Michael Moore, the high-profile American activist and filmmaker, has offered a job to the Senate page who was fired Friday for her stunning protest against Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Moore, famous for films such as Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11, posted a link on Facebook offering her work after hearing that she was fired.
"For a young person to do that and to do it peacefully, and quietly and with grace, I thought it was a very powerful moment," Moore told The Canadian Press on Sunday from New York.
"Every now and then there is an iconic moment where an individual takes action, and it inspires others to think about, you know, what else would we be doing."
Moore has become 21-year-old Brigette DePape's most prominent supporter, posting a photo on his website showing her holding up a "Stop Harper" sign in the Senate chamber during Friday's throne speech.
'I think that Canada and Canadians probably need to put aside the full respect thing and bring out their inner hockey stick and get to work on preventing their government from turning into a version of ours'
—Michael Moore, U.S. filmmakerThe prominent filmmaker and left-leaning political commentator has been a leading voice against big corporations, gun ownership, the Iraq War, and the American health care system. He is a longtime critic of Harper's Conservatives, routinely urging Canadian voters to vote for another party.
When contacted with news of Moore's support, DePape reacted with excitement — even briefly breaking into a giggle with a friend — before regaining her composure.
"It's nice to have the support of people who think critically," DePape said by phone on Sunday.
Not everyone was happy with the protest, however. DePape was criticized by many Parliamentarians who suggested the act was disrespectful, while others have argued her call for an "Arab Spring" in Canada showed a lack of perspective.
A former parliamentary page said the stunt reflected poorly on the program, known to be a stepping stone for young Canadians interested in politics.
Kyle Ahluwalia, a University of Ottawa graduate who was briefly DePape's roommate, said the stunt is a black eye for past, present and future participants.
"I think whether or not it's a good message to send, it wasn't the right way to do it," he said an interview.
Moore said a functioning democracy should "encourage you to be disrespectful, to question what is going on."
"I think that Canada and Canadians probably need to put aside the full respect thing and bring out their inner hockey stick and get to work on preventing their government from turning into a version of ours," he said.
Senate page Brigette DePape's protest against Stephen Harper has inspired a gathering to be held in Ottawa. Chris Wattie/Reuters
DePape said she has no regrets about the incident and remains convinced the best way to stop the Harper government is through acts of civil disobedience.
"I really think it's only through inappropriate action that you can challenge the status quo and have real change," she said, adding that she's been overwhelmed by positive feedback from Canadians. "It's been really inspiring."
More than a dozen Facebook pages in support of DePape have already popped up, with names such as "Canadian hero" and a "True Canadian Patriot."
"You are such an encouragement for this old WWII veteran and I so admire your courage and commitment to this just cause for which you stand so bravely," said a comment attributed to Bruce Jones that was posted on one Facebook page.
'Stop Harper' protest to be held in Ottawa
A "Stop Harper" protest inspired by DePape has already been planned for Ottawa on June 10.
DePape said she initially joined the Senate page program to learn more about politics, but became convinced the Conservative government's agenda was wrong-headed on issues ranging from the environment to social programs.
The international development graduate said she hasn't decided her plans yet, though she will be participating in anti-Harper rallies and social movements.
DePape stood in the Senate chamber for about 20 seconds holding the sign on Friday before she was ushered out by security.
Guy Giorno, the Conservative election campaign boss and Harper's former top staffer, said the incident raises "real security questions" about whether employees should be screened.
"This time just cardboard but could have been anything," he wrote on Twitter.
Giorno's concerns echoed those expressed on Friday by Senate Speaker Noel A. Kinsella, who said security concerns would be looked into.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
The Senate's so-called "rogue page" is standing up to criticism from both sides of the political divide following her silent protest during Friday's speech from the throne... Brigette DePape,
The Senate's so-called "rogue page" is standing up to criticism from both sides of the political divide following her silent protest during Friday's speech from the throne.
Brigette DePape, a 21-year-old graduate from the University of Ottawa, was fired from her job as a senate page after she held up a cardboard sign that read "Stop Harper" at the start of the speech.
She was removed from the upper chamber and arrested, but not charged.
"We need to challenge the assumption that democracy happens only once every four years," said DePape during an appearance on CTV's Question Period. "Real democracy happens in our everyday lives and in everyday actions."
Opposition leader Jack Layton called her actions "wrong" earlier on that same program, while Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has dismissed DePape as a "lefty kook."
DePape said she did not mean any disrespect against the Senate or her co-workers, "but at the same time I wanted to show that the Harper agenda is extremely disrespectful to Canadian values."
