When Canadians went to the polls 15 months ago, University of Ottawa student Alex Hill wasn’t even old enough to vote.
Now he’s fronting a major political protest, along with fellow political science student Jesse Root.
“We wouldn’t know each other if it weren’t for prorogation,” said Hill last week as he and Root plotted their strategy to organize a rally condemning Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s prorogation of Parliament until March.
Soon after Harper’s decision on Dec. 30, tens of thousands of Canadians expressed their disapproval via a Facebook group, Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament, set up by Chris White, a University of Alberta student.
Pundits whose formative years were pre-internet were quick to question the significance of this cheap and easy method of protest.
But Hill and Root didn’t stop at clicking “join group.” They reached out over Facebook, found each other, and called a public meeting to organize the Ottawa version of a planned cross-country rally set for Jan. 23, two days before Parliament was to resume sitting.
They said their movement is non-partisan and disavowed ties to any political party.
Hill said people of all political stripes, or none, are coming together for a cause above partisanship.
“One of the basic features of Canadian democracy is the principle of responsible government,” he said, invoking a term many Canadians will remember from middle school. “The government is responsible to the (House of Commons), and the House is in turn responsible to the people.”
“If there is no Parliament, there will be no accountability.”
Hill predicted attendance of about 20 for last Friday’s planning meeting. About 100 people turned up for the discussion in a common area at the University of Ottawa.
The start of the meeting was delayed while Hill and Root posed for pictures in a corner, sudden media stars.
Root struggled to keep the assembled company on track. It was a bit of a ragtag band, with at least half announcing their affiliation to the Green Party, NDP, or an assortment of unions and left-wing groups. If these were the grassroots, they were more wild meadow than manicured lawn.
One admitted Conservative voter was in attendance.
“I don’t like what I see as an abuse of our democratic process by Stephen Harper’s government,” lamented Brian Harding, who assumed a leading role in the discussions.
Though a bit nervous, Jesse Root made it through all the questions, comments and non-sequiturs, sending his unexpectedly large crowd off to “breakout groups” of their choice to discuss specific aspects of planning the rally. He was still in control.
There were some axes being ground in the breakout groups along with more practical discussions. Root surveyed the scene, listening politely to a woman with a red star on her beret explain in great detail the song she’d composed for the movement. A lone volunteer marched around the room, trying to drum up some helpers for the fundraising group.
Root was clearly too elated to dwell on these democratic imperfections.
“It’s just really great to see everyone putting their individual talents to work for this great cause.”
Chris Ferguson grew up in Etobicoke, Ontario, but has lived all over Canada. He's interested in telling stories that inform and engage citizens to act in their communities and hold their governments to account. When he's not doing schoolwork (which is sadly rare), he can be found cross-country skiing, curling and talking about ideas.