Where is the Occupy Montreal Movement Headed?

Occupy Montreal hit the streets running on October 15, 2011 as part of a global moment to begin creating a better world through the occupation of public spaces. The movement in Montreal has its similarities and differences from that in the Rest of Canada, the United States, Europe and the Middle East. It would be important to be able to elaborate these similarities and especially the differences--separately in another essay. Certainly the political, social and cultural context of Quebec provides the movement with its unique identity and challenges.
 In Montreal the movement came to notice thorugh a tent village in the financial district that lasted more than a month. Since then it has expanded and deepened both its organizational capacity and its vision. These winter months are crucial for the future of the movement. It is being taken up as a time to focus the energy and develop the structures that will allow for intense coordinated action for the rest of the year.
 At this point, no official document (that is to say, approved by a General Assembly) outlines the specific goals for the movement during 2012. However, the movement has begun a series of concerted assemblies moving in that direction. From my own personal point of view, there are four major areas of concern that appear to focus the energy of most participants. I list them in no particular order. The movement rejects the oligarchy that currently veils itself as democracy in Quebec (and Canada) and it proposes the creation of direct, participatory democracy at the local level. The movement rejects the financial tyranny that currently dominates world capitalism and proposes an economy of sharing in which no one is excluded and everyone’s needs are met. The movement rejects the damage being done to the environment and proposes a way of living in society that is in harmony with all living creatures who inhabit our Mother Earth. (Currently this includes an effort to provide locally cultivated food to those who need it.) Finally, the disinformation provided by the mass media is rejected and an extraordinary effort is being made to provide alternative sources of both information and analysis. In this respect also a large amount of creative artistic energy is being developed. This list is not exhaustive. There are many other issues being taken up by various groups in the movement but I think most of them would fall under one or another of these major categories.
 The question that naturally flows from this effort to understand what it is that the movement is proposing is how to address these issues. Here too the practice is instructive. First of all, the movement proposes that we begin now, actively to address the issues by “occupying” their spaces with our creative energy. The primary concern, so far, has been to occupy those spaces in a way that encourages other citizens to set aside their fear that nothing can change, to become aware of their own power to make a difference and to begin also to act. The actions tend to create spaces in society for real democracy, inclusion, sharing and sensitivity to Mother Earth. However, there are also those in the movement who are aware that we cannot simply ignore the fact that major systems of government, finance, industry and social organization exist, are diametrically opposed to the goals of the occupy movement and not at all indifferent to its presence. Resistance to the forces of domination are central to the movement.
 ([i]I have placed this also on Atrium and Facebook. It will also appear on my blog--richardrenshaw.blogspot.com[/i])

The Occupy movement is nonviolent and thus inserts itself within the long history of nonviolent movements and nonviolent direct action around the world over many centuries. Every action undertaken by participants in the movement in inscribed within that call to take the issues into our own hands and make a difference, especially at the local level through using that inner power that connects us with one another.
 Challenges are not lacking in this first year of Occupy Montreal. Much of the energy during the winter is focused on improving internal and external communication, that is to say, within the movement in Montreal( and elsewhere) as well as with the larger society of our city. A considerable effort has been made to counter the image of the movement created by the mainstream media by a public presence to provide citizens with specific examples of who is part of the movement, what it stands for and how it operates. Finally, local groups have been established in several Montreal neighbourhoods and evidence considerable vitality and commitment. Those who make up the mouvement, at this point, tend to be largely young (20-40) with a significant representation of those who are somewhat older. They tend to be well educated and engaged already in community groups, NGOs or working professionally.
 When Spring arrives a few weeks from now, Montreal will witness a flourishing of public activity supported by the movement. How this develops and is received will be an important factor in laying the foundations for a long-term presence in Montreal that makes a difference and that impacts on the global scene.  ----- Richard Renshaw