Negotiations continue between the city and Occupy NS
Posted Oct 28, 2011 03:32:27 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HRM Mayor Peter Kelly sat down with members of the Nova Scotia Nunavut Command of the Royal Canadian Legion and Occupy Nova Scotia members Friday afternoon.
The meeting, which took place in a tent in Grand Parade, was to discuss a possible compromise so that veterans will be able to have their Remembrance Day ceremony in front of City Hall.
On Tuesday, the Mayor asked protesters to vacate Grand Parade by November 6th so the city can prepare for the annual event, but demonstrators say they have the right to be there and aren’t leaving.
“I have a lot of veterans who are in wheelchairs and a lot of veterans who can’t get out anymore,” says Jean Marie Deveaux, President of the Nova Scotia Nunavut Command of the Royal Canadian Legion. “(Remembrance Day) is their special day.”
After sitting in on the discussion between the Mayor and Occupy Nova Scotia members Friday afternoon, Deveaux says she’s confident the protesters will cooperate.
“We’ve had some very good dialogue and discussions back and forth,” she says. “I was quite pleased with the discussions, actually. They are ongoing, and they will be ongoing for the next couple of days.”
Mayor Kelly says he’s optimistic both sides will be able to come to an agreement by Monday.
“(Occupy NS members) have been very cooperative to date,” he says. “So we expect that we will have a very positive outcome.”
Mayor Kelly would not say what will happen if the protesters refuse to leave by November 6th.
