MEDIA COVERAGE

NO GAMES TORONTO received a great deal of media coverage during the flying squad bus tour and Rally over the past two days while the PASO committee was in town.

MEDIA COVERAGE FROM AUG 30-31 EVENTS

*NOW, Sept 2-9, Vol 29 No1, Paul Terefenko: Let the Pan Am games begin; Mayor Pump Pan Am Projects for Priority' Hoods, Critics Jeer

* The Toronto Sun - Mon Aug 31: Pan Am protesters fuming over bid. - Video.

* CTV – Aug 30: Pan Am evaluators in TO in bid to find host city
Video: CTV Toronto: Welcoming Pan Am Evaluators

* The Star, Dan Robson - Sept 1: Pam Am VIPs ride GO, while 1,600 fume.

* The Star, Royson James - Sept 1: Protesters can spoil more than a Games bid.

* SmugMug: No Pan Am Games in Toronto press conference. Photographs.

* CBC - Aug 31: Pan Am Games Chair lauds Toronto bid

* National Post, Allison Hanes - Aug 31: Anti-games rally as PanAm dignitaries visit.

* National Post, Allison Hanes - Aug 31: PanAm dignitaries get VIP tour.

* National Post, Allison Hanes - Aug 27: PanAm opposition emerges on eve of official site tour.

* The Hamilton Spectator, John Kernaghan - Aug 29: Hamilton on track for Games committee visit.

* The Star, Vanessa Lu - Aug 31: It’s our time for Pan Am.

* The Globe and Mail, Susan Krashinsky and Brodie Fenlon - Sept 1: Ottawa okays ID cards for Pan Am Games bid.

* The Globe and Mail, Jill Mahoney -Aug 30: City gets once-over for Pan Am Games.

* Globe and Mail, Josh Wingrove - Sept 1: Visiting Pan Am official touts Toronto for Olympics.

* Mountain News, Kevin Werner - Aug 28: Say no to Pan Am Games, political group says.

We will continue to oppose the games! If you want to get involved stay updated about upcoming meetings to be posted on our blog site.

PHOTOS: RALLY NO GAMES TORONTO -AUG 31

Rally UofT Varsity Stadium

Helen Lenskyj, Author of several books including: Olympic Industry Resistance: Challenging Olympic Power and Propoganda, 2008

John Clark, Ontario Coalition of Poverty (OCAP)

Rally 100 Devonshire Place, APUS Office

Ajamu Nangwaya (CUPE 3907)

Dear friends and allies,

Join us for one last chance to show opposition to the Pan Am Games, PASO Evaluation Committee today.

LOCATION: Rogers Centre, 4:45 pm, gate #8
1 Blue Jays Way

Thank you for your continued support! No Games Toronto hosted a very successful rally at 100 Devonshire Place. We had a number of very powerful speakers and performers and lots of media come out. More updates and photos will be available shortly at www.NoGamesToronto.blogspot.com.

Let’s show PASO’s Evaluation team that the Pan-Am Games are not a Toronto priority!

In solidarity,
No Games Toronto

NO GAMES TORONTO: STOP THE BID FOR THE 2015 PAN-AMERICAN GAMES

Rogers Centre & CN Tower

Pan-American Sports Organization (PASO) in town to Decide on Bid

RALLY to stop the Games! Monday, August 31, 11:00A.M.
LOCATION: 100 Devonshire Place, across from the UofT Varsity Stadium.

Call out to the community to join us at the APUS office, the site of the $50 million Pan Am venue that will displace the part-time union. We will have speakers, free food and information on why we need to resist the bid!

Speakers include Helen Lenskyj (OISE), John Clarke (OCAP), Ajamu Nangwaya (CUPE3907), Joeita Gupta (APUS), Murphy Browne (NGT), Shelley Melanson (CFS) and Vanessa Parlette (CUPE3902).

SUNDAY AUG 30th FLYING SQUAD BUS UPDATE- IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!
We visited five locations across the GTA, handing out flyers, postering and exposing the myths and realities of the Pan-Am Games;

*11:00 A.M.- Varsity Stadium and site of the proposed Centre for High-Performance Sports (planned to displace UofT's part-time student union).

