After disrupting the G8 conference in Genoa, and bringing both the legitimacy of the G8 and the value of 'social democracy' into question (see Genoa Report page), the G8 is trying to hide from protestors. Similar to the World Trade Organisations attempts to prevent demonstration and protest by holding its summit in Qatar, the G8 is meeting in a secluded part of mountainous Canada. Activists will stop this meeting at all costs. Stop the G HATE. This page has an outline of information, links and ideas that have been posted on the internet.

Defy the G8 - Come to Kananaskis!

White Paper - An outline of proposed protest activities

Why Kananaskis Should be Easy To Disrupt

Links, Discussion Lists, Posters and Flyers

Apologies for cross posting this announcement, if you get this more than once. Gaia Resistance http://g8.activist.ca/calltoaction/gaiaresistance.html The G8 meeting in Kananaskis, Alberta June 26-27, 2002 presents a challenge to social movements around the world. This summit of the dominant economies of the world strives to present the G8 vision of the world as one of development and democracy. In fact, it represents an agenda of corporate globalization, which results in the social exclusion of growing millions of people, systemic global poverty, and the degradation of the natural environment, supported by escalating international militarism.

Civil society in Alberta is mobilizing to confront the G8 and present an alternative vision to corporate globalization. We invite people across the country and around the world to join with us in building a festival of resistance to the G8 in Kananaskis. Solidarity Village will be a microcosm of the possible - a place where we can strategize, tell stories, share regional issues; build long-term coalitions; demonstrate living alternatives to capitalism and teach each other new ways to manifest dissent. Solidarity Village will provide a setting for education, teach-ins, and workshops, and celebrate art, music, and drama as an integral part of building a global popular movement. It will provide a space for convergence, medical and legal aid, independent media, and other support to individuals and groups participating in direct action. It will strive to create a collective, inclusive and diverse space that respects human safety, the environment, and the First Nations people, who have invited us to their land.

Solidarity Village will grow out of the foothills near the summit site of Kananaskis Village. Workshops and training will begin on summer solstice, June 21, and the camp will build to its height the days of the G8 Summit, June 26 and 27. The Village will be a collective vision, and we call on individuals and groups to participate in the camp by organizing workshops, coordinating tents, creating art and music, providing resources, assisting with logistics, or by mobilizing your community to challenge the G8 with Albertans. We also call on people to act in solidarity with us in Kananaskis by resisting the G8 in their communities, their regions, and their countries.

To get involved in Solidarity Village: Visit the website at http://solidarityvillage.cjb.net/ or e-mail us at solvil@activist.ca.

In Solidarity,

Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada
Alberta Federation of Labour
Co-Motion Collective
EcoCity, Edmonton
Council of Canadians
Edmonton G8 Planning Collective
Alberta Council for Global Cooperation
Calgary District Labour Council

BACKGROUND:

In order to avoid the impact of dissenting voices at next year's G8 Summit, Canada's Prime Minister (henceforth referred to as the Big Cheese(TM)) has chosen to move the meeting to the mountain resort of Kananaskis. In order to aid protesters in their planning, the Deconstructionist Institute for Surreal Topology (DIST) commissioned this study to assess the prospects for direct action during the summit.

A number of our security experts visited the site, and conducted a thorough survey of the area. Our top researchers then analyzed the data, and have issued the following interim report. It is intended for informational purposes only, and can serve as a basis for the first spokescouncil meetings on August 25th (to be held in Edmonton).

CONCLUSION:

Kananaskis was chosen by the Big Cheese(TM) because of its remote location, and because the only road leading to the resort is easy to seal off. However, the Cheese forgot one thing - the location is remote and is easy to seal off.

The terrain is ideal for hippies, crappy for cops. Can you imagine riot troops in full body armour plodding through dense forests? What were they thinking?! Don't they remember Vietnam?! Don't they remember Return of the Jedi when the Ewoks kicked Stormtrooper ass in the forest of Endor?

SUGGESTED ACTION PLAN:

Protests around summits are usually given labels to mark a day of protest (for example J26 to signify a protest on June 26th). It is advised that protesters drop the numbers. The letter J will do nicely - a month of intense resistance...and a refreshing change of tactics.

DETAILS of ACTION PLAN:

Early May: Hold a training camp in Kananaskis to allow participants to get a feel for the location. Plan, strategize and hold workshops. Consider it a dry run. Participants can learn vital skills such as how to incorporate grizzly bears into a direct action.

June 1st: Tree huggers begin blockading the road leading in and out of Kananaskis. A wilderness area should not have thousands of police plodding through it. The road is ideal for Robin Hood tactics. Block-and-run style; tripods; cars with their wheels removed. It's one real long road, and they can't defend it. Stop The Man from setting up their security equipment and preparing the site.

June 7th: Set up tent city on the edge of Kananaskis. Have a huge festival of resistance including music, workshops, food, naked hippies. Create space.

June 10th: Critical Mass rides begin along the highway leading to the site. Stockpiling mountain bikes will be key later on. When they block the road, anarchists will bike around them.

June 13th: Affinity groups and assorted desparados move deep into the zone, and set up outposts. Bring a video camera to protect yourselves from getting batoned. Stick together. Pretend it's a giant game of hide and seek. Use tactics inspired by the Ewoks. Maximum disruption combined with maximum cuddliness. Anarcho-hippies can climb trees; they know how to use ropes; they love it out in the mountains, and even enjoy eating fungus. For a good laugh, watch the cops try to get protesters out of the tree tops. Did you see Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon?

