Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Protest March on Wednesday August 22nd, 2007

Iles-de-la-Madeleine Municipal Mayor, Joël Arseneau Meets With Protesters As Protest Goes Nation Wide With CBC Canada

On the afternoon of August 22nd 2007, protesters invaded the Municipal parking lot of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine. After much deliberations, Mayor Arseneau made his appearance to formally ask the protesters their purpose and what it was that they wanted of the Municipality. The protesters, nearly one hundred in all, were very clear that they wanted the full support of the Municipality to rid all of the islands of drug dealers who profit from the sale of illegal drugs.
Also on the agenda was to request the aide of the Mayor, to back the protest, in their desire to force the Surêté du Quebec, the Quebec Police Force, to post a detail of narcotic specialists on the Magdalen Islands, to aide in the clean up and keep them here for future drug problems.

The group
were parents, grand-parents, secondary (high) and elementary school students, victims of drug abuse, ex-dealers, fishermen, business people, young and old, convened at the islands central wharf in Grindstone at 11:00am to start the protest. The walked up to main street and through the middle of town as far as the municipal town hall. All the while the gathered protest members who believed in their cause. After chanting "NO MORE DRUGS - ASSEZ C'EST ASSEZ (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH)" in front for the town hall for a while, Mr. Arseneau came to speak to the Anti Protesters, asking what it was that he could do to help.

The protesting group continued to grow, during the noon hour, as members of the business community took their lunch hour, to add to the protest number
s. After speaking with the mayor, the group continued to main street, where they protested to the high volume automobile traffic. During this procession the Quebec Police Force were conspicuously absent. However, far in the corner of the large parking lot, behind employees vehicles, one lone Surete du Quebec pickup hovered about to breakup the protest if it had turned ugly.

























Please return for more to the story and photos, tomorrow!!!!



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