2023
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 1, 2023, 9:13 PM subject 154 – 0111
Dear Justin,
Holy Shit November already. I dreamt last night that I strangled an Israeli soldier to death with my bare hands. It was either him or a bunch of us. The dream went on through some bizarre Hollywood-style adventures and traps, I won’t bore you with the details. I went to a protest outside the Hilton today and we chanted for over two hours while your foreign affairs minister was making some asinine speech inside. Unfortunately I was too cold and hungry to stay until the end and I missed the crowd blocking Jolie from leaving. I would have liked to have been a part of that. This evening I stayed in and cleaned
house, listened to podcasts, cooked supper, and daydreamed about coating your constituency office in tar and red paint. I can hardly believe you would be so tone deaf as to post Halloween photos of your kid disguised as beheaded when over 4,000 Palestinian children are dead due in part to your complicity and “unwavering” support of Israel and its genocidal bombing campaign. Then again, you have been caught in black or brownface at least three times. And does it really matter what Canada says or does regarding Israel? If countries in the global south can cut ties, then surely we could as well. Maybe set an example for the US, instead of constantly following them around with our nose stuck up their ass. Brownface, brown nose, I’m sensing a pattern here.
#ceasefirenow
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° Dear PM
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 3, 2023, 8:54 AM subject 155 – 0311
Dear Justin,
Sorry, I missed yesterday. Was a bit busy at work, then had a street solidarity union meeting, then came home for supper and was waiting for a meeting time and place to go postering pro-Palestine Ceasefire now posters but fell asleep instead. Also the gang went out after midnight. I’m a daytime posterer. I’ll go out later today. I’m home
for the morning because our solar setup is scheduled to be delivered before noon! So exciting. Also exciting is the 100k march in solidarity with Palestine, are you attending a rally in your area? Of course not. You do not even recognize Palestine as a country, you block UN resolutions calling to recognize Palestine, then claim Palestine has no right to defend itself or its territory because it is
not a recognized country at the UN…you once called an MP a piece of shit in the House of Commons, but you’re the real stinker.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° Dear PM
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 4, 2023, 11:50 PM subject 156 – 0411
Dear Justin,
I missed the big rally today because Jess got Ol’ Gregor stuck in the roundabout at Camp Marge, or Witch Haven, the new name for our resort. Not only was the car stuck but in backing up the entire front bumper and part of the undercarriage had come off. She managed to get herself unstuck before I arrived although I did help her detach the wheel well since it was also quite loose, and we strung up the bumper with a mix of twine and bungee cord. We met almost all the neighbours who came by at one point or another in either trucks, dirt bikes or ATVs, all quite bemused with our predicament and wondering if we needed help. Once the bumper was affixed we drove to Grenville to share a frittes at Jos Patate, our new favourite casse-croute, before driving back to Montreal in our respective vehicles. Did you get my comments I’ve been leaving on your IG posts? How was the protest in Ottawa? Did you acknowledge it in any way or are you hoping the movement will go away? I hope the extend of the violence ignites a renewed interest in the fight against colonialism. Maybe it will turn the tide as more of the younger generation learn just what Israel has been up to these past decades.
Sent with positive vibes from my super-duper hand-held computing device.
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 5, 2023, 10:17 PM subject 157 – 0511
Dear Justin,
I was one step closer today to my dream of getting arrested. While I
was putting up some Ceasefire Now posters on one of the big retaining walls on St. Hubert a couple cops stopped me and began to lecture me
on how if I didn’t have permission from the city to put the posters up
then I was breaking the law. They asked me to take the posters down
and I asked what would happen if I didn’t and they said they would
take me inside their car and charge me with mischief which would
result in a fine between $500-$1000 and a criminal record. I tried to appeal to their humanity – that this ceasefire needs to happen now, children are dying every day, etc. But they really do seem more
concerned about the state of Montreal’s dull concrete walls. And
arbitrary rules. Also apparently someone called to complain that a hooligan (my words) was postering; who does that? Who cares that much? Has this person called their MP to complain about Canada voting
against UN calls for a ceasefire? Anyway I decided I did not want to
be arrested today, too much to do to prepare for the week, so I very
slowly began removing the posters until I guess they got tired of
watching me and drove away. They told me that since I was cooperating they would leave with the understanding that I would remove all the posters. They added that if they drove back later and the posters were
not removed they would send me the fine in the mail. As soon as they were out of sight I put the posters I had removed back up and left to
get some groceries.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° Dear PM
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 7, 2023, 9:16 AM subject 158 – 0711
Dear Justin,
Since there was a teachers’ strike yesterday morning (weird that it
was a 12-hour strike that was started at midnight, but for whatever reason this is the strategy they are taking) I took Sol with me to the Street Solidarity Union meeting, which was really well-attended. Made hotdogs and drew pictures, Saila was there whom I hadn’t seen in a
long while. His charge against him for assaulting a police officer was apparently thrown out because a witness who had been encouraged to lie by the cops actually told the truth. Of course Saila called me later
in the evening needing a quick loan, soI arranged to meet him at the Rosemont metro as I was planning to poster an abandoned building directly in front. And I was conveniently shielded by a giant flatbed truck that was loading concrete barriers from the nearby construction site. Saila wants me to be his business manager for his sculptures, he has a Square reader but currently no phone or bank account, which can make it hard to run a business, as you can probably imagine. Or can you? I wonder a lot these days about your capacity for creative thinking. For example, why is it so hard for you to call for a
ceasefire? 70,000 people in the streets of Montreal alone this
weekend, over 100,000 across Canada, demanding an immediate ceasefire. Is it the word “ceasefire” or “immediate” that you have trouble understanding?
