NO ONE IS ILLEGAL MARCH UPDATE - June 23

Dear Friends and Allies – It’s been an intense 48 hours for the organizers and participants of the March on Ottawa, as we enter past the halfway point in the march and get closer to Ottawa.

Late on Tuesday night, Solidarity Across Borders organizers learned that five children of a non-status Mexican family were seized by agents of the Canadian Borders Services Agency (CBSA) at their home in Montreal. The Arellano-Diaz family have lived in Montreal for three years, but have been forced to live underground for the past three months. They represent literally thousands of Montrealers who live the anguish of not having status, and of being picked up for detention and removal. Currently, the five children (3, 6, 7, 11 and 18) are in detention. The 3 year-old is a Canadian citizen.

We are marching to Ottawa for the regularization of all non-status people, and the case of the Arellano-Diaz family illustrate just why regularization is needed now. Various organizers involved with Solidarity Across Borders have returned to Montreal from the March to support the family at this very difficult time.

Meanwhile, we are busy with all the organizing related to the march. A core of 100-150 people are marching each day, with many others joining on a daily basis. The food prep kitchen, and our main offices in Montreal, are both busy with supporting the demo.

FOUR THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE MARCH ON OTTAWA

COME TO OTTAWA ON SATURDAY!

We are encouraging people to show up in large numbers for an unforgettable rally to mark the end of this historic march. Buses are leaving from Montreal to Ottawa on Saturday, June 25 at 9am sharp, to return later that evening. The buses leave from in front of the Hall Building at Concordia University (1455 de Maisonneuve West, near metro Guy-Concordia).

To reserve a space on the bus from Montreal to Ottawa, please phone 514-859-9023 (leave your name and telephone number clearly and slowly) or e-mail sansfrontieres@resist.ca. We are asking for a $10 voluntary contribution to help meet expenses. Children ride free of charge.

There are also buses being organized from Toronto to Ottawa on June 25. For more info, nooneisillegal@riseup.net or http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org.

PRESSURE THE IMMIGRATION MINISTER

As the No One Is Illegal March on Ottawa gets closer to Ottawa each day this week, marchers rely on your support and solidarity. Please continue the pressure on Immigration Minister Joe Volpe, by faxing and phoning his offices this week. Ask Minister Volpe implement a comprehensive and inclusive regularization program, based on the 12 principles supported by the No One Is Illegal march. Also, ask that Minister Volpe meet with the marchers, face-to-face, to discuss their demands. You can reach the Immigration Minister in Ottawa at (613) 992-6361 (phone) and (613) 992-9791 (fax). You can also reach him at his riding office in Toronto at (416) 781-5583 (phone) or (416) 781-5586 (fax). Be polite and patient, but also persistent. Make sure your message is heard loud and clear.

MAKE A DONATION!

We still need donations to help us meet the various costs of this march (bus rentals, gas and many other costs). Any donation, $5, $50, $100 or more, is greatly appreciated. We are currently asking for up to 250 people to donate $50 each, which will help us meet a large part of our costs. So far, at least 100 people have donated, but we need a lot more!

If you can contribute to the 250x$50 plan for the Solidarity Across Borders March on Ottawa, write a cheque in the name of "Solidarité sans frontières" with "250x50" in the memo line.

All cheques can be mailed to the following address:
Solidarity Across Borders/No One Is Illegal
c/o QPIRG-Concordia
1500 de Maisonneuve Ouest, #204
Montreal, Quebec

ENDORSE THE MARCH!

If you are part of a collective, community group, or organization who supports the four main demands of the No One Is Illegal March on Ottawa, we are asking for your endorsement. Please email your endorsements, encouragements, or letters of support to sansfrontieres@resist.ca, or call and leave a message at (514)859-9023. At this point in the march, your words of support can help to fuel the momentum of the marchers, so don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Media updates

A full range of audio reports from CKUT are available for download:
http://www.radio4all.net/proginfo.php?id=12952

Report 1 - An audio collage introducing the march
Report 2 - A daily report called in on June 21st
Report 3 - Sophie Harkat speaks on SAB
Report 5 - Human Rights Marchers
Report 6 - Avy Go on the STATUS campaign
Report 7 - OCAP on SAB and 15th Anniversary

Photo gallery of Day 3
http://gallery.cmaq.net/nooiimarch_04

Photo gallery of Day 4
http://gallery.cmaq.net/nooiimarch_05

For a whole range of audio, video, and written reports from the march in English and French, visit the Quebec Indymedia site at:
www.cmaq.net