“Hey! Hey! Oh! Oh!...Poverty wages have got to go!”

As the big green bus rolled up to McNabb Park in downtown Ottawa, it met with sea of activists from labour unions, community organizations, environmental and advocacy groups, student and teachers federations, and political parties.a The first day of the Ontario leg of the All Together Now! campaign's Fairness Express tour coincided with International Workers' Day and there was no shortage of people willing to come out to show their solidarity and stand against austerity, growing income inequality and public service cutbacks. Hundreds gathered to rally in McNabb Park before marching through the streets of downtown Ottawa towards Parliament Hill. As the crowd heard speeches from passionate local activists, they were treated to popcorn, music, and even a local DJ powering his turntables with solar panels! All present clearly shared the same concern that the impact of stagnant wages and chronic underfunding of vital public services has created a crisis in this country. “My cost of living is increasing every year” said one young woman. “My rent just went up, food is expensive, gas is expensive, day care is expensive. I work hard, but I am struggling to keep up. It is hard not to feel helpless at times.” Unfortunately, these concerns are all too common nowadays, and you cannot blame people for feeling helpless at times. But, as the hundreds of activists who converged on Parliament Hill this May Day showed that we can make a difference when we stand together and make our voices heard!