Grannies Join ACORN in Protest Against McGuinty Budget
A number of the Ottawa Raging Grannies, Ann, Jake, Jo, Ria, Shannon joined the ACORN antipoverty group in a protest at Dalton McGuinty’s office. We were protesting the freeze on welfare and disability payments in the provincial budget, particularly harsh since the cost of living is forever rising. We sang two of our anti-poverty songs, “It’s a Long Way to the Food Bank” with “McGuinty” substituted for “Harris” whose attack on the poor inspired the words. We also sang “Flaw in the System“, as true now as...
Read MoreGrannies join in Harper budget protest.
Six of us–Bessa, Cathleen, Jake, Jo, Ria and Rosalie–were among 20 activists who interrupted Flaherty’s budget speech on March 29, 2012 by chanting “Where are WE in your budget. This is not our budget!” Jane was planning to come, but was called out of town by a death in the family. Doing this action was very empowering to all of us, particularly since the young people involved expressed so much appreciation and the press reports all mentioned, citizens of all ages. We wanted to do it due to the fact that lots of money is pouring into weapons, so-called...
Read MoreSupport for Hassan Diab
On the first day of Dr. Diab’s extradition hearing, the Raging Grannies were outside the court along with 75 others to support his effort to stop his extradition to France based on flimsy and secret evidence. Esther, Shannon and Jane were in costume, while Jo, Ria and Rosalie stayed in civy clothes. After cheering and chanting as Dr. Diab, his wife, Rania Tfainy, and lawyer, Donald Bayne entered the courtroom, we all went up to show our support in the courtroom. Dr. Diab has been a Canadian citizen since 1993. He moved to Ottawa in 2006 and since then, he has taught at the University of...
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