Nationwide Protest to Raise a Ruckus for Radio Two

Recently, CBC Radio Two has proposed some changes to its schedule. What used to be the go-to resource for classic and contemporary art music is slated to become a more diverse source of everything from "jazz, folk, world, R & B, singer-songwriter and roots" music, with the classical content being relegated to a five hour slot from 10am to 3pm. While the CBC says this is a celebration of our cultural diversity, a large number of the station's loyal fans are furious, and they've organizing a national day of protest to make sure the state-sponsored radio network hears what they have to say.

While one might expect such a group to be spearheaded by residents of a retirement home, it's actually being led by Peter McGillivray, a Toronto man in his early thirties, who set up a Facebook group called "Save Classical Music at the CBC." In a few short weeks, the group has attracted over 13,000 members online, and fueled by this success they've decided to take their protest to the next level: the real world.

The group is now getting organized for tomorrow's nationwide protest, which will target every CBC radio station across the country simultaneously in order to make sure their message gets heard loud and clear. "We're not against pop music or pop musicians and musicians of any genre," says McGillivray. "We just don't know why a public institution has to be destroyed to make room for it all."

If you'd like to add your voice to the local gathering, show up at 250 Front Street West at 12:00 noon on Friday, April 30. For folks living elsewhere, here's the rundown from coast to coast:

• 9am PST: Victoria: 1025 Pandora Avenue


• 9am PST: Vancouver: 775 Cambie Street


• 10am MST: Calgary: 1724 Westmount Blvd. NW


• 10am MST: Edmonton: 23 Edmonton City Centre, 10062-102nd Avenue


• 11am CST: Regina: 2440 Broad Street


• 11am CST: Winnipeg: 541 Portage Avenue


• 11am CST: Thunder Bay: 213 East Miles Street


• 12pm EST: Toronto: 250 Front Street West


• 12pm EST: Sudbury: 15 MacKenzie Street


• 12pm EST: Windsor: 825 Riverside Drive West


• 12pm EST: Ottawa: 181 Queen Street, Ottawa (Meet at Sparks Street entrance)


• 12pm EST: Montreal: 1400 Rene Levesque East


• 1pm AST: Fredericton: 1160 Regent Street


• 1pm AST: Saint John: 560 Main Street


• 1pm AST: Moncton: 250 University Avenue


• 1pm AST: Halifax: 1601 South Park


• 1pm AST: Charlottetown: 430 University Avenue


• 1:30pm NST: St John's: 25 Henry Street

Photo by BlogTO flickr pooler funinthegym