When We Walked on Sunshine – Passing the Torch to a New Generation of Activists
On October 25, 2021, we celebrated “When we walked on sunshine” with music, words, and inspiration, including:
- Video greetings from MDA co-chairs Linda Torney and Margaret Hancock
- A discussion on the lessons for today:
- Panel moderator – John Cartwright, former Labour Council president
- Karen Brown, Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario
- Vicky Smallman, Canadian Labour Congress
- Ilian Burbano, Community activist and SEIU staff
- Bill Howes, Chief Marshal for Metro Days of Action
Watch the event below.
This historic event saw people from all walks of life taking action to protest the drastic policies being imposed by the Harris Conservative government. It was a remarkable expression of social solidarity – union members and community activists uniting, standing up for the poor, for vital public services and for the quality of life of every Ontario resident. On Friday, October 25, the city was virtually shut down, and the next day nearly a quarter million marched on Queens Park to demand justice and fairness for all.
As we take on the Ford Conservatives today, we can learn the lessons of that history – how people found the courage to challenge their own employers, the courts, and the government.
Please circulate this info to your members, particularly those who were part of that amazing effort, and your upcoming activists. And if you haven’t seen the music video Resistance in Concert, you will definitely enjoy the performances of great musicians and the spirit of hundreds of thousands of people in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEoDbB-QpSI&t=614s
To download the full pdf version of the Walking on Sunshine article featured in Labour Action, click on the image below or here.
Read the Metro Days of Action by Linda Tourney by clicking here or the image below.
