Senate page Brigitte Marcel brought a STOP HARPER stop sign into the Senate chamber during the speech from the throne ceremony.
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/judes/2011/06/senate-page-explains-her-b...
STOP HARPER
Fri, 2011-06-03 15:56
#1
STOP HARPER
Fri, 2011-06-03 16:22
#2
Not sure what I think about this. While I applaud the sentiment and the courage - a part of me says that it shows disrespect for our parlimentary traditions. But oh well- she did good.
Fri, 2011-06-03 16:23
#3
Boom Boom
I thought it was fantastic!! I hope the NDP or Liberals hire her now that she lost her job.
Fri, 2011-06-03 16:28
#4
I like this quote:
"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."
Who'd have thought six months ago that Arabs would be our models for democratic action?
Fri, 2011-06-03 16:56
#5
Northern Shoveler
I like this quote:
"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."
Who'd have thought six months ago that Arabs would be our models for democratic action?
It is the women and children that make any peaceful revolution possible. I was watching a show on the Civil Rights Movements music and I was struck by a vignette about the King led sit-ins. They were at a point were they had run out of adults who were willing to be arrested. Hundreds has stood up to be counted but the courts just kept sending them to jail and the pool of people who wanted to be guaranteed of imprisonment while likely taking a beating had dwindled to the point where the leaders thought it was unsustainable. They debated letting the children play and they decided they needed to. The bus loads of young men and women over whelmed the legal system. They emptied high schools all across the south and those kids took their mothers. And change occurred.
To me the defining moment in the Egyptian struggle was when the women and children came into the streets and said we will not be moved.
Fri, 2011-06-03 16:57
#6
It takes great courage to do what she did. Thinking about it, I am reminded of the traditions of non-violent protest I discovered as a student, Ghandi in particular, and how they made such sense when compared to military action.
Fri, 2011-06-03 17:02
#7
I like this quote:
"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."
Who'd have thought six months ago that Arabs would be our models for democratic action?
Hopefully, the "model" won't extend to gang-raping journalists while chanting "Jew"...
Fri, 2011-06-03 17:09
#8
Northern Shoveler
dodger
This may be a new low for babble. Even our regular zionist apologists are not this racist.
Fri, 2011-06-03 17:18
#9
Brave, yes.
Effective, no.
Sorry, The sad fact is that Harper ain't Mubarak, Canada ain't Egypt, and her taking this stand does not change the fact that the Canadian people let themselves get snookered and would probably do so again if the election were held today.
Fri, 2011-06-03 17:18
#10
It's effectiveness is in setting a brilliant example of peaceful, civil disobedience. After the disrespect Harper has shown our institutions, she's returing some honour to the Senate. A great inspiration.
Fri, 2011-06-03 17:19
#11
Hopefully, the "model" won't extend to gang-raping journalists while chanting "Jew"...
Aw shucks, there go my plans for the weekend.
Fri, 2011-06-03 17:24
#12
It's not just Harper, but the whole system that gives him such autocratic power and absolute control over the executive, legislative, and judicial.
Fri, 2011-06-03 17:39
#13
The point is that the "Arab spring" is a) strugling against torture and murder in many cases and b) has the potential to put in palce even more repressive governments and policies with regards to women, gays, religious minorities and c) has often made use of extreme violence, including the despicable assault on Lara Logan. I don't see it as something to emulate and to compare the current (admittedly bad) government which just won a majority government (in an admittedly flawed system) is the height of hyperbole.
Fri, 2011-06-03 17:44
#14
What. Ever. Go burn a cross on someone else's lawn.
Fri, 2011-06-03 17:46
#15
Nice non-sequitar. Go gang rape some other Jew...
Fri, 2011-06-03 17:52
#16
Northern Shoveler
Nice non-sequitar. Go gang rape some other Jew...
fuck off asshole
Fri, 2011-06-03 18:00
#17
Nice non-sequitar. Go gang rape some other Jew...
I'm trying really, really hard to restrain myself from shooting off a spelling flame here...
Fri, 2011-06-03 18:28
#18
Dodger718 you're outta here
Fri, 2011-06-03 20:03
#19
Boom Boom
On Facebook:
Brigette Marcelle - Stop Harper
Fri, 2011-06-03 21:10
#20
yes!