June 22nd: The tent city moves onto the meeting site. Protesters seal off the road before the cops do. Lockdowns, hiding, running, and regrouping. With enough people, the space can be defended.

June 25th: For people that arrive late: hike into the zone. Don't forget your rope ladders, and try to avoid the traffic jams along the hiking trails. Ewoks shut down the force field generator. Watch in mild amusement as the black-bloc searches in vain for a McDonald's to smash. Oh, did we mention rope ladders? Victory will go to those with the most rope ladders (and the best pants).

June 26th: Summit canceled - too many fuckin' Ewoks in the area.

August 21, 2001 CBC News

I can't think of a more inappropriate place to hold a security intensive Summit than the Kananaskis. On the broadest level, cities are made to control the flow of humans not forests. Among the problems the Summit will face:

There is only one access point to Kanananskis Village, namely Highway 40 and the access bridge across the Kananaskis river into the resort. Highway 40 follows the Kananskis valley and has two major weaknesses.The small pass at Barrier Mountain where the road has been blasted through sedimentary rock, this is to the north of the resort. And the turn by Galatea Lakes, which is restricted by the Kananaskis River to the west and Wedge Mountain to the East, this point is to the South of the resort. All this compounds the access problems created by the tight bridge that controls all land access to the resort.

The remoteness means there is a lack of infrastructure to support the 10,000 security personal noted as being required. While this is also a problem for potential protestors this is a far large issue for the Summit organizers, who will have only limited options. Either the security force would have to encamp in the Kananaskis, the obvious location being on the Golf course grounds. Or the security force would have to be bunked remotely, I think the Harvey Barracks in Calgary would be the clear choice. Regardless of whether the rumors of flying the summit delegates in by helicopter are true, the setup and maintenance of the security force will require intensive use to Highway 40 (up to possibly 80 bus trips per day depending on the security rotation and staffing levels used in situ). Although forested, the ground cover in the Kananaskis and adjacent valleys is very light. This makes off trail access very easy. Compounding this problem is the easy day hikes one can make either from Highway 1 via the Centennial trail over Mount Allan (Nakiska Ski Resort), or off the Smith-Dorian Road.

Tear Gas is many orders of magnitude less effective in a non-urban environment. Building and streets concentrate the tear gas clouds and slow its dilution. In a non-urban environment the volume of space tear gas can occupy is much larger, and prevailing winds will dilute and disperse and Tear/CNS gases. Without Buildings to protect their flanks, the threat of protestors out maneuvering/ overrunning the security forces is much higher. Making violence on either side more likely. The forests in Kananaskis are tinder dry through July-August. If propelled tear gas canisters are used there will be a forest fire.

To prevent injury to both the protestor and the delegates the bridge over the Kananaskis that comprises the access to the resort will have to be included in the security perimeter, the result being that over one hundred square kilometers will have to be secured. Are we to seriously believe that at least forty kilometers of fencing or barbed wire will be brought in?

Rubber bullets and riot police baton lines are ineffective in forests, as trees break advancing human lines and get in the way of bullets. Even the Huns knew don't fight in the forests, everyone loses including the forest.

There is only one power line supplying the Kananaskis valley. It is above ground and the temptation for any protestors may well be far too high. My greatest fear would not be for the delegates but for those who try to disable high voltage lines a task that is at best, foolhardy.

Given more time and thought I could continue. But I would like to conclude with this last point. There will be a lot of people in the Kanananskis next year between security forces, delegates and protestors. The impact of all these people will be severe. I am certain a year is not enough to create a comprehensive plan to deal with waste management (particularly fecal), water source safety and supply, transportation, and all other infrastructure issues that one normal does not have to contend with when holding these large events in urban settings.

My name is Aaron Sheldon; I am a mountaineer and learned my craft in the Kananaskis. More than anything I don't want to see my valley harmed, nor any more people. If you can please post this on other boards I would appreciate getting the message out. I invite anyone, in particular any police and government authorities involved to contact me, so that perhaps I can convince you of the many reasons not hold the next G8 in the Kananaskis.

Aaron Sheldon
Calgary

POSTERS TO PUT UP:

Take the Capital #1
Take the Capital #2
Take the Capital #3

PAMPHLETS TO HAND OUT:

Flyer on the G8
Anarchist Attack on Global Governance

INFO ON THE NORTHEAST ANTI-G8 ROADSHOW AND CARAVAN:

http://hamilton.indymedia.org:8081/front.php3?article_id=1390&group=webcast and Indymedia Hamilton

LINKS:

http://www.quebec2001.net/ CLAC (Convergence des luttes anti-capitalistes)
http://flag.blackened.net/nefac NEFAC (NorthEastern Federation of Anarcho-Communists)
http://g8.activist.ca Anti-G8 organizing
http://www.tao.ca/~wrench/dist/g8 Ewok Council
http://g8.michiganimc.org Michigan Anti-G8 mobilization
http://www.agp.org Peoples' Global Action, Accin Global de los Pueblos, Action Mondial des Peuples
http://ww.tao.ca/~ocf Ontario Common Front
http://www.ocap.ca OCAP (Ontario Coalition Against Poverty)
http://www.tao.ca/~ocat OCAT (Ottawa Coalition Against the Tories)
http://www.tao.ca/~gan Guelph Action Network
http://www.tao.ca/~lombrenoire Salon du Livre Anarchist Montreal, Montreal Anarchist Bookfair
http://www.tao.ca/~cobp Collectif Oppos la Brutalit Policire, Collective Opposed to Police Brutality, Colectivo Opuesto a la Brutalidad Policial
http://www.tao.ca TAO communications
http://www.tao.ca/~colours Colours of Resistance

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