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.

THE NO ONE IS ILLEGAL MARCH ON OTTAWA CONTINUES!
Marchers walk from Kanehsatake to St-Andre (east).

Photo-essay of day 4

THE NO ONE IS ILLEGAL MARCH ON OTTAWA CONTINUES!
Marchers walk from Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue to Kanehsatake.

Photo-essay of day 3

[June 20, 2005]

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 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.

The original call-out from last week is included here. Thanks for your support.

-- Solidarity Across Borders Montreal.

THE NO ONE IS ILLEGAL MARCH ON OTTAWA CONTINUES!
Marchers reach the tip of Montreal island on day 2 .

Photo-essay of day 2

Day 1: The No One Is Illegal March on Ottawa has begun! – 7 days till Parliament Hill!

PHOTO-ESSAY OF DAY 1

[Links to more audio, photo and print coverage of the March are included below.]

June 18, 2005 -- The NO ONE IS ILLEGAL MARCH ON OTTAWA began today in Montreal.
A spirited and diverse demonstration of up to 1000 people (at the high point), marched through downtown Montreal, and north to two mainly immigrant neighborhoods: Parc Extension and Cote-des-Neiges.

The demonstration was opened by Kahntinehta, a Mohawk elder from Kahnawake Mohawk territory. She was followed by remarks by members of the Behlouli family (Smail, Nacera, Yasmine, Kenza and Kahiina), who have been active members of both the Action Committee of Non-Status Algerians and Solidarity Across Borders, who will be marching as a family the entire route to Ottawa. Dorothy Dubé, a non-status Zimbabwean refugee who took sanctuary in a Montreal-area church in 2002, also addressed demo participants.

Throughout the demonstration, many directly affected migrants addressed by-standers and the crowd, including representatives of migrant communities from the Congo and Iran, and individuals facing deportation to Egypt and Palestine. As well, members of the South Asian Women's Community Center (SAWCC), the Immigrant Workers Center (based in Cote-des-Neiges) and the Migrant Workers Support Center (defending the interested of seasonal farmworkers in Quebec, mainly from Latin America).

Today's demonstration ended in Kent Park, with a neighbourhood festival, including an open-air concert with local acts Syncop, Nomadic Massive and Muzion.

The march continues tomorrow to the village of Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, on the tip of the island of Montreal. On Monday, marchers will leave the island, and be welcomed in the evening on the Mohawk territory of Kanehsatake.

COVERAGE OF THE MARCH:

--> Comprehensive Photo Essay about Day 1

--> More Photos and Links

--> Two-hour Special Broadcast by CKUT Radio

Includes interviews with Pakistani refugee Shamim Akhtar and her daughter Sadaf, who first proposed the idea of a march to Ottawa for regularization in 2003, but were deported from Canada in 2004. As well, interviews with Solidarity Across Borders organizers Smail, Babar, Tatiana and Amir.

These two hours were taken from a week-long special broadcast on CKUT entitled "Broadcasting Across Borders". You can catch the rest of this broadcast today (Sunday) from 2-4pm, or this coming Monday to Friday from 5-6pm on 90.3FM (or online at www.ckut.ca). The broadcast will highlight some of the issues behind this historic walk.

Why We Are Marching
The text of the flyer that was handed out in the thousands to Montrealers during today's march.

--> Status, Survival, and Solidarity" by Aaron Lakoff and Seth Porcello

--> More coverage available courtesy of CMAQ (Quebec Indymedia)

ORGANIZING NOTES:

--> The March to Ottawa continues on Sunday, June 19. We meet at 9am at metro Snowdon, and march to Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, on the tip of the island of Montreal. To know where the march is, phone 514-848-7583. Join us!

--> To join the march from Montreal any time between MONDAY, June 20 to FRIDAY, June 24, visit http://solidarityacrossborders.org/en/march#7 for more info about shuttles. Shuttles leave in the morning, and return at night.

NOTE: We need drivers (especially people who can drive standard) to help with the shuttles, plus more cars! If you can help, e-mail ssf_navette@yahoo.ca as soon as possible, or phone 514-848-7583.

--> There will be buses from Montreal to Ottawa (and back) on June 25, to greet the marchers as they arrive on Parliament Hill. Buses leave Montreal at 9am, and cost $10 per adult (children are free). To reserve a space, phone 514-859-9023 and leave your name and number. There will also be buses from Toronto to Ottawa on June 25; contact nooneisillegal@riseup.net for details.

--> You can reach the Solidarity Across Borders media team at 514-848-7583.