______________________________________________________________________________________ Our kids live together and play together in their communities, let's have them learn together too!It's effectiveness is in setting a brilliant example of peaceful, civil disobedience. After the disrespect Harper has shown our institutions, she's returing some honour to the Senate. A great inspiration.
Fri, 2011-06-03 21:42
#21
The current Parliamentary system is inadequate and not representative of the Canadian people. 1) Permanent residents ought to be given the right to vote, perhaps not in Federal elections but at the very least in Municipal elections. 2) Canadians living abroad for more than five years ought to keep the right to vote in Federal elections. 3) Seats should be reserved for Canadians living abroad. 4)....anything else? I'm not a political scientist.
And yeah, get rid of the Senate.
Fri, 2011-06-03 22:15
#22
I hope Rebecca Blaikie is making moves to get Brigette involved with the NDP in Manitoba tout suite.
Fri, 2011-06-03 22:27
#23
Boom Boom
The CBC article indicated she had a job offer right away after she was fired as a page. I agree - she'd be great in politics.
Here it is:
Brigitte Marcelle contact me for a job at the #PSAC. We are looking for gutsy organizers.
Fri, 2011-06-03 22:34
#24
She's my hero.
Anyone else catch the irony of Noel Kinsella accusing her of "contempt of Parliament"?
Fri, 2011-06-03 23:08
#25
I am inspired , i will hold up a sign like that randomly in public too. I love it. It was so liberating holding an NDP sign as a lone person on election day, i protest Harper everyday, everywhere, we should. I wear my fuck harper button everywhere I go. i think random protest is great, even if its just one person
Fri, 2011-06-03 23:21
#26
As a Senate Page, she is bound to show respect for the Senate and check her personal views at all times, and from that standpoint, is out of line in holding up a sign that says "STOP HARPER" or stop any other leader for that matter.
Having said that, she probably understood that and made the choice to hold up the sign anyways. She paid a price for that decision. Would any of us be willing to pay a price? Hopefully she will inspire others do do the same.
Fri, 2011-06-03 23:27
#27
why is that ordinary are expected to respect the traditon of paraliament or senate, and leaders like Harper is rewarded for breaching the trust of the parliament? thats what is actually sad.
Fri, 2011-06-03 23:28
#28
no RM, where did Noel Kinsella say that?
Fri, 2011-06-03 23:32
#29
remind
Perhaps it is about time that people stopped checking their personal views in order to keep status quo patriarchy going.....
wtg Bridgette...
Fri, 2011-06-03 23:52
#30
The contempt quesiton is kind of silly. Of course it was unorthodox, but she did it.
And if the question is going to be asked, did she show more or less contempt for the institution than Marjorie LeBreton and the rest of the Herperite senators last November?
And really, I see what she did as an indictment of the people as much as Harper. We had an opportunity to prevent this and did not, and it is going to be a much harder fight, with a lot of battles already lost.
I'm not happy about her doing this at all. Of course it is a brave act, but it shouldn't fall on one person to remind Canadians how much we fucked up It's a shame that it has come to this.
And the fact that her protest, however brave, is completely impotent in the face of what is going to happen in the next four years should make Canadians even more ashamed.
The only thing I feel about this - anger.
Sat, 2011-06-04 00:28
#31
remind
No, I feel no anger.
No Point...but I am a little chagrined at the strategic voting peddlers.
Sat, 2011-06-04 01:00
#32
no RM, where did Noel Kinsella say that?
Speaker of the Senate Noel Kinsella said in a statement that he deplored DePape's actions, "which constituted a contempt of Parliament."
I hate reading stuff like that when drinking coffee. You can seriously burn your nasal passages.
Sat, 2011-06-04 01:31
#33
Malcolm
Having said that, she probably understood that and made the choice to hold up the sign anyways. She paid a price for that decision. Would any of us be willing to pay a price? Hopefully she will inspire others do do the same.
I particularly appreciate the fact that she clearly accepted the cost of her actions - which separates her from several agitators who seem to believe that there should be no cost to civil disobedience. It is the willingness to accept the cost of conscience that makes civil disobedience heroic.