*12:00 P.M.- Union Station (close to the Fairmont Hotel where PASO members are staying and major thoroughfare for the GTA)

*1:00 P.M.- Roy Thomson Hall (proposed venue for weight-lifting events)

*1:30 P.M.- Rogers Centre and CN Tower (major city attractions and points on the PASO Evaluation teams itinerary)

*3:00 P.M.- York University, Rexall Stadium (PASO officials scheduled to evaluate the tennis courts)

*5:00 P.M. University of Toronto Scarborough (site of the proposed $170 million Aquatics and Track and Field Centre)

No Games Toronto Flying Squad attracted media at almost every stop we made. We postered the streets and held up "No GAMES TORONTO" banners. Join us tomorrow for the second day of the PASO visit, at 11:00 am across from the Varsity Stadium, 100 Devonshire Place.

Twice in the past, the people of Toronto have been successful in preventing the Games from coming to town (1996 and 2008 games). We did it twice, we can do it again! Come out to the rally and show PASO that the Pan-Am Games are neither welcome here, nor are they a relevant priority!

Union Station & the Fairmont Hotel

York University - Rexall Stadium

University of Toronto Scarborough Campus

No Games Toronto - Stop the bid for the 2015 Games!

Pan Am Sports Organization (PASO) coming to town to decide on bid

RALLY to stop the Games!
Monday August 31, 11:00 a.m.
100 Devonshire Place, across from the UofT Varsity Stadium

100 Devonshire Place, across from the UofT Varsity Stadium

Call out to the community to join us at the APUS office, the site of the $50 million Pan Am venue that will displace the part-time union. We will have speakers, free food and information on why we need to resist the bid!

Also on Sunday, August 30th, 11 a.m. to evening the No Games Flying Squad Bus will visit a few of the venues (Meet 11 a.m. @ APUS).

The estimated cost for the Pan-Am games in Toronto is already set at $2.4 billion. Yet, the most vulnerable and marginalized people are told that there isn’t enough money to assist them. All, three levels of government and the U of T have pledged either tens, or hundreds of millions into the Pan-Am Games. Meanwhile, there are more urgent priorities like public housing, keeping our schools and pools open and affordable post-secondary education.

This year, while planning for two Olympic Size sports facilities, costing upwards of $220 million for the Pan Am games, the University of Toronto raised tuition across the board. In addition, they introduced an unprecedented Flat Fee that will increase tuition for part-time students as much as 66%. One venue, the Centre for High Performance Sport, will displace the UofT part-time student union. If these plans go ahead, students will be expected to pay additional levies for both venues.

Twice in the past, the people of Toronto have been successful in preventing the Olympics from coming to town (i.e. 1996 and 2008 games). We stopped it then and we can do it again! Mega-Sporting events wreak havoc on their host cities, displacing marginalized people, shutting down sectors of the city, bankrupting small businesses, demanding a large police presence, and in the end leave the city billions in debt.

We only need to look to Vancouver, which is scheduled to host the 2010 Olympic Games. What was originally supposed to cost only $660 million is now projected at $6 billion. With six months before the games begin there are already massive violations of civil liberties and homelessness has substantially increased.
When the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) comes to town there will be a two-day marathon of wining, dining, and showing off, where officials from all three levels of government will attempt to impress the five-member evaluation committee to secure Toronto’s 2015 Pan-Am bid. No Games Toronto, a coalition of community activists, plan to show our opposition on the 30th and 31st by letting PASO know their games are not welcome here.

Join our rally Monday 31st at 11 a.m. 100 Devonshire place and the flying squad No Pan Am Games Bus - Sunday Aug 30th, 11 a.m. to evening (the bus leaves from same location). Send PASO the message that Toronto has more relevant priorities than Mega-Sporting events.

More information: http://NoGamesToronto.blogspot.com or call Joeita Gupta 416 918-1935