Many support Occupy movement, global poll finds

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Howard Loesewitz keeps warm reading a paper in his tent at the Occupy Winnipeg site in November. (PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store

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THEY toughed it out in the snow and then, when the official heat turned up, they went underground -- for now.

But results from a new global poll suggest if the Occupy Winnipeg camp is indeed reborn in the spring, many Manitobans might be sharing some goodwill. Indeed, 45 per cent of Manitobans have sympathetic feelings for the Occupy movement, according to the Ipsos poll of over 23 countries. Canadians as a whole were more favourable, with 52 per cent expressing support for the worldwide Occupiers.

The poll found respondents were far more likely to express support for the movement after being given more information about the movement's values and ideals, with 53 per cent of all global respondents describing their opinion as sympathetic.

"I personally feel that's indicative of something that would happen on a larger scale," said Chris James, who has participated in the local Occupy chapter since its inception.

"If people knew more about the concerns and the issues, there would be more support."

There is yet time for the group to get the word out.

Since authorities removed the few remaining tents in the Memorial Park encampment in December, Occupy Winnipeg members have turned to more weather-friendly tactics, including weekly Friday outings to hand out leaflets in the mall beneath Portage and Main.

Each week, supporters meet for one of the movement's general assemblies to plan for what has been dubbed "Occupy 2.0." The group is also mobilizing to speak at civic meetings on the transit fare hike and gearing up to protest the federal Canadian-European Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement, which opponents say will threaten local economies and Canada's environmental security.

"We as a group are taking stock and regrouping," James said.

"More needs to be done with regards to getting out the message, and getting information and the concerns of Occupy, and how those relate to the public in general. If that's done, more people will be willing to support it."

Occupy Winnipeg started last Oct. 15 when the Occupy Wall Street movement went worldwide. Winnipeg supporters acted in solidarity with American protests for economic justice and against corporate greed.

Protesters had set up camps on Wall Street five weeks earlier, inspired, they said, by the Arab Spring mass demonstrations in the Middle East. The Occupy movement would go on to erect tent cities in more than 80 countries worldwide.

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 21, 2012 B1