P.G. to echo #metoo marches

After last year’s inauguration of Donald Trump inspired one of the biggest global protest marches in history, a group of women are planning a local anniversary rally at Prince George’s Civic Plaza on Jan. 20.

According to rally organizer Zoë Meletis, this year’s rally will once again echo similar women’s marches and rallies in Washington D.C., across Canada and throughout the United States. Thirty-two women’s marches are planned across Canada, from Whitehorse to Halifax. Prince George’s outdoor rally is planned to be brief, lasting from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., due to the cold weather.

Meletis has also been involved in organizing the annual Inspiring Women Among Us conference at UNBC, which highlighted women’s leadership in the north. She said the march will welcome all ages and genders.

While explicitly critical of the U.S. commanderin-chief, the rally’s key aim is to advocate for the equality of women.

“I think the Trump presidency has been a really rude, awful wake-up call to how rights, privileges and services can be repealed even if they were fought for over decades,” Meletis said.

Meletis said the presidency of the polarizing U.S. leader has had one silver lining locally; there has been a renewed interest locally in activism, active citizenry and education about racism, sex- ism and homophobia.

A similar rally held in Prince George last January drew approximately 100 people, including local city councillors and UNBC president Daniel Weeks. Similar rallies in Vancouver and Victoria drew thousands, while a march in Washington D.C. drew an estimated 470,000. Many attendees wore pink knitted “pussyhats” to draw attention to President Trump’s infamous “grab them by the pussy” remarks captured from an Access Hollywood tape released during the 2016 election campaign.

Then, as now, the multiple accusations of sexual assault against Trump has continued to draw news headlines. In the wake of the #metoo movement sparked by the Harvey Weinstein scandal, the issue of sexual assault has also drawn renewed focus throughout Canada, including locally.

Sexual assault is far from an unknown issue in Prince George; according to RCMP statistics, 55 sexual assaults were reported in the area last year.

Meletis said the events in the media have struck a chord with residents of Prince George.

“I think sometimes it’s convenient to be in northern B.C. when there are explosive political things going on elsewhere because you feel like you have the safety of distance from some of these things.

“But I think Prince Georgians are global citizens and we are concerned about the threats of removing rights, one country away. We do know that Canada and the U.S. influence each other,” Meletis said.