Senate page kicked out during throne speech for "Stop Harper" protest
Perhaps the Stephen Harper government neglected to investigate her Facebook profile.
In any case, a Senate page identifying herself as 21-year-old Brigette Marcelle managed to disrupt the reading of the throne speech today (June 3) when she held up a "Stop Harper" sign in the red chamber.
(On the Parliament website, the page in question is actually identified as Brigette DePape of Winnipeg.)
Security guards quickly ejected her from the Senate, and she has reportedly been fired.
The page, described as a recent graduate from the University of Ottawa who has been a Senate page for a year, was quick to issue a press release explaining her protest.
"Contrary to Harper's rhetoric, Conservative values are not in fact Canadian values. How could they be when 3 out of 4 eligible voters didn't even give their support to the Conservatives? But we will only be able to stop Harper's agenda if people of all ages and from all walks of life engage in creative actions and civil disobediance," she said in the release.
"This country needs a Canadian version of an Arab Spring, a flowering of popular movements that demonstrate that real power to change things lies not with Harper but in the hands of the people, when we act together in our streets, neighbourhoods and workplaces."
Move over, Jack Layton. Canada may have found its new leader of the opposition—at least for one day.
You can follow Stephen Hui on Twitter at twitter.com/stephenhui.
Comments
31 Comments
Denise
Jun 3, 2011 at 1:13pm
Bravo Brigette Marcelle! Thank you for voicing what I feel! With people like you we shall have a better, fairer, healthier and once again respectable Canada.
astro
Jun 3, 2011 at 1:15pm
Good for her. However, Jack Layton does not have to move over. In a democracy, all have freedom of speech. It is not only the politicians who speak for us. We are allowed to do it ourselves as well.
katheeeeeeee
Jun 3, 2011 at 2:41pm
YESSSS
Evil Eye
Jun 3, 2011 at 2:45pm
She is a true Canadian, with the true Canadian spirit. It takes guts to go against Herr Harper and his band of evil.
Salute!
NoLeftNutter
Jun 3, 2011 at 3:00pm
By her logic, 245% of Canadian voters didn't give their support to the lefty alternatives. For the mathematically challenged, that's 70% who didn't vote for the NDP, 80% who didn't vote for the Liberals and 95% who didn't vote for the Greens.
MarkBowen
Jun 3, 2011 at 3:29pm
I don't care how you lean politically, you've gotta admit this girl has some serious stones.
Bravo!
giselle
Jun 3, 2011 at 3:34pm
actually @noleftnutter ... the math is pretty simple ... approximately 60% of eligible voters actually voted, of which approximately 40% voted for stephen harper and the reform/conservates ... so 25% of eligible voters voted for our majority government ... and you thought we didn't live in a democracy
Math
Jun 3, 2011 at 3:51pm
Her math is sound. About 61% of eligible voters voted. Of those who voted, 39.6% voted in favor of Harper, which is only 24% (39.6 x 0.61 = ~24)of all ELIGIBLE voters, leaving 76% of eligible voters to have not voted for Harper.
By her logic, 63% of eligible voters didn't vote for lefty alternatives. (100 - (61x.60)). Though 60% of those who voted did vote for someone other than the conservatives.
NoLeftNutter
Jun 3, 2011 at 4:15pm
Sorry math you're wrong - 42% of elegible voters didn't vote for the NDP, 48% didn't vote for the Liberals and 56% didn't vote for the Greens. Therefore, 146% of eligible voters didn't vote for socialism in Canada. Isn't democracy wonderful?
WTF
Jun 3, 2011 at 4:30pm
Kudos to Brigette Marcelle for not being afraid to say what she believes in. Unfortunately, Canadian have 4 years of "Harpers Government" to contend with. I hope those who voted them in take a hard look back in 4 years so they can see the damage Harper has done to Canadian democracy, the world's image of Canada, no stance on climate change and kissing up with big business and the oil companies. God Save Canada.