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° Dear PM
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
bcc jessica_bebenek@yahoo.ca date Nov 10, 2023, 12:00 AM subject 159 – 0911
Dear Justin,
I visited you today. You were not there. A group of us went to your constituency office and had a sit in. We were demanding that you call for an immediate cease-fire. We figured that you would be able to finish the rest of the word that you had started a few days ago. Did you see my Instagram post? I tagged you. Someone posted a video of you almost saying cease-fire and captioned it and it is hilarious and bizarre at the same time. You should check it out.
So as you might have heard a few of us were arrested after refusing to leave, since we had not received word that you had said the whole word. I feel it was a fitting experience for my first arrest, to have it happen in your constituency office/hallway. Apparently your office has a very strict closed door policy. Your office workers opened that door for nobody.
Anyway, I am exhausted, and still a little bit sore from having been forcibly dragged down the hallway, which was quite unnecessary, as I am a small man and easily lifted, especially by burly pigs. Dammit.
Oh, also, I kind of ended up as de facto spokesperson, and gave interviews to Radio-Canada, CKUT, CTV news, and Noovo, the latter after I was released. Then I needed to book it home ASAP to feed Rose and Sol, who were mildly pissed at me for almost letting them starve. Mean Papa!
Sent with positive vibes from my super-duper hand-held computing device.
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 13, 2023, 12:21 AM subject 160 – 1211
Dear Justin,
I am back from the camp. It was a quick visit, just a couple nights, but we did manage to get a tarp over the entire roof. Hopefully that keeps the water out for the winter. Will replace the roof in the spring or early summer. we also cleaned out the barn. We found some maple syrup, topping pails and tops, so maybe we will make some of our own syrup this winter.
I missed the big demonstration today in support of Palestine. I heard you attended a fundraiser for the Israeli army today, is that true? it seems like that is the antithesis of supporting a cease-fire.
Sent with positive vibes from my super-duper hand-held computing device.
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 14, 2023, 12:35 AM subject 161 – 1311
Dear Justin,
I had hoped to go post to rain tonight, and even just had a two hour nap in order to get some rest but now that I am awake again, the side of getting up for 6 AM exhausts me. Today I had a Street Solidarity union meeting for the morning and then put in a few hours at Vox before getting my haircut with Miwa, who just seems to understand my hair. Then I picked up Sol and came home and made supper and we finished watching across the spider verse which we had started a couple weeks ago. And that it was kitchen cleanup at some games before bed and then I baked cookies and then had my nap, which I thought would give me energy to go out but I think I need to stay in. Someone in one of the Signal chats posted numbers for Foreign Affairs executives so maybe blitzing them with requests for a ceasefire will have some effect. Why is it so hard? Just how far up your ass are they?
Sent with positive vibes from my super-duper hand-held computing device.
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 15, 2023, 9:38 AM subject 162 – 1511
Dear Justin,
The fact that you have yet to endorse a call for a ceasefire boggles my mind. The fact that mayor Valérie Plante equates posters calling for a ceasefire put up on metro stations the other night as “hate crimes” boggles my mind. Have you both lost all perspective?
Last week at the UN Canada again voted against motions calling for a ceasefire and condemning illegal occupations.
“By a recorded vote of 145 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Hungary, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru,
United States) with 18 abstentions, the Committee approved the draft resolution titled “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan” (document A/C.4/78/L.15). By its terms, the Assembly would condemn settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan and any activities involving the confiscation of land, the disruption of the livelihood
of protected persons, the forced transfer of civilians and the annexation of land, whether de facto or through national legislation.
“The representative of Canada, in an explanation of position, said
that his delegation voted in favour of the draft on assistance to Palestinian refugees as part of its long-standing commitment to
ensuring that millions of Palestinian refugees receive basic services.
The war in Gaza began after the brutal terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, he said, reaffirming Israel’s right to defend itself. UNRWA is playing a crucial role in helping to preserve the lives of civilians, he said, calling upon all parties to protect civilians.
