From September 25 to November 1, we relay-walked 1,450 miles from Toronto to Thunder Bay. In total, we accepted interviews from 34 news media agencies, visited additional 19 news media agencies, 35 city or township mayor offices, 17 Indian villages, and 30 district offices and did Hongfa and clarified the truth to them. In addition we donated Falun Gong teaching videotapes and Falun Gong books to 23 libraries as well as to every Indian village. So far we have received 24 letters of support for the SOS! Global RescueWalk or letters to Canadian Prime Minister Chretien to urge him to call on China to stop the brutal persecution against Falun Gong.
Even though we had experienced rain or snow and other hardships along the route, we felt that the mighty power of Dafa was touching and awakening the kind hearts of the Canadians.
a. In the face of a vicious attack by the Chinese Consulate General, Mayor stands up and supports SOS! Walk
Mr. Ron Stevens is the mayor of Orillia. He received slanderous materials from the Chinese Consulate General after he issued a Falun Dafa Week proclamation in January. After Toronto practitioners clarified the truth to him and the mayor himself browsed Dafa web pages, he then truly understood the facts. When we held a press conference in front of city hall, he hand-delivered a support letter and sent a copy to Prime Minister Chretien. When a reporter interviewed him, he said that the September 11 terrorism attacks made him understand that he must stand up to stop the brutal persecution against humanity.
b. Kind hearted Kathy and Penny.
Kathy is a librarian of BMLSS high school. She was driving with Penny in her car when she saw us walking along the highway. She stopped her car and asked why we were walking. Upon hearing our purpose, Penny invited us to her class to give a talk on Falun Gong. Kathy said she would ask her son to attend the class. At the class, we showed the videotape of the brutal persecution against Dafa practitioners. Students and teachers were deeply touched. Penny asked students whether there was a similar movement like Falun Gong. Some replied Falun Gong is like Martin Luther King's civil rights movement, some said it is like the nonviolent movement advocated by Gandhi.
When Kathy learnt that the mayor of the city where BMLSS is located had written a support letter, she called her own city mayor. She said, "I am ashamed that our city did not support the SOS! RescueWalk."
Along the route we met many kind-hearted people offering help. Some wanted to give us food, some offered rides or free lodging, some wanted to donate money. They all expressed their support after learning why we were walking.
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| Taking a photo with teacher Bonnie (second from right) and Kathy (second from left) after the talk at BMLSS high school | Mayor of Parry Sound Ted Knight with SOS! Walkers at press conference in front of his office | Shawanaga Indian Chief John Geroux with SOS! Walkers |
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| Walking along the beautiful Superior Lake | Walking in snow |
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| Mayor of Thessalon Watson Slomke with practitioners in the mayor's office | Mayor of Blue Mines Jean Kettles with practitioners in front of city hall | Press conference held inside St. Mary City Hall. MCTV is interviewing practitioner |
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| Thunder Bay western practitioner joined the walk | Visiting Gail Chapple's family during the walk. Gail (second from right) is holding a handmade box for her Dafa books. The box is decorated with a Falun made with large colored glass beads joined together. | Group practice in front of Thunder Bay city hall after completion of the SOS! Walk |
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| Accepting a CBC Radio interview | Group photo in Thunder Bay after group practice |
Category: News & Events