Sat, 2011-06-04 01:42
#34
The Speaker of the Senate should study up on the origins of parliament. How about STOP THE KING. How does this differ from STOP HARPER? The real populist protest undresses all the silly protocol and celebration of militarism that is the speech from the throne, and shows up our national faux populist at the same time.
Sat, 2011-06-04 02:04
#35
M. Spector
I particularly appreciate the fact that she clearly accepted the cost of her actions - which separates her from several agitators who seem to believe that there should be no cost to civil disobedience. It is the willingness to accept the cost of conscience that makes civil disobedience heroic.
Ah, yes. It's not the speaking of truth to power that is heroic, but being punished for doing so.
And like good little children we must learn that when we dare to stand up to the tyrants we have to be spanked for it.
What a treacherous argument that is!
Sat, 2011-06-04 02:14
#36
No, I feel no anger.
No Point...but I am a little chagrined at the strategic voting peddlers.
I started feeling it after Gerry Ritz made the wheat board announcement a week and a bit ago, and this week when CBC ran the story about Harper not having public support on that issue, nor on the fighter jets, or corporate tax cuts.
Perhaps some of those who voted for him should have thought of that before they wrote him a blank cheque. I am actually more angry at them than I am at Harper, because he is a known quantity and it is clear what he was going to do. Some of these fools clearly were under some sort of delusion when they stepped inside that polling booth and don't want to take responsibility for the fact they made their own bed.
And I think they are the first of many who are about to get a wakeup call
So while I think it was brave act on her part, and I don't consider it wrong, I don't take any joy in anyone feeling compelled to sacrifice herself that way when we should have gotten it right the first time. I'm sure it is not something she would have preferred to do. It is something she felt she needed to do.
Sorry... I know it's a noble act, and I don't want to rain too much on the sentiments in this thread that it is s fine example of nonviolent protest, but I think anytime when circumstances force someone to sacrifice themselves, or when they feel compelled to disrupt the government in order to be heard, I see it as a sign of failure on our part.
(edit)
@ M Spector
I don't know about actual examples of people wanting to avoid consequences for protests (though I can think of criminal examples), but I agree with that treacherous argument.
But really, she got fired, and I don't think there was any way around that one.
Sat, 2011-06-04 02:29
#37
But isn't that the whole point of civil disobedience? It's inspiring precisely because someone is willing to stand up even though there are consequences.
And all this about "respecting parliament"...why the hell SHOULD anyone respect it?
Sat, 2011-06-04 02:30
#38
Malcolm
Ah, yes. It's not the speaking of truth to power that is heroic, but being punished for doing so.
And like good little children we must learn that when we dare to stand up to the tyrants we have to be spanked for it.
What a treacherous argument that is!
I think you misapprehend me. It isn't the punishment that is heroic, but the willingness to accept punishment. It is the willingness to stand up to power and take the consequences of doing so that is heroic.
Speaking the truth to power while understanding that power has power and is willing to use power.
Sat, 2011-06-04 02:42
#39
@ milo
I see some governments which are better than ours, but I see plenty which are far worse.
I know there are a number of people here who disagree with me, but I think we are still fortunate enough to have a system which we can work to repair and change, but part of the deal is respecting it as much as one can.
As I said, I don't think her act was wrong, but I think it is a shame (and a sign of a failure in our system) that she was driven to break the rules.
Sat, 2011-06-04 07:56
#40
Not sure what I think about this. While I applaud the sentiment and the courage - a part of me says that it shows disrespect for our parlimentary traditions. But oh well- she did good.
I've read this here and there, either an attack on the protester based on the violation "parliamentary traditions" or qualified support based on the same.
As protests go, what she did was calm and professional. Much more so than the utter unprofessionalism and childishness of "Question Period".
Contempt of Parliament? Parliament didn't mind being laughed at by outgoing RCMP Chief Zaccardeli, when he testified one way during a hearing, and mailed in what he should have said the next day-- as he was leaving the country. Parliament clearly doesn't respect it's hidden expense acount self to the extent this rather polite woman does.
Sat, 2011-06-04 08:05
#41
I mean, for Cris' sakes, they couldn't even get the stones re-pointed of the building itself without the mortar being tainted by corruption.
Sat, 2011-06-04 08:08
#42
And it took how long for them to deal with Raymond Lavigne?
