Camping for social change
misha warbanski, 19.08.2007 22:44
“We’re here to enjoy the process of the encampment and experiment with direct democracy and collective decision making,”
painting protest signs at the camp
Heading north on the highway 323 out of Montebello, the atmosphere changes. The security fence around the Chateau Montebello fades away in the rearview mirror and the patrols of Sureté du Québec officers thin out. We’re heading to Notre-Dame-de-Paix where a group of protestors have set up camp at the back of a farmer’s field. On one side of the local asparagus farmer has mowed a giant peace sign into a field. The story going around is that when it appeared, the RCMP showed up on his doorstep to investigate.
Calling themselves the Encampement Autogéré—the Autonomous Camp—about 50 people have established their tent city. As more protesters arrive, they’re expecting their camp to grow.
“We’re here to enjoy the process of the encampment and experiment with direct democracy and collective decision making,” explains Pierre Olivier Parent. He’s giving us a tour of the camp, which begins with a banner-making session, preparing for Monday’s demonstrations against the Security and Prosperity Partnership.
In its fifth year, the camp isn’t just about the protest. Perhaps best described as a retreat for activists, the idea for the camp originated in 2001 at the first World Social Forum in Porto Alegré, Brazil, and the concept took root in Quebec in 2003 at Saint-Malachie. Every morning begins with a general assembly where tasks, like cooking, are divided up and leadership is on a rotational basis.
Most of the participants are from Québec, but a few have come from Ontario and as far away as California. When we reached the heart of the camp—the kitchen—under a canopy of tarps Santiago from Sherbrooke is serving up potatoes from an industrial sized pot.
“It’s a good time to meet different people with different aspirations. It’s not always easy with direct democracy, but it’s a good challenge,” he says, adding this is his third year of involvement with the camp. “It’s good at the end of the summer to recharge your batteries, discuss… and this year even more so. It’s concrete, it’s political.”
Parent says it’s no accident that they’re set up near Montebello this year. “We’re really glad to have some way to anchor it to a more political event,” he says. After the dishes are done, and without the distractions of the city, there is time for workshops and discussion.
Liam Bradette from Toronto found out about the camp when he was looking for somewhere to stay during the protests. “You have to get out an do something to try to express you either happiness with the situation or unhappiness with what’s going on. I haven’t been happy with what’s been happening since both Bush and Harper have come to power.”
Colin Perrault has been involved with the camp since the beginning and he’s also concerned about the policies coming out of the SPP meetings, particularly militarization of the continent. And as the Autonomous Camp is spending three weeks focusing on direct democracy, he says the SPP runs counter to their group’s beliefs.
“The thing that is the most wrong about the PSP is the council of competitiveness is laying out all these policies that they transmit directly to the presidents and prime ministers and their main cabinets. And what you get is these policies that are not voted in parliament. It’s like a big sheet is being put over North America.”
The camp continues until August 21. For more info check out their web site, uncampement.net.
