I just returned from the anti-prorogation rally in Montreal. It was a cold, clear crisp day just like “Molson Dry”. The defenders of democracy met in a park known to be frequented by those on dope and the homeless. Plenty of blue and white colors(Quebec flags fluttered and spiffy clean police patrol cars added to the decor) could be visible among the several hundreds ( about 500) of those present. The Canadian flag was more of an obligatory prop than a prominently displayed item it seemed. Was this gathering hijacked by the separatists? Duceppe from the Bloc was there and a few nationalist hard-liners as well. The mini-march went along the main strip, Rene-Levesque Boulevard. Chants like,” What does democracy look like?” were answered by the energetic yet some what frozen crowd with “this is what democracy looks like?!” Everyone seemed to be in high-spirits. The crowd walked to Phillips Square. There it stopped. And the anti-prorogation “rabble” gathered around the statue of what appeared to me to be, King Edward VII to listen to notable speakers such as Daniel Weinstock, who holds a Canada research chair in ethics and political philosophy at the University of Montreal, followed by NDP’s Thomas Mulcaire, the Liberal's Marc Garneau and the most vehement vituperation but with little substance came from the Bloc’s Duceppe. Hardly any mention was made it seemed to me, of Afghanistan and the torture issue. The “Raging Grannies” performed for us first in French then in English “de rigour”. Considering Montreal mobilises thousands pro-peace anti Israeli rallies when it’s come to Gaza, Lebanon or Iraq etc at the drop of a hat, when it comes to Canadian democracy there’s not much of a turn-out.
Maybe Montrealers are just more passionate about conflicts aboard than a serious political crisis at home.
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