DePape said she has since received several job offers and is considering taking a position with the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
Meanwhile, Oscar-winning documentarian Michael Moore has come out in support of DePape. The outspoken, left-leaning director of "Bowling for Columbine" and "Fahrenheit 9/11" posted one of the now-famous photos of the protest on his website and is calling on Canadians to support DePape.
Brigette DePape, a 21-year-old graduate from the University of Ottawa, was fired from her job as a senate page after she held up a cardboard sign that read "Stop Harper" at the start of the speech.
She was removed from the upper chamber and arrested, but not charged.
"We need to challenge the assumption that democracy happens only once every four years," said DePape during an appearance on CTV's Question Period. "Real democracy happens in our everyday lives and in everyday actions."
Opposition leader Jack Layton called her actions "wrong" earlier on that same program, while Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has dismissed DePape as a "lefty kook."
DePape said she did not mean any disrespect against the Senate or her co-workers, "but at the same time I wanted to show that the Harper agenda is extremely disrespectful to Canadian values."
DePape said she has since received several job offers and is considering taking a position with the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
Meanwhile, Oscar-winning documentarian Michael Moore has come out in support of DePape. The outspoken, left-leaning director of "Bowling for Columbine" and "Fahrenheit 9/11" posted one of the now-famous photos of the protest on his website and is calling on Canadians to support DePape.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Ask Brigette DePape if she has surprised people with her bold protest in the Senate and she’ll say it depends on who you ask.
Ask Brigette DePape if she has surprised people with her bold protest in the Senate and she’ll say it depends on who you ask.
Her friends probably saw it coming. But DePape’s grandmother wouldn’t expect her granddaughter to smuggle a handmade stop sign emblazoned with the words “Stop Harper!” into Friday’s throne speech, DePape said.
The 21-year-old was escorted from the Senate chamber, and quickly fired from her coveted job as a parliamentary page.
The University of Ottawa graduate spoke with her family in Winnipeg Friday night on the phone. Her mother, Marcelle, is proud of her, DePape said.
“It was really good to hear some encouragement from a really important woman in my life,” she said.
DePape’s father was less positive.
“My dad was quite critical of it. He sort of asked what concrete changes can this actually have,” she said.
Her family, like DePape herself, is non-partisan — more focused on the issues than a specific party, she said.
“I do think the act of one person can’t make a difference but I can’t wait for when the resistance continues to build and to show my dad that social movements actually are an effective means for pressuring government and initiate changes that we need to happen.”
DePape, the youngest of three daughters, comes from a politically-savvy family. She remembers reading the newspaper and watching the news together from the time she was very young.
Denis DePape first heard about his daughter’s protest when a relative called him.
“It was unexpected. We didn’t know about it in advance,” he said.
But Brigette is very passionate about the state of the world and what she thinks the world should be like, he said.
“She is often looking for ways to express her caring and her interest, her desire to see improvement,” he said.
The family is very active in community activities and non-governmental organizations, he said, and they encourage their children to travel and expand their boundaries.
DePape said she hatched the protest idea with some friends. The challenging part was figuring out how to fold the sign under her skirt to get it into the chamber, she said.
Since DePape’s protest, her Facebook account has been inundated with friend requests. Her future is up in the air, but she took that into consideration before she walked into the Senate chamber with that sign, she said.
“The future is a blank canvas right now,” she said. “I’m definitely looking at connecting with existing social movements to really help there with this resistance and to create a better community and Canada for everyone.”
Her friends probably saw it coming. But DePape’s grandmother wouldn’t expect her granddaughter to smuggle a handmade stop sign emblazoned with the words “Stop Harper!” into Friday’s throne speech, DePape said.
The 21-year-old was escorted from the Senate chamber, and quickly fired from her coveted job as a parliamentary page.
The University of Ottawa graduate spoke with her family in Winnipeg Friday night on the phone. Her mother, Marcelle, is proud of her, DePape said.
“It was really good to hear some encouragement from a really important woman in my life,” she said.
DePape’s father was less positive.
“My dad was quite critical of it. He sort of asked what concrete changes can this actually have,” she said.
Her family, like DePape herself, is non-partisan — more focused on the issues than a specific party, she said.
“I do think the act of one person can’t make a difference but I can’t wait for when the resistance continues to build and to show my dad that social movements actually are an effective means for pressuring government and initiate changes that we need to happen.”
DePape, the youngest of three daughters, comes from a politically-savvy family. She remembers reading the newspaper and watching the news together from the time she was very young.
