PETITION, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

A petition and campaign has been initiated by the DTES Power of Women
group against the City of Vancouver, VANOC, RCMP, and VPD in their
attempts to change next year's historic and sacred Feb 14 March for
Murdered and Missing Women in order to ensure ‘flow of Olympic traffic’
down Hastings Street.

The Power of Women group is based in the DTES neighbourhood and its
membership is composed entirely of women living in poverty who have
experienced and survived sexual violence and mental, physical, spiritual,
and emotional abuse.

Please sign the online petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/feb14/petition.html


Text of petition:

It has been brought to our attention that the City of Vancouver, Olympic
officials, and the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit are trying to
change the historic Feb 14, 2010, March for Murdered and Missing Women in
order to ensure ‘flow of Olympic traffic’ down Hastings Street.

As residents of the DTES and supporters of the Memorial March, we
completely oppose any change in date, time, or route of the Memorial
March. This March has been happening for 18 years to honour our sisters
who die each year due to the violence of physical, mental, emotional and
spiritual abuse. It is something far more significant and sacred than the
Olympic Games, which has already increased poverty, homelessness, and
policing in our neighbourhood. The government is spending billions on a
circus, while putting people aside.

We, the women in the Downtown Eastside and our supporters, demand that:
• There be no attempts to change or control our Feb 14th Memorial March
• Not a single person be forcibly removed, evicted, or displaced from
their homes in the Downtown Eastside and any other community due to the
Olympics.

For more information or to obtain hard copies of the petition for your
organization, contact project@dewc.ca or call 604 681 8480 x 234.