The long drive to Toronto and then Hamilton from Montreal, is the busiest corridor in Canada. It is the most commercial stretch of land, this side of the flag. It is here you see the continuous development of big box wasteland and the ever popular American and, to a lesser extent, Canadian corporations. The brand names and commercial logos pop up with such regularity the roadside takes on an advertising slideshow feel. Where once billboards filled the gaps between populations, the physical store/restaurant/gas station becomes the advertisement
In Hamilton the Labour Students Association is hosting the event, and brings out a huge crowd. Lots of students from McMaster´s University, and local labour activist populate the audience. We meet up with Lincoln from the UFCW. Lincoln has been coordinating the screenings in Ontario for both myself and WalTown. He has a cold but still manages to speak to the union issues. Also he asks people to call on TVO (TV Ontario) to email them and ask them to broadcast the film, as we still need an English broadcaster. They are still debating if they will acquisition the film. So if you are reading this and you are from Ontario email TVO (shit email them if your are from the Bahamas) and tell them you want to see WalTown on the teley.
The debate rounds up with a young girl who came to see the film with her parents and is spearheading a petition calling on Lee Scott (CEO of WalMart) to fix the companies notorious record with international sweatshops. She had written a letter that was asking WM to raise their low standards on human rights, to allow independent inspections of factories that supply for WM and to grand workers the basic right to collectivization.
It was nice to see young activism in action, made me want to pick up the camera and start all over again… ok not quite.