Brigette DePape is head and shoulders above that crowd of cynical bastards.
Sat, 2011-06-04 08:08
#43
With appologies to fatherless children everywhere.
Sat, 2011-06-04 08:24
#44
It takes great courage to do what she did. Thinking about it, I am reminded of the traditions of non-violent protest I discovered as a student, Ghandi in particular, and how they made such sense when compared to military action.
There was this thing called WWII with all of its ramifications, including an empire nearly bled dry financially, along with a public distaste at home for anything resembling a wholesale massacre of unarmed people. And so it appears to have taken violence on an unprecedented scale to wear down the Empire's resolve to perpetuate more of it, certainly on the scale it would have taken to restore their hegemony.
Sat, 2011-06-04 09:25
#45
A Globe and Mail story tells us that in interviews, Brigette "explained she feels the Conservative government's policies on the environment, social programs and the military are destructive, and that civil disobedience is needed: 'I think that everywhere is the right place to resist the Harper government'." Apparently the University of Ottawa graduate, born in Manitoba, had done an internship at the Centre for Policy Alternatives last year.
Brigette's action cuts through corrupted convention, including the complete inadequacy of formalized political speech that winds up only looking over its shoulder for approval from the masses of mainstreet with their TV minds. Elizabeth May is properly relegated to a corner seat, as her "yes, but" reaction demonstrated...and which the Canadian Press scurried to find in its embarassment.
Sat, 2011-06-04 10:15
#46
Carolyn Bennett called it "an abuse of parliamentary privilege. There's lots of room for that out on the lawn, or whatever."Green party Leader Elizabeth May lauded DePape for her bravery but suggested that by interrupting the Governor General she'd used it in the wrong venue. "Essentially, in theory, we're in the presence of Her Majesty, that is the sovereign. That isn't Stephen Harper's room. That's somebody else's room."
Justin Trudeau said DePape had stepped on the "sense of respect and decorum" that goes with a throne speech and he'd rather the protest hadn't happened.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hgTU4leevH7...
I wouldn't expect much different - though it would be nice - but I haven't seen a report yet of a New Democrat comment.
Sat, 2011-06-04 10:15
#47
Northern Shoveler
Speaker of the Senate Noel Kinsella said in a statement that he deplored DePape's actions, "which constituted a contempt of Parliament."
Actually there has only been one finding of contempt of parliament and it was the Harper government.
Sat, 2011-06-04 10:35
#48
Boom Boom
Why wasn't the Harper government ushered out when they were found to be in contempt? 
Sat, 2011-06-04 10:52
#49
M. Spector
I think you misapprehend me. It isn't the punishment that is heroic, but the willingness to accept punishment. It is the willingness to stand up to power and take the consequences of doing so that is heroic.
Speaking the truth to power while understanding that power has power and is willing to use power.
I don't think I misapprehended your clear statement that "It is the willingness to accept the cost of conscience that makes civil disobedience heroic."
There is a huge difference between willingness to [b]risk[/b] adverse consequences and willingness to [b]accept[/b] adverse consequences. It is quite rational to do the former without doing the latter, and this in no way reduces the heroism of the act. It is irrational to be [b]willing[/b] to (for example) go to prison for doing an act of heroism that one knows in one's heart is the right thing to do; it is rational to do whatever is in one's power to avoid or escape such adverse consequences.
Nor do I think I misapprehended your sneer directed towards "agitators who seem to believe that there should be no cost to civil disobedience." You are acting as the voice of the oppressive system that says that all acts of civil disobedience must be punished. I prefer to side with the oppressed who rebel against the system and demand that they not be punished for heroic acts of resistance.
Sat, 2011-06-04 11:05
#50
Northern Shoveler
I think you misapprehend me. It isn't the punishment that is heroic, but the willingness to accept punishment. It is the willingness to stand up to power and take the consequences of doing so that is heroic.
Punishment is for wrong doing. Taking a beating from a cop or a sentence from a judge is not punishment because you have not done evil. It is that word that bugged me. However I also believe one should always anticipate the consequences of ones actions.
Sat, 2011-06-04 11:56
#51
I have to ask, what would people's reactions have been if the sign had said [b]"STOP LAYTON!"[/b]