The place of protest in politics

Those of you who pay attention to the news in Ottawa may be aware of the actions of Brigette DePape, a Senate page, during the throne speech.

It seems that Miss DePape took the opportunity of being in the media spotlight to voice her opposition to the Harper government by displaying a placard shaped as a stop sign that read "Stop Harper". She was soon after removed from the Senate chamber and has allegedly been fired, according to media sources.

The question that this brings to my mind is two-fold. First, to what extent is protest appropriate in the forum of the Senate chamber, and second, if miss DePape has indeed been fired, is that a just recourse for her actions?

Miss DePape has apparently issued a statement outlining her concerns regarding Harper's government and referencing "a Canadian version of an Arab Spring", juxtaposing the acts of people protesting despotic rulers in the middle east to the democracy that we enjoy in Canada.

While I happen to disagree with Miss DePape's contention that "Harper's agenda is disastrous for this country", I do not dispute her right to voice her concerns, indeed it is one of the valued privileges of our democracy. The question is whether interrupting a speech by the democratically-elected leader of our nation is the appropriate means of voicing these concerns.

To my mind, firstly, it sets an ill-advised precedent: if the Senate is to become a forum for the unstructured and unorganized voices of the Canadian people rather than a place from which to conduct the business of governing, it will without a doubt decrease the already strained civility both in the chamber and in parliament at large. Conversely, Miss DePape obviously felt that her views were not being heard in other forums and certainly must have been aware of the likelihood of her dismissal and the loss of the valuable opportunity to work in the Senate page program.

I think ultimately the former must trump the latter; despite her intent and ambition, such breaches in both decorum and process cannot be sanctioned. Further, I think that while firing her may be a harsh response to a well-intentioned action, it likely sets the appropriate deterrent for anyone in the future who might consider a similar choice.

That being the case, what is the appropriate forum for political dissent? To my mind there are any number of forums, from conventional protests, to letters to the editor of newspapers, to political rallies all of which could garner equal media attention. We are fortunate to be afforded these and many other opportunities by virtue of living in what I believe to be a vibrant democracy, one that can radically change the face of parliament in a single election.

Miss DePape, I commend your passion and concern for our future, though I encourage your continued studies so as to perhaps better discern the differences between protesters taking to the streets to overthrow a despot and a Senate page interrupting the business of a democratically-elected government.

As always, I welcome comments, critiques and dialogue.