photo from yesterday, day 1 of protest
PROTEST EVENING POSTMORTEM:
I know that this small protest did reach the FIsters attending the conference and put them on notice–because most refused to look us in the eye.
This protest happened because of the dedication of on-site protesters including Atticus, Marie, Northernstar, Peter, Tricia, and WhiteKat, those (including Blaze and James Jatras) who helped in preparation of the letter to the Canadian Bankers Association that was critical to the protest, and because of the others I am not certain that I can mention.
Amazing people, all.
On-site coverage from IRSCompliantForever :
15.54. A last goodbye from all of us to the banksters.
15:03. Banker from small bank who hates FATCA just signed petition.
14:24. AttIcus just explained FATCA to passerby. Response was “Well, the banks need a little (words deleted).”
14:14. Banksters we meet all express sympathy but insist that there is no way to prevent FATCA. So many passerbys wondering about this FATCA word.
13:18. Fellow from one of the major banks visited with us had a friendly chat and accepted the CBA letter. He asked that we not disclose the name of his bank. Banksters are also taking pictures of us.
12.55. Another passerby came up to us expressing concern that her daughter has a Green Card.
Reports and photos of earlier today and yesterday after the jump
12:53. A passerby just came up to us expressing concern that she was born to a US parent and asked whether FATCA applied. Atticus explained and the woman thanked us for being here.
11:23. Unexpectedly another protester arrived with signs. Someone we all know.
11:13. Police have arrived again.
10:51. Nice sunny day. One bankster inside gave us the thumbs up. We had a nice chat with two reps of a major FI who accepted the CBA letter.
***
Day 1 of Protest – Yesterday, 13 November
13:40. Stuck on a narrow curb.
13:07. New development. Head of security informed us that we had to move to the curb in which we must remain 18 inches from the street. I called the police to resolve. Three police officers came and tried to intervene with security, but security refused as walkway is technically on private property. Want to emphasize that police tried their very best to help us. We will try not to tip over on curb. Lots of interest from passerbys. Morale very high.
12:50
12:46
12:13. Above is a photo of four Brocker/Sandboxers taken by a sympathetic passerby. Note that the person holding the “Do not marry an American” sign is a guest Brocker who is a kindly non-US spouse of a US person. She strongly supports the message of the sign and wants to be known as @LauraSecord. Small group but morale is high.
11:09. Met a fellow working for a bank. He says FATCA is painful.
11:02. Tricia, Marie, NorthernStar and IRSCompliantForever just spoke to a very friendly and receptive journalist who will include mention of our protest in an article He also said that this is the first FATCA protest he is aware of. We cannot mention name of journalist. We are pointing signs at the conference room. Doors are closed now so that banksters cannot see us.
09:37. Peter is standing immediately in front of the conference meeting room. We can see them and they can see us. But we cannot enter.
07:33. Peter and I are on site. We were told us that we would be arrested if we entered building. Tried to leave CBA letters but conference organizer refused and noted that our comments on IBS about CBA were inflammatory.
***
The conference is “Canadian Institute’s 19th Annual REGULATORY COMPLIANCE for Financial Institutions” at the North Building of the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto which has been brought to our attention through the diligence of @Tricia. http://www.regulatorycomplianceforfis.com/
So far, intrepid Northernstar and Whitekat have agreed to attend.
I’d be there if I could. Sorry.
Time to stick this call for participation onto the top.
I am sure, like in Calgary, you will get many people who want to know what FATCA is! Great strategy plan to have the Open Letter to the Canadian Banking Association and asking for more signatures for the MP Ted Hsu Petition to the Canadian Government.
Thanks for stepping up for another information / demonstration opportunity!
@all
I want to make signs that would be bank related . Please write in and make your suggestions. I am still thinking of making my US Person Star arm band. It is a symbol that Parliament will make me and other American Persons secondary citizens as were the Jewish people in the 30s and 40s of Europe.
Hi, northernstar.
While I understand the analogy, I don’t think a US Person arm band is the way to get our FATCA stories across to people. I think those that I spoke with would have, mostly, been turned off by the comparison. Personally, I wouldn’t do it in what, I think, is better information and protest that simply says NO to Canada being an arm of the IRS.
