On January 23rd, 2010, thousands gathered in downtown Toronto to protest Prime Minister Stephen Harper's prorogation of Parliament - an act widely believed to have been orchestrated to avoid scrutiny over scandals of torture in Afghanistan and poor handling of the economy.
In this clip, inveterate Canadian activist and feminist Judy Rebick makes a rousing speech, saying the no prorogue movement is like nothing she's ever seen in her 40 years of activism.
Links:
[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIQv6LlcFHI&annotation_id=annotation_151845&feature=iv
[2] http://rabble.ca/print/rabbletv/program-guide/2010/01/features/rebick-never-my-life-seen-spontaneous-protest-built#comment-1104474
[3] http://rabble.ca/user
[4] http://rabble.ca/user/register
Our democracy matters because it allows people to create a society based on our values. If we want to live in a supportive community that makes sure that everyone's needs are met, and that works together to provide public health care, public education, public child care, public energy, public transportation, public welfare and other essential public services, then we need a strong democracy centred on public participation, accountability and our values. That's why it's always worth defending democracy, and also why no government should hide from accountability or try make politics into a game.