An election is no time to discuss an issue that challenges the mainstream parties — in my experience you’ll get thrown in jail for four days if you do and be forbidden from communicating with most elected officials.Incredible? But true.

As someone who feels strongly that Canada helped overthrow a democratic government in Haiti and who believes our country continues to contribute to an ongoing human rights disaster in the hemisphere’s poorest nation, I saw the federal election as an opportunity to hold our government accountable. Or at least debate the issue.

On a recent two-month tour of our country to promote our new book, Canada in Haiti — Waging War on the Poor Majority co-author Anthony Fenton and I found people shocked to learn that Canada collaborated with the International Republican Institute and the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy to destabilize a government that was overwhelmingly popular with the majority of Haitians.

When people read, see and hear what has happened they are deeply troubled that Canada’s role in Haiti mirrors the well- documented U.S. record in Chile, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Iran and other countries.

While the mainstream media has mostly ignored our country’s status as a partner in a “new imperialism” the message has got out in the alternative press and solidarity groups have been formed in 11 cities to spread the word. About 1400 books have been purchased since September, thousands of people have attended meetings to watch films and hundreds have marched in Montreal, Halifax, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. As a grass roots campaign, the Canada Haiti Action Network has been a success.

Still, most Canadians don’t know and therefore don’t care what our government has done in Haiti. Unlike our neighbours to the south who take foreign policy seriously as an election issue, Canadians mostly assume we are “good guys” helping the rest of the world out.

To challenge that idea I (assisted by others who shall remain anonymous for reasons that will become clear below) have engaged in two pieces of “theatre” hoping for some mainstream media attention.

First, in June I interrupted a speech by Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew to pour fake blood on his hands. Second, during Paul Martin’s first Montreal speech of the current federal election campaign I heckled the PM from the back of a large hotel ballroom shouting “Martin lies, Haitians die” and threw confetti into the air that highlighted Canada’s role in overthrowing the elected government and supporting the brutal Haitian Police.

Both times I was quickly taken into custody by security officials and questioned by Montreal police.

After the first incident I was released after a night in jail. I was cited for disturbing the peace (a charge for assault with a weapon and assaulting police were immediately dropped). That charge was dropped two months later in return for a legal pledge not to come within 200 metres of the Honourable Mr. Pettigrew, his office or otherwise communicate with the Minister for a year.

After the second incident I spent over four days in jail before being able to defend myself. I have been charged with breaking my conditions (“keep the peace”) from the first incident, disturbing the peace and using fake documents (it seems this relates to a press pass in my possession).

In addition I have been forbidden from coming within 500 metres of any Member of Parliament or member of the Quebec National Assembly or of the Governor General until my process is complete (it could take years). Plus, I cannot write, call or email them.

While these conditions will be challenged in the legal system, I have thought long and hard for the past ten days about how to respond. The best I can come up with is this:

Mr. Prime Minister, I am honoured to live in a country where the legal system frees me after spending four days behind bars for embarrassing an important person. The real outrage is the fact that Canada has not demanded the release of 70-year-old folksinger/activist, Sò Anne, whom I met in a Port au Prince jail a year ago and who still has not been charged.

Or Catholic Priest Gerard Jean-Juste, who Amnesty international has called a “prisoner of conscience.” Or the constitutional Prime Minister and Interior Minister as well as hundreds of lesser known Haitians detained for their political convictions.

Yves Engler

Dubbed “Canada’s version of Noam Chomsky” (Georgia Straight), “one of the most important voices on the Canadian Left” (Briarpatch), “in the mould of I. F. Stone” (Globe and Mail), “part...