Further, UNRWA must uphold humanitarian values, including neutrality, to ensure that funds reach those in need. There are too many
resolutions related to the Arab-Israeli conflict and too many which single out Israel, he said, adding that Canada will continue to vote no on texts that do not address the complexity of issues.”
Rest of world: rolls eyes
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° Dear PM
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 16, 2023, 1:22 PM subject 163 – 1611
Dear Justin,
Did you hear about the interruption of traffic on the Jaques Cartier bridge this morning? I missed it, but would have loved to be there. Although now that I have been arrested I should probably steer clear
of DAs where arrest risk is high. I could actually get thrown in jail! Held for bail! But honestly if you don’t call a ceasefire soon I just might consider it. What I don’t understand is why you are holding out for the inevitable? Israel has been clear, they are in the process of ethnic cleansing, they want to raze Gaza to the ground. Everyday you wait is another day of complicity in war crimes. I have a feeling
history will judge you harshly. Oh, I sent your constituency office a 15-page fax spelling “CEASEFIRE NOW”, since you still seem to have trouble with the word.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° Dear PM
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 19, 2023, 10:41 PM subject 164 – 1911
Dear Justin,
I’m back from the resort. Sorry I might not have told you I was going. I drove up Friday night after a meeting for a fundraiser for the Mohawk Mothers, and of course a full day of install work. It was the first day the artist was on hand and so placement of works is ongoing, while other decisions were made and some others postponed until tomorrow. I was also going to participate (lead) a banner drop for tomorrow which luckily was pushed to Tuesday. I forgot the tie-wraps at work. Anyway I did get the EG4 Inverter and battery set up at the camp, it works great and with the amount of electricity we are using we could probably go the rest of the year before ever needing to charge it, so I have some time to install the solar panels. We should get a generator, and I owe Jess a chainsaw for her birthday, but I am tight on money and that stresses me out, as you can well imagine. Wait, maybe you can’t.
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° Dear PM
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 20, 2023, 11:58 PM subject 165 – 2011
Dear Justin,
Another Monday, a full day at work, another day to feel guilty. I feel guilty for taking the weekend off from the marches and protests and work that needs to be done to stop the IDF war machine. I feel guilty that Jess and I “own” a piece of land, it feels like it is not something that one can own, one can only live with on of and for it, and I feel guilty that we have to participate in this crooked
capitalist system and sign a piece of paper that declares this rectangle superimposed on all the undulating mosses and roots and ferns and willows and grasses and mud and bark and worms and rot and growth somehow constitutes ownership. I feel guilty for not postering,
I feel guilty for not calling or faxing your office today. I feel guilty for using work as an excuse, and then feel guilty for not working enough to earn enough money to get nice gifts for the kids or donate more to all the good causes out there. You must be feeling so much guilt right now. How high does the death toll need to be before it hits the tipping point for you? Or do you realize that if you call
for a ceasefire now then there was really no good reason to not call for one over a month ago? So is your plan to just stick to your script and support Israel until the end? The end of what? Your term as PM? Your career as a politician? Your legacy?
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° Dear PM
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 23, 2023, 10:55 PM subject 166 – 2311
Dear Justin,
I am still alive. Survived the final day of install and the
vernissage. Didn’t stay long, I had Sol and his friend Elliot with me
all day as half a million workers were on strike in Quebec because neo-liberal governments hate the public sector. Anyway the show is up, the artist is happy, I’m physically exhausted and feeling brain dead
and going to bed. Still calling for a full ceasefire, “humanitarian pauses” do not sound very humane. “OK we’ll give you a few hours to grab some food and water, maybe check to see if your house is still standing before we begin bombing again”. Ceasefire, and then Israel needs to end the occupation. It all makes my brain hurt and my heart ache. So many murdered kids!
—
- ° Chris Lloyd
- ° 514 295-3048
- ° Dear PM
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Nov 29, 2023, 12:50 AM subject 167 – 2911
Dear Justin,
I am still alive. Did you miss me? Did you see my Instagram posts from the weekend? I was in Ottawa along with 100,000 others on Parliament Hill to demand a ceasefire. A permanent ceasefire, not an inhumane « humanitarian pause ».
It’s weird being back in the city, I like the simplicity of living at our camp. Keeping the fire lit, cooking on the wood stove, making coffee, washing dishes, it’s all so much more intentional.
Our battery drained and I think it was from the cold, Friday night went down to -10. I built a frame for the solar panels but had no sun to test it. It was also really slippery getting up the driveway. I worry about how much access we’ll have with our current vehicles.
Teachers are still on strike because I guess our premier is a hard-asshole neo-liberal prick. How do so many like this get elected? Oh right the system is built for them.
Sent with positive vibes from my super-duper hand-held computing device.
DEAR PM 