Women’s March Canada plans Saturday event in St. John’s, North West River

Solidarity for women’s and human rights is the foundation for a march slated for more than 40 cities and towns across Canada this weekend.

The Women’s March Canada — St John’s March will commence from St. John’s City Hall at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. An additional march is set for North West River that will be held from 2-3 p.m. on Saturday on the province’s west coast.

The marches are intended to send the message that there is no true peace, freedom or inclusion without equity for all, and support for the marches has come in from many sources.

One of those is Green Party of Canada Leader Elizabeth May.

“I am so excited about the marches happening in communities from Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador, which highlight the growing bonds of solidarity across social movements in Canada,” May stated in a news release Thursday.

“It has been a particularly empowering time for women who

have faced sexual harassment and assault, with thousands upon thousands of courageous individuals adding their voices to the #Metoo campaign.” Last year, on Jan. 21, 2017, people of

all backgrounds — women and men and gender non-conforming people, young and old, of diverse faiths, differently abled, immigrants and Indigenous — came together five million strong, on

all seven continents of the world.

For more information on the St. John’s march, interested people are asked to contact organizer Deenaree Voelker by email at deenareevoelker@gmail.

com; to gain additional information about the North West River march, contact Jan Morrision at jan.morrison12@gmail.com.

AP FILE PHOTO A crowd fills Independence Avenue during the Women’s March on Washington on Jan. 21, 2017, which is the inspiration for more than 40 marches that will occur Saturday, Jan. 20 across Canada, including in St. John’s and North West River in this province.