If anyone has an “in” with the McQuaig campaign, or the campaigns of the Greens or the Liberals (or the Progressive Canadians, if they’re running ) in Toronto Centre, please send an email to that gmail address. We’re going to try to encourage at least one of the Toronto Centre campaign organizations and hopefully candidates to support this, since all their parties are on record as being opposed to or very concerned about FATCA. I’m currently coordinating the drafting of some emails about this, but we’re a bit short on the ground with personal contacts in any of those campaigns.
Reply to that email address, not to this post, and please do so asap. Thanks.
Since signs are two-sided, we can have a slogan on each side. I am thinking of this for one side of my sign:
Canadians First, Bankers Second! Banks should say ‘NO’ to FATCA!
@Northernstar, I agree with Calgary411, the less ‘American’ we present ourselves as, the better. We got some flack at the Ottawa protest by one gentleman once he started thinking of us as ‘Americans’. He actually said ‘Yankees go home’. Don’t expect sympathy from fellow Canadians, once they start thinking of you as an American, no matter how disadvantaged you may be as one.
To make sure we retain legitimacy, we don’t want to come off as radicals and shut down any reasonable dialogue with people who really just ‘want to know”. Our stories are powerful in themselves. My point was, personally, I don’t think the armband analogy to past history would go over well.
One Conservative Party delegate pointed out to me that my sign should not have a reference to the USA as it looks like I was protesting everything USA. I was protesting FATCA and that is USA law. He said we should be linking FREEDOM to our efforts. Another interesting comment that I got from one of the Conservative delegates in my conversation with him was that he was glad I knew the difference between ‘the Canadian government’ and the ‘Conservative Party’.
@Calgary 411
point taken I agree , no armbands. I am at a loss as to what to say without sounding insulting or crazy radical. How about FATCA hurts me
I agree with calgary411 re the arm band. I think it would turn people off – it would turn me off and I don’t have any Jewish ancestry (AFAIK).
And WhiteKat’s point is good. We are not USPs, or at least not primarily. We are resident Canadian citizens and landed immigrants being targeted by a hostile foreign government.
My 2 cents.
@Calgary411
“he was glad I knew the difference between ‘the Canadian government’ and the ‘Conservative Party’”
Sounds like some cracks are forming.
@all…
How about this for a sign:
NO FATCA!, EH?
@all
Maybe
SAY NO TO FATCA, EH!
Maybe Halloween’s effected me, but how about a fake hatchet stuck in your head with “FATCA” written on it?
“EH” is great and adds Canadian content!
@bubble bustin
You are funny. I don’t think I could wear the hatchet though…
My suggestions are:
BANKS: NO to FATCA
or
BANKS + FATCA = NO (because they’re bottom line thinkers)
Exactly, northern star — it hurts you and it hurts other very innocent families. We are collateral damage of bad foreign US FATCA law that may be allowed into sovereign (up to now) Canada — and other countries. Canadian banks and the CRA should NOT become arms of the US IRS.
I have a question about the petition…since there is only 4 lines for for signatures , does one print out the same paper again for 4 more signatures . seems like a lot of printing for 4 signatures.
@bubblebustin.
I took it as that. 🙂
I like what Calgary411 said:
CANADIAN BANKS + CRA
SHOULD NOT BECOME ARMS OF
THE US IRS.
SAY NO TO FATCA
Northernstar, yes–it will mean a lot of printing.
But being in Toronto I can easily bring lots of copies.
That’s what I thought too, bubblebustin, and so do others: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/11/01/conservatives_envision_future_without_stephen_harper_hbert.html. To have been a fly on the wall.
We did get news, too, on other important stuff — http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2013/11/02/harper-performs-at-calgary-nightclub/#.UnU2e1OQPH1!
@ALL
How about
Keep Canada’s Sovereignty.
Protect our Charter and Rights.
Say No to FATCA
That’s great — except too many words, unless on separate signs. The KISS rule should apply. You can discuss those points when you invite discussion with fewer words — people actually do want to know: “What is FATCA?”
My suggestion: don’t go overboard on the number of copies, as I did. I did want to have more than enough, just in case, but my lofty estimation of passing out information to every person who went by was way off. I wish I could get some of the leftovers to you.