Canada: Hay bales set on fire at Occupy Winnipeg

  With harsh winter weather setting in the Occupy Winnipeg site is now down to five tents and three of them have been ordered removed because they are not regularly occupied. On  October 15th about 400 people marched to the park area where the encampment is located.
    The hay bales were used as a wind break. They had been ordered removed as a fire hazard. Someone set them on fire during the night. No one was injured and nothing else was burned. Back on Nov. 25th someone burned an unoccupied tent as well.
    One of the three tents that are to be removed is actually a yurt structure in which meetings were held but with the numbers dwindling so are the meetings no doubt. There are only two tents left that are regularly occupied. Other people no doubt drop by but few want to stay in the frigid weather with no heat. A representative of those remaining said that they plan to beef up security. However with only two tents left it may be problematic to find people to act as security guards! For more see this article.

Terry Weaymouth inspects a removal order on an abandoned tent. The yurt in the background has also been ordered removed

Would you want an Occupy protest in your own area

 The CBC is asking Canadians whether they would want Occupy protests in their area. I happen to live in rural Manitoba in a village of about 150 people. I expect that a large group of campers would be welcomed. I even have an almost acre lot with an old garage on it with a stove inside. Our local park is much too small for any reasonable sized protest  to use.
    If the protesters want to use public property the Trans Canada trail that used to be a railroad runs through the village. It is hardly ever used and certainly people could camp along the right of way. The local store would probably be quite happy to have increased business. They also carry beer and liquor!
   There is no hotel in town but hotels in nearby towns would be happy to have reporters as customers. Restaurants too would show an increase in business. Before the protesters set up camp though they would need to get locals to clear the snow off their camping areas. The encampment would be a good survival training area. The temperature is going below minus twenty in the next few days.
   In a short time we will have Xmas lights up and burning.  This year we could attract people not just to see the lights but to come and visit the largest Occupy protest in rural Manitoba.