Monday 23 October 2017

City STRIKE Memorial


   Looks like the City’s ‘interpretive centre’ for the Winnipeg General Strike is complete. And once again we can see how the legacy of the General Strike is being downgraded and denigrated by those in power today.
   The steel billboard commemorates a few key words from a textbook description of Strike events. There is an emphasis on the placement of the Strike in this part of the city. If the intention was to create something photogenic for tourists, it has succeeded.
   Clearly the intention was not to recognized the courage and commitment of the thousands of working people who stood up for their rights in 1919. This thing certainly doesn’t reflect any of the values and principles that played an important role in the Strike. And to add insult to injury this passive structure ignores what the Strike means to Winnipeggers of the past and present.

   Come to Market Avenue and Lily Street to see it. Tell me what you think. See if you can pick out the historical inaccuracies they have cut into steel!


October 2017

Unveiling November 3rd, 2017
Without a great deal of publicity and community participation, the billboard was unveiled today. See the CBC report;