues that matter to them. It must be understood that this is no longer an exclusive matter for those who identify with Occupy Calgary. This has developed into a matter for all calgarians.

 

In addition to helping you craft an inclusive offer that will appeal to all calgarians. I Would like to extend an olive branch of sorts by offering to help facilitate the creation of an ad hoc citizens information committee,which in my opinion should involve as many by-law officers as possible along with average calgarians, to help disseminate the newly crafted inclusive offer in a manner in which it is as accessible as possible to the public. I am looking forward to working with you in the future.

                  Aaron Doncaster

 


Socialize:
Want more grassroots coverage?
Join the Media Co-op today.
941 words

The site for the Halifax local of The Media Co-op has been archived and will no longer be updated. Please visit the main Media Co-op website to learn more about the organization.