Tent City at the Vancouver art Gallery - Photo by Carol Browne, Flickr
In many cities around the world, citizens have been regrouping under the “occupy” dictum, as is the case for the group camping out in front of the Vancouver Art gallery, known as Occupy Vancouver. That Vancouver finds itself “occupied” is nothing surprising. In fact, the opposite would have been surprising. But what is frankly jarring is the minuscule size of this group of campers compared to other groups around the world.
The movement is being carried out in the midst of a municipal election campaign. So much so that the gist of the “occupy” movement has been lost.
It seems that the electoral campaign’s main goal revolves around how the two main contestants will deal with the said occupation. The protesters’ encampment has come to dominate both departing mayor Greg Robertson and NPA candidate Suzanne Anton’s agendas.
In fact, some say, and rightly so, that the protesters are themselves to blame for diverting the focus because of the diversity of their demands.
Ms Anton, not surprisingly, is taking a hard line. Should she be elected, she vows that the downtown campers will be told to leave the premises within a week. She, evidently, believes that a majority of voters are uncomfortable with the thought that the movement could endure endlessly.
This is at least what she wishes for. We must admit that this angle is the only angle that actually separates her from her opponent and it could win her a few allies.
Gregor Robertson, on the other hand, finds himself in a difficult position. After all, he did say that the protesters’ complaints were shared by many city folk. It is he, who, from the very start, stated that the protesters could stay where they were as long as they saw fit to do so. Without really being in the know, I bet that the mayor got bombarded with negative comments about it since he has now changed his point of view.
He is now considering a deadline, right around the Grey Cup festivities that Vancouver will be hosting. No doubt: the Occupy Vancouver movement must be a thorn in the mayor’s side.
The protesters are doing nothing to help their cause. In fact, the core of the problem for these people seems to be the very diversity of their demands – a number of them having nothing to do with what is at the heart of the Occupy Wall Street movement, from which this movement was borne.
It’s too bad, because I think that a number of our fellow citizens look upon that movement, if not as a source of inspiration, at least with a kind eye, as they can appreciate the fact that excesses brought about the economic difficulties in the United States. Unfortunately, the people regrouped in Vancouver are their own worst enemies: they lack focus.
So much so that no one will bemoan their disbandment.
—
Translation by Monique Kroeger
