Please help build the gigantic CETApus!

Re action to educate about CETA on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011 in downtown London: construction of a huge blue octopus representing CETA on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. meet at East Village Cafe first (785 Dundas St.), then proceed to EVAC (East Village Arts Co-op, 757 Dundas St.) to make the giant puppet.

CETA is a new trade agreement being negotiated on the quiet between the Canadian government and the European Economic Union. It is like NAFTA on steroids. It would allow huge European and American corporations to compete in our municipalities for local jobs, infrastructure, real estate, and markets for their goods. Health care, education, agriculture, construction, the environment, (and more) would all be adversely effected.

We have very little time so pre-planning is essential if we are going to pull this off.

Requirements:
1) recycled/local/renewable materials when possible
2) must be light weight
3) must be waterproof (it is supposed to rain on Saturday – and we want to reuse the CETAPUS in any or all weather conditions in the future).
4) must be able to remove “money” from actor’s pockets (representing removing money and jobs from the local economy).
5) eight tentacles, a large head with googly eyes and a hat
6) must be hand sewn on Thursday night and stuffed
7) must be held up high on poles of some sort – about 10 or 12 people needed

Solution:
1) I have lots of old blue tarps with holes – we can cut them up for fabric (recycled, waterproof, light weight, bright blue)
2) quart plastic storage bags inflated with a straw and sealed for stuffing tentacles –garbage or recycle bags for the head (these must be new bags in order to stay inflated) I will bring these
3) one inch diameter peel and stick round Velcro for the suckers at the end of the tentacles – I will buy these
4) green “money” out of felt, propylene, or other nappy fabric that sticks to Velcro – everyone check out thrift stores for this and bring it to the meeting
5) need people to bring large needles and strong quilting thread if they have it
6) Googly eyes - ?????????? someone volunteer
7) hat ???????????? someone volunteer
8) poles to hold up head and tentacles ????????? bamboo?? Someone (Rebecca has some bamboo)
9) funding – we will ask CUPE to reimburse us for Velcro, plastic bags, and poles etc.
10) 3M tape – Jeremy
Reply if you are coming on Thursday, on Saturday, and/or have materials. We need lots of people. Thank you very, very much.

-- Roberta Cory, Chair of the CoC Design Committee