Compiled by Andy Wilson

The General Assembly was held the Ottawa Public Library. The meeting received Committee announcements and proposals, and individual announcements and proposals.The GA approved the allocation of $120 to transfer the Movement’s official website from the infamous Go Daddy to a socially-conscious host.

Committee Announcements:

Safety

• Discussing having two groups: safety and safety support, for re-occupation.
• Also discussing doing anti-Oppression training.
• Next meeting Friday, 5pm, at Occu-tims (Laurier & Metcalfe)

Labour Outreach

• Salvation Army checked in. Having a hard time with the strike – it’s difficult to strike against this employer given the nature of the work. Request for more bodies on the picket lines. Monday, 5pm, 171 George St.
• There’s a bus, provided by the ODLC and/or the OFL, that is going to London, leaving Saturday morning 4:30am and returning later that evening. Participants are acting against Caterpillar for its anti-worker actions. Talk to Heather as soon as possible if you are interested.
• On the evening of February 5th free meal there will be a union function at the Jack Purcell Arena free meal. Organizers are requesting some help with basic jobs to free meal make the event run smoothly (for example, setting up tables, serving food, helping to clean up, free meal etc.). You should be able to get a free meal if you go.
• Picketing at the hair salon on Bank St. is still going on. Company engaging in ridiculousness like changing its name in an attempt to escape picket action. Such tactics are currently ineffective.
• Anti-O training discussed with some members of L.O. Original idea was to get Training for Change, a US organization, to come and give training, but a consensus seems to emerging on using local contacts to conduct training instead.
• Discussing idea to have Labour people come speak to Occupy people, and vice versa. Speak to Hugh if interested.

Social Committee

• Threads meeting tentatively scheduled for Friday at 7pm. Location TBD.

Political Action Committee

• Intake meetings were a success. Specifically, the teach-in at the U of O and the different meeting times helped generate more interest and membership in the committee.
• This Sunday’s meeting is cancelled.
• The PAC will now meet every Wednesday evening. On nights without a GA, the meeting time is 8pm. When there is a GA, the meeting time is 9pm.
• Jan 31st rally on parliament hill against Bill C-10 coming up.

Re-Occupation

• Subgroup on houselessness, addiction, and mental health made a video interview with Darren. It’s available for viewing.
• Next meeting Wednesday, 5pm, at Occu-tims.
• Working on compiling a list of resources for mental health, addictions, counselors, etc.

Direct Action and Mobilizations

• Next meeting 8:30pm at the Bridgehead on Elgin.
• Doodle poll to determine next meeting time.

Inter-Occupy

• There’s an Occupy Toronto conference this weekend in Toronto, from Friday to Sunday.

Committee Proposals

DAM

• Proposal to issue the following statement:Occupy Ottawa is standing in Solidarity with Occupy Belfast and their occupation of an abandoned bank. Occupy Ottawa supports the action as it brings awareness to a variety of very real socials issues, including but not limited to access to housing, the use of private/public space by governments, banks and corporations as well as the availability of space that can be turned to better use for everyone.
• Concern: It’s a no brainer.
• C: Glad it’s going through a GA.
• C: is it safe?
• A bit of back and forth ensued.
• A text from an occupier watching the livestream arrived, saying that the building has heat and power and that the press isn’t saying it’s unsafe.
• Next text adds that the police don’t consider the action a civil matter, not a criminal one, and that firefighters said the building is safe.
• Proposal is passed.
•  
• Tomorrow at the supreme court, a court case involving sex workers is being heard.
• Proposal to issue a statement in solidarity with the Sex Workers Union Against Violence.Proposal passed.
• At the supreme court march tomorrow, people are suggested to wear red mittens, and bring red balloons and/or umbrellas.

Media

• At the last GA, the idea was brought up that media can ask the GA for money for the website.
• The proposal is for the GA to allocate $120 to Media to cover the remainder of $200 needed for a server for the website.
• The proposed new server is based in Iceland, with tough data protection laws, outside the legal jurisdiction of the US. Moving from Go Daddy discussed as a positive move.
• Concern: There’s a server in the US that hosts many Occupies, and its free.
• Friendly amendment accepted to amend the proposal to: allocate Media $120, to be used for the server in Iceland if, after considering other servers, such as the Occupy one in the US, the Media committee chooses to. The money will be returned to the GA if it is not needed.
• Proposal passed