But not without Risk and Risk Takers
A celebration/protest that turned into an Occupation couldn't have happened without risk, and there were a dozen women at the event last Thursday, February 22, 2007, willing to take that risk. We all know the story by now --About 35 women crammed into the SWC office in downtown St. John's. At least ten of these women had come to the city for a Roundtable on Childcare and had taken advantage of being in the city to celebrate with St. John's women, the 31 year presence of the federal Women's Program and the nearly 23 years of work by Program Development Officer, Paula Simon.
Noting Paula's Francophone roots, a beautiful cake decorated with the words "Au revoir et Bonne Chance" sat on the table, balloons with words of gratitude and smiley faces hung proudly throughout the room and a dozen roses, recognizing that we are on the eve of IWD, were presented to Paula.
Everyone present spoke directly to the importance and critical presence of the SWC office, SWC Women's Program and the creative and inclusive manner in which Paula was able to provide services to women's equality and equity-seeking organizations throughout NL.
By mid-morning there were a dozen women remaining in the room and it was time for most of them to catch flights, check out of hotels and prepare to leave for homes in Labrador, Stephenville/Port au Port, Corner Brook,
Grand Falls-Windsor and Burgeo. We requested that Paula allow us to have a quick meeting in the SWC office. We talked for a while about the cuts and changes being imposed on Canadian feminist organizations by the federal Conservatives. We wondered aloud how we could simply walk away and move on with our work knowing that our letters, e-mails, marches and meetings had been ignored by the Prime Minister and SWC minister. Most of the women had not been around in 1990 when a week of sit-in's and demonstrations ended with the Mulroney government of that day rescinding a decision to cut funding to women centers. All but two of us had not been a part of the 1982 fight to ensure that women's equality rights were enshrined in the Canadian Charter. None of us had been there where our foremothers marched and shouted and starved and died so that, like men in Canadian Society, we could have the right to vote.
There was something in the air last Thursday morning!
Younger women reminded some of us who had been at this for decades that we needed to take action and we needed to do it NOW. Women spoke honestly and directly about fear of reprisal and some decided they would support whatever we did here to politicize the issue, but circumstance would not allow them to take such blatant action. At one point, I looked around and realized that I was perhaps the elder of the group and I was seeing the radical spirit of the feminist movement take hold. I too, had a responsibility to move forward with and for the women who had traveled from throughout this province and were prepared to take action. So at about 11:30, we called Paula back inside and informed her that we "were not leaving her office".
As if we were driven by the spirit of our courageous foremothers, we knew instinctively that this had to be done and that it was for women and women's equality seeking organizations that we would begin an "Occupation" of the Status of Women Canada office in NL.
There was pure energy at work: press statements were written, a list of demands was devised, and the media was called. Cell phones were used to let other women know what was happening. Paula had to inform her Ottawa office at once that in fact an occupation of SWC office had occurred. Soon we began to answer the office telephone saying “NL Feminist Coalition” (a loosely structure coalition which we often use in our province to mobilize and organize when the more diplomatic routes no longer work). Magically, word spread quickly and representatives of the student union at MUN, as well as the St. John's Women Center dropped by and women from the Women's Resource Center began arriving complete with pillows and prepared to stay with us for the duration of the action. Women and men began dropping by with food and water and good wishes -I shall never eat curry again without being reminded of February 22, 2007 and the Occupation of SWC by NL women. Our demands were faxed to SWC and the federal minister Hon. Bev Oda and we left the door open by asking for a meeting with her or the Prime Minister ASAP.
We waited and waited for a response. We waited all through the afternoon. We waited while security guards came by, checked on the goings on, had some of the cake and moved on about their work. We overheard Paula on the phone taking to her colleagues in Ottawa, assuring them that she was fine and amongst friends and informing them that we were serious about staying all night and into the next days if we did not get a response. About four o'clock the visitors/supporters began to leave and the women occupying the office scurried outside (we were on the 6th floor) for one last breath of fresh air. We checked the phone, fax and e-mail naively thinking that we should have heard from SWC by this time.
Suddenly our Occupation ended more quickly than it had begun. As we began to
prepare to eat dinner and make some sense of our sleeping plans we caught sight of the police outside the door. We invited them inside and Paula assured them she was not being kept against her will and in fact her Ottawa office had directed her to stay inside her office until notified. The RNC officer in charge spoke by telephone to the Status of Women Canada office in Ottawa and within our hearing was told to REMOVE us from the office.
We were outraged. This was incredulous. We had not even received a response to our communication to the Minister. The police gave us five minutes to leave the building or be arrested and charged with trespassing on federal government property. We dragged out the process of leaving somewhat by slowly taking bathroom time, gathering up our papers and quickly called some media to witness this heavy-handed approach by the federal government.
As we were unceremoniously escorted out we held our heads high and gave one last round of Bread and Roses confidant that we had sparked something that our supporters and sister organizations would continue.
Six short hours of civil disobedience and so many memories---
Women sitting on the floor cutting our large pink women symbols and placing dozens of them in the windows of SWC office Myra Reid's wide eyed grin and nervous giggle as she told some media that "we are not hurting anyone just eating chicken" and hoped that this did not get overheard by the media.
The intense look on Francine Coutou 's face as she translated our media release and Four Demands into French.
The blood draining from Petrina Beal's face as she caught sight of the police entering the office.
The warm hugs from Ayesha Fiech as she left to pick up her children –we all knew she wanted so badly to stay with us.
The high five from Heather Davis when she was told her flight was delayed and she could keep occupying with her feminist sisters.
The box full of pillows carried into the office by a woman from the WRC at MUN and the looks of appreciation on our faces as we knew that some would be able to rest upon a soft bed.
June Hiscock's delightful singing; especially her rendition of "Hey Harper; Leave our Funds Alone".
The photo ops with the police.
Several women draping themselves over a cop car for one last photograph.
The final elevator ride as we sang "All women singing can make the mountain move --lets move mountains together".
It sure was fun while it lasted eh!
In sisterhood,
Joyce Hancock