April 13, 2010

Social justice activists visited the campus at the University of Victoria yesterday to bring a message of non-violence and ecological and social responsibility around the treatment of abandoned pet rabbits living there.

Their visit and its message received good media coverage, with interviews with the CBC, Black Media, CFRO, and political columnists and bloggers.

The community is concerned because, despite the success of non-lethal population control programs elsewhere, the current administration has announced a massive night-time kill of the friendly bunnies. Kelowna and Vernon in this province, Calgary, Alberta and Long Beach College in California have all instituted sterilization programs, public education campaigns, and improved rabbit protection bylaws. UVic has for years resisted calls by the community to take responsibility for what is ultimately a problem of human origin.

The activists handed out information sheets detailing links to community groups, facebook pages, a blog, a petition site, and a long list of political, university, and media contacts for the purpose of taking action against UVic's disturbing plan to kill these innocent animals.

Community organizers from diverse movements showed their solidarity with the campaign against the rabbit killing. Concerns were also raised over the university's bulldozing of a garden on campus with plantings by students, staff, faculty and the first nations community.

Local resistance to the current administration's stance is widespread. Also common are tales of harassment of dissident students and staff by campus administrators. Students shared stories of receiving threats of academic sanctions for political activities, and faculty and staff divulged similar concerns - citing worry over ongoing employment, including threats and insinuations about the effect of their private activities on their careers.

Activists also noticed aggressive behaviour directed at them by of certain employees from the Communications Department at UVic, as well as staff from Facilities Management. In addition to behaving belligerently towards the activists, they followed and tried to provoke them. They demanded to know the identities of the activists, their addresses, how long they were staying on campus, and what their plans were for the day. Some of the staff identified themselves and their positions, others denied they were staff but were later seen driving UVic vehicles on campus. This continued until an activist was followed into the toilet by a member of the Facilities Management staff. The activist, concerned for her personal safety, threatened to call the police. After this, the admin staff retreated to a distance to watch and record.

Despite their hostile reception on campus, the activists continued with their message of respect for nature and the community...inviting the university to join them in their campaign to bring non-lethal population control programs to the campus. A number of local veterinarians are willing to donate their time and provide necessary veterinary care and sterilization to the rabbits. A plethora of volunteers from all sectors of society are willing to donate their time to support this worthwhile and popular effort.

Roslyn Cassells is a BC based social justice activist and Canada's first elected Green. She is an ardent animal and human rights activist, and writes, teaches and campaigns for positive social, economic and ecological change everywhere.