Denis DePape first heard about his daughter’s protest when a relative called him.
“It was unexpected. We didn’t know about it in advance,” he said.
But Brigette is very passionate about the state of the world and what she thinks the world should be like, he said.
“She is often looking for ways to express her caring and her interest, her desire to see improvement,” he said.
The family is very active in community activities and non-governmental organizations, he said, and they encourage their children to travel and expand their boundaries.
DePape said she hatched the protest idea with some friends. The challenging part was figuring out how to fold the sign under her skirt to get it into the chamber, she said.
Since DePape’s protest, her Facebook account has been inundated with friend requests. Her future is up in the air, but she took that into consideration before she walked into the Senate chamber with that sign, she said.
“The future is a blank canvas right now,” she said. “I’m definitely looking at connecting with existing social movements to really help there with this resistance and to create a better community and Canada for everyone.”
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Brigette Marcelle, a 21 A Senate page who was fired Friday for holding a "Stop Harper" sign during the government's throne speech says she hopes to inspire more cases of "civil disobedience." .
A Senate page who was fired Friday for holding a "Stop Harper" sign during the government's throne speech says she hopes to inspire more cases of "civil disobedience."
Brigette Marcelle, a 21-year-old graduate from the University of Ottawa, said that she only recently decided to put her job on the line and stage the silent protest.
Though she was immediately fired from the sought-after position, Marcelle said she doesn't regret upstaging the government on its coming out day in Ottawa.
In fact, Marcelle, who is also a theatre performer, called on people across the country to stage Canada's own version of the "Arab Spring" and stand up to the recently-elected Conservative majority government.
"This is the only way we're going to see real change," Marcelle told CTV News Channel, as she conceded that Harper's majority government will hold parliamentary sway for the next four years.
Marcelle managed to hold her sign up for about 20 seconds, and stood steps from Prime Minister Stephen Harper. She was quickly escorted out of the chamber and immediately fired.
Despite the protest, Gov. Gen. David Johnson didn't stop reading and the speech was not interrupted. The Conservative speech borrows heavily from the government's campaign platform, and it promises to keep the economy as the chief focus over the next year.
However, the speech also promises to get rid of the long-gun registry and break up the monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board.
Marcelle had served in the Senate as a page for nearly a year, but she decided to take action a few days ago because she said Harper doesn't reflect the majority of Canadians.
"Harper's agenda is disastrous for this country and for my generation," Marcelle said.
She added that the government is "blowing billions of dollars" on fighter jets and corporate tax cuts, but ignoring important environmental issues like climate change.
But since Harper recently won a majority, Marcelle said that staging "creative" protests is the only way to fight back.
"I think that Harper's agenda is so damaging that it called for something that is different," she said. "I think we really need to take action."
Marcelle, who also uses the last name DePape, performed a self-penned, one-woman show called "She Rules with Iron Stix" onstage in Ottawa last year at TEDxYouthOttawa.
You can watch the performance below.
Brigette Marcelle, a 21-year-old graduate from the University of Ottawa, said that she only recently decided to put her job on the line and stage the silent protest.
Though she was immediately fired from the sought-after position, Marcelle said she doesn't regret upstaging the government on its coming out day in Ottawa.
In fact, Marcelle, who is also a theatre performer, called on people across the country to stage Canada's own version of the "Arab Spring" and stand up to the recently-elected Conservative majority government.
"This is the only way we're going to see real change," Marcelle told CTV News Channel, as she conceded that Harper's majority government will hold parliamentary sway for the next four years.
Marcelle managed to hold her sign up for about 20 seconds, and stood steps from Prime Minister Stephen Harper. She was quickly escorted out of the chamber and immediately fired.
Despite the protest, Gov. Gen. David Johnson didn't stop reading and the speech was not interrupted. The Conservative speech borrows heavily from the government's campaign platform, and it promises to keep the economy as the chief focus over the next year.
However, the speech also promises to get rid of the long-gun registry and break up the monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board.
Marcelle had served in the Senate as a page for nearly a year, but she decided to take action a few days ago because she said Harper doesn't reflect the majority of Canadians.
"Harper's agenda is disastrous for this country and for my generation," Marcelle said.
She added that the government is "blowing billions of dollars" on fighter jets and corporate tax cuts, but ignoring important environmental issues like climate change.
But since Harper recently won a majority, Marcelle said that staging "creative" protests is the only way to fight back.
"I think that Harper's agenda is so damaging that it called for something that is different," she said. "I think we really need to take action."
