What do we want to do with OccupyBC?

[Ben Selinger]

We are still determining how we can be most effective. We do not yet
have a definitive game plan as we are working with other groups as
well to determine just what we can bring back to the table.
The current (rough) plan is to start creating a template with which to
launch distributed and supporting movements. We would like to see
think-tanks dedicated to doing research and providing educational
materials and talks, special interest movements which can fly under
the OccupyVancouver banner without necessarily BEING the sole public
face of OccupyVancouver. This would solve many of the issues of
factionalization we've seen, and would actually help strengthen our
connection to movements we would like to support. OccupyVancouver
needs to reframe itself in the public eye as a movement for socio-
economic reform. Once the public can wrap their heads around our
primary directive, I think that it becomes easier to manage public
perception with regards to both OV directly as well as the movements
it supports.
Ideally, we would provide the infrastructure for new movements/
submovements to organize quickly, effectively, and with the total
summation of knowledge we've accumulated over the past few weeks so
that they can be more effective in drawing and maintaining a wide
audience.
One such group is already in the works, which aims to bring students,
professors, and researchers to the table to arm OV (and friends) with
a wealth of knowledge/education.
I can think of several other sub-movements which OV already supports,
but I feel could be more effective acting as a distinct and cohesive
yet supporting movement to OV. OccupyHousing, OccupyWildSalmon both
immediately come to mind.
I personally, would like to see OccupyVancouver reload with the
intention of focusing more directly on socio-economic equality to
better support the rest of the worldwide occupations.
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I think OV should get back to focusing on socio-economic reform, and a
new sub-movement could be created (think "OccupyHomelessness" and
"OccupyDrugReform").
A group of us are working on precisely this as this current
factionalization is a segregation and NOT a unification.
My plan right now is to create an umbrella organization which can
template special interest movements which while they fall under the
umbrella of socio-economic inequality, have a much more specific and
directed purpose. "OccupyHomelessness" would be the one I hope to see
spawned immediately as I homelessness is a very big issue in
Vancouver, and it needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, the voice of
homelessness within' OV has become muffled in the cacophony of other
issues all yelling at the same time. Take a look at a twitter ticker
for 10 minutes and you'll see that this is precisely the issue seen by
the general public (who's support we want).
I think "OccupyHomelessness" would share much in common with
"OccupyEverywhere" but it certainly would have a modified dynamic. I'd
like to see OV endorse a zero drugs and alcohol policy as drugs and
alcohol are the primary reason people don't feel safe on the site.
OccupyHomelessness would very likely not be able to endorse such a
policy but could expend greater resources to manage the issue
intelligently. Again, we're all here for the same reason but our
voices are not all saying the same thing and this creates a lot of
confusion in the general public, and this confusion detracts from our
movement.

I don't see the factionalization as a problem. Quite the contrary, I
think we can turn it into a divide and conquer strategy which would
strengthen our causes immensely. I want to see strategically placed
movements on every city corner, and in every middle class
neighborhood, but I want to do so un-antagonistically. Let's let
soccer mom run her own "OccupyVancouver" dome in her gated community.
Let's see "OccupyHomelessness" speak directly to the issue of
homelessness, with active support from a hundred organizations and
let's use OccupyHomelessness as a vehicle to make real concrete
demands of our municipality and country. Demands backed by a large
number of reputable organizations for social change. If it will be
seen as antagonistic by a majority of the population, I'd rather find
a more effective strategy.