Collecting Signatures for the 'Lift the Ban' Petition Drive
Sat Dec 8
Vancouver Public Library
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Collecting Signatures for the 'Lift the Ban' Petition Drive
Sat Dec 1
Vancouver Art Gallery
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Collecting Signatures for the 'Lift the Ban' Petition Drive
Tues Nov 27
UBC
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Forum
Sat Nov 13
SFU Harbour Centre
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Alison Bodine Defence Committee Fundraiser
Sat Nov 10
El Rancho Restaurant
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Collecting Signatures for the 'Lift the Ban' Petition Drive
Sat Nov 10
Vancouver Public Library
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Decision Release Hearing & Defence Rally
Wed Oct 31
Citizenship and Immigration Offices - Vancouver
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STUDENT WEEK AGAINST WAR & OCCUPATION (SWAWO) EVENTS
Wed Oct 24
Capilano
North Vancouver
Tues Oct 23
Langara College
Vancouver
Mon Oct 22
Douglas College
New Westminster
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DEFENCE RALLY
Fri Oct 19
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Sat Oct 13
Richmond BC
Alison was an invited speaker to give a presentation on human rights, democratic rights, and her case...
-------------------------------------DEFENCE RALLY & ADMISSIBILITY HEARING
Thur Oct 11
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
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DEFENCE RALLY
Wed Oct 10
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
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Gathering Petition Signatures
Public Forum "The Case of Alison Bodine & the Case of the Cuban 5 Political Prisoners Held in US Jails"
Tues Oct 9
University of Victoria
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FORUM:
"Why I Have Been Targeted: CBSA Violates Civil Liberties"
Sat Oct 6
SFU Harbour Centre
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DEFENCE RALLY
Fri Oct 5
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
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GATHERING SIGNATURES FOR THE
"DROP ALL CHARGES AGAINST ALISON BODINE" PETITION
Fri Oct 5
Vancouver Art Gallery
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POST-HEARING PUBLIC FORUM
Sat Sept 29
SFU Harbour Center
515 W Hastings
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DEFENCE RALLY & ADMISSIBILITY HEARING
Fri Sept 28
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
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ALISON BODINE SPEAKS OUT!
Mon Sept 24-Thur Sept 27
UBC
UVIC (Victoria)
Capilano College
Langara College
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LEGAL DEFENCE FUNDRAISER
Sun Sept 23
El Rancho Restaurant
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PUBLIC FORUM
Sat Sept 22
Chilean Housing Co-op
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MEXICO FORUM (Solidarity Coalition for a United Latin America)
Fri Sept 21
Chilean Housing Co-op
ALISON SPEAKS AT THE SCULA FORUM!
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DEFENCE RALLY
Fri Sept 21
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
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DEFENCE RALLY
Thurs Sept 20
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
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FREE THE CUBAN 5 PICKET
Thurs Sept 20
US Consulate
Alison Speaking at the Free the Cuban 5 Picket Action
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DEFENCE RALLY
Wed Sept 19
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
<-- Ken Robinson, 1st VP of Hospital Employees Union (HEU) Speaks at Sept 19 Rally CLICK HERE TO READ HEU LETTER IN DEFENCE OF ALISON
Wednesday September 19th was marked by the fourth support rally for Alison Bodine and an increase of support as the campaign to drop all charges against Alison by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) goes into its sixth day.
The campaign has been busy gathering more support with 200 support letters and petition signaturescollected in the last 24 hours alone. The Alison Bodine Defense Committee has also set a goal to collect 1000 petition signatures by Wednesday September 26th, two days before Alison's scheduled Admissibility hearing.
The increased support for the campaign was visible at the rally on Wednesday afternoon. Among the speakers was Ken Robinson, First Vice President of the Hospital Employees Union. He stated he represents 45,000 hospital workers in BC and that all members of their union stood behind Alison in this fight for democratic rights. The HEU has also sent a letter of support for Alison, echoing the demand that all charges against her be dropped. The rally at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Building downtown was strengthened with the reading of the support letter from NDP MPs Libby Davies and Bill Siksay that was also sent on Wednesday to Stockwell Day, Minister for Public Safety (the ministry responsible for the Canada Border Services Agency).
Vancouver student unions are also getting on board to demand "Drop the Charges Against Alison Now!". The Douglas College Students Union representing 12,000 students has also decided to support the campaign.
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DEFENCE RALLY & Canada Border Services Agency APPEARANCE
Tues Sept 18
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
On Tuesday, September 18th, Alison Bodine was scheduled to present herself to Canada border Services Agency at 10am, as stated in the conditions of release, which she signed on Friday, September 14th.
This requirement to appear before the BSA is only one in a long series of psychological maneuvers the government is using against Alison, and activists all across Canada; keeping Alison, her family, friends and her support network completely in the dark. In order to show the BSA and the government of Canada that Alison is not alone, more than 50 people rallied in front of the Citizenship and Immigration Offices at 300 W. Georgia St. in downtown Vancouver yesterday demanding that all charges against Alison be dropped immediately. With reporters from more than 5 major TV and radio agencies in attendance, and Alison's
picture and case already saturating the news wires and pages of the major newspapers across Canada, Alison confidently entered the building and presented herself to the Canada Border Services Agency. Not knowing whether she would be arrested again, and having been given no information, she was told to go to a small room off of the main hall, and that no one was allowed to go with her. After a few tense moments, Alison emerged from the room with only a few papers, stating nothing more than that she would have to return on Friday, September 28th at 9am for an Admissibility Hearing. Alison still has not been told what she is charged with, has been given no information on when her identification, vehicle or personal belongings will be returned to her, and has been left in a state of darkness regarding her case.
While it is clear that the government and its agencies are trying to kill any momentum that Alison's case has built among progressives in Canada, we remain resolute in our defence of Alison Bodine, continuing to demand that all charges against her be dropped immediately, and that she be allowed to freely travel between the US and Canada. And the pressure is mounting. Over the last several days, support letters have come in from all across Canada and the United States, as word of this case has spread and people register their outrage at such a blatant attack on the rights of Free Speech and of individuals to organize, and registering this case as a further attack on all non-status people in Canada who live with the daily threat of arrest.
Following Tuesday morning's successful demonstration in defense ofAlison, more than 45 people participated in a second open organizing meeting of the Alison Bodine Defense Committee (ABDC) at Joe's Café to continue organizing the defence of Alison and all anti-war and social justice activists in Canada and around the world. As well, there will be daily rallies in front of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada building (where the CBSA office is downtown) at 300 W. Georgia (Georgia & Hamilton) demanding that all charges against Alison be dropped immediately. The Alison Bodine Defense Committee calls on all progressive, humanity loving people to come out to these actions and defend not only Alison's rights, but the rights of us all, by participating in the daily rallies and by sending a letter in defense of Alison to Canada Border Services Agency. Unity in action is the only way that we can show the government of Canada and its agencies that we will not be pushed around or intimidated by their fear mongering tactics. United We Will Win!
CANCELED ADMISSIBILITY HEARING & DEFENCE RALLY
Mon Sept 17
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
On Monday, September 17, 2007 at approximately 11:45am Alison Bodine learned from a CBC reporter that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) had canceled her Admissibility hearing that was scheduled for 2pm that day. This was confirmed by calling the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) about the status of the hearing though Alison herself was never officially notified by CBSA.
Alison, a political organizer, social justice activist and US citizen, was arrested by the Canadian Border Agency at the Peace Arch border crossing when voluntarily leaving Canada for the US Thursday September 13th. She was released in less than 24 hours due to a huge outpouring of support and public pressure and widespread media coverage. However, she is still being charged by the CBSA and they are still in possession of her identification documents, passport, many different political materials, car and other possessions.
At 1:30pm Monday September 17th, more than 50 supporters rallied outside the downtown Citizenship & Immigration Canada offices, especially because of the canceled hearing, to demand that all charges against Alison Bodine be dropped immediately. Alison herself was present at the rally and spoke about the status of her case and the uncertain limbo in which she now stands. Being without status in Canada she can still be arrested at any time, she still does not know the charges against her nor when, or if, CBSA will re-schedule the Admissibility hearing. Many media outlets wereNewspaper, CBC Television, CBC Radio, The Peak SFU Student Newspaper and BCIT Student Radio in addition to the article published in the major Vancouver newspaper, The Province just this morning.
As part of the conditions of her release, Alison must present herself at the Canada Border Services Agency offices downtown at 10am Tuesday September 18th. The Committee to Free Alison Bodine is calling for supporters to rally again at the 300 W Georgia St offices at 9:30am as Alison presents herself to the CBSA and to continue the call that all charges against Alison must be dropped immediately. present to cover the rally including the Metro Vancouver Newspaper, 24hrs
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MOBILIZATION AGAINST WAR & OCCUPATION CONFERENCE
Sun Sept 16
Vancouver Community College
ALISON SPEAKS AT THE MAWO CONFERENCE!
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MOBILIZATION AGAINST WAR & OCCUPATION ANTIWAR RALLY
Sat Sept 15
Vancouver Art Gallery
(click photo for larger version!)
ALISON SPEAKS AT THE MAWO RALLY!
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DEFENCE RALLY
Fri Sept 14
CIC Offices
300 W Georgia
(click photo for larger version!)
EVENING OF SEPT 14: This afternoon on only 5 hours notice, 80 people came together at the Citizenship
and Immigrations Offices demanding the immediate release of Alison Bodine. Alison a political organizer, social justice activist and US citizen, was arrested by the Canadian Border Agency at the Peace Arch border crossing when leaving Canada for the US last night, Thursday September 13th. People who attended the rally came from many different social justice groups, political parties, colleges and universities to voice their opposition to Alison's unjust imprisonment. Media has also been quick to pick up this important case, today the committee did interviews with CKNW radio, CBC radio, CBC TV, Coop Radio, the Ubyssey newspaper, the Capilano Courier and Indymedia.
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