Marcelle, who also uses the last name DePape, performed a self-penned, one-woman show called "She Rules with Iron Stix" onstage in Ottawa last year at TEDxYouthOttawa.
You can watch the performance below.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Hackers who attacked two of Canada's federal departments stole classified information before being discovered last January, CBC News has learned. : The revelation comes from documents obtained under Access to Information laws, and contradicts what the minister in charge said at the time.
Hackers who attacked two of Canada's federal departments stole classified information before being discovered last January, CBC News has learned.
The revelation comes from documents obtained under Access to Information laws, and contradicts what the minister in charge said at the time.
Six months ago, hackers launched an unprecedented cyber attack on the federal government. In January, the government's computer system came under attack.
Hackers sent malicious emails to staff that appeared to be coming from senior managers. When staff opened the attachments, hackers found a path into the federal network, providing access to classified information.
"Indications are that data has been exfiltrated and that privileged accounts have been compromised," said a memo written Jan. 31, 2011.
Former Treasury Board president Stockwell Day said he was never told that any classified information was stolen from government computers.
"Certainly, on the information that I got, I had full confidence that the systems had moved quickly to shut down, that significant information had not in fact been carried away, and that the ongoing assessment of that by the technicians continues," he told CBC News on Thursday.
Chronology of a cyber attack
April 2010 — Citizen Lab and SecDev Group discover government computers in 103 countries compromised by an attack originating from servers in China. Publish report called Shadows in the Cloud.
Fall 2010 — Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC), the country's only electronic eavesdropping agency, went hunting for signs federal government networks had been compromised.
January 2011 — Hack discovered at Department of Finance, Treasury Board, and Defence Research and Development Canada, an agency of the Department of National Defence. Departments compromised the same way GhostNet worked.
Feb. 16, 2011 — CBC News reports the cyber attack.
Feb. 17, 2011 — Prime Minister Stephen Harper says government has a strategy to protect computer networks but admits cybersecurity is "a growing issue of importance."
June 2, 2011 — CBC News reports a memo obtained through Access to Information confirms hackers stole classified information.
Day said up until he retired as minister, he was told the information was safe.
"All the information that I had been getting, up until the point when I was no longer minister, the folders were protected. The walls had been breached, but it looked like the folders were protected, and now comes the painstaking work of seeing if in fact everything was maintained."
Day didn't run for re-election May 2 but was considered minister until the new minister, Tony Clement, was sworn in on May 18.
Today, the Department of Finance and the Treasury Board are still limiting internet access to their workers. Employees take laptops to Ottawa coffee shops, or work from home.
The departments now have separate computer stations on each floor — systems that are not part of the government's computer network.
That's where workers can go to access websites they need for research and policy work. If those computers are taken, people do their surfing at a coffee shop.
CBC News contacted all the departments involved, including Public Safety, and none had any further comment. Access documents show the communications response to the cyber attack has been carefully monitored and scripted.
Former auditor general Sheila Fraser raised alarms in 2002, saying that cybersecurity was not up to snuff and warned about "weaknesses in the system."
She urged an overhaul to deal with the vulnerabilities, but found not much had changed when she checked again three years later.
In May, 2010, a top secret memo from CSIS, Canada's spy agency, warned that cyber-attacks on government, university and industry computers had been growing "substantially."
The revelation comes from documents obtained under Access to Information laws, and contradicts what the minister in charge said at the time.
Six months ago, hackers launched an unprecedented cyber attack on the federal government. In January, the government's computer system came under attack.
Hackers sent malicious emails to staff that appeared to be coming from senior managers. When staff opened the attachments, hackers found a path into the federal network, providing access to classified information.
"Indications are that data has been exfiltrated and that privileged accounts have been compromised," said a memo written Jan. 31, 2011.
Former Treasury Board president Stockwell Day said he was never told that any classified information was stolen from government computers.
"Certainly, on the information that I got, I had full confidence that the systems had moved quickly to shut down, that significant information had not in fact been carried away, and that the ongoing assessment of that by the technicians continues," he told CBC News on Thursday.
Chronology of a cyber attack
April 2010 — Citizen Lab and SecDev Group discover government computers in 103 countries compromised by an attack originating from servers in China. Publish report called Shadows in the Cloud.
Fall 2010 — Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC), the country's only electronic eavesdropping agency, went hunting for signs federal government networks had been compromised.
January 2011 — Hack discovered at Department of Finance, Treasury Board, and Defence Research and Development Canada, an agency of the Department of National Defence. Departments compromised the same way GhostNet worked.
Feb. 16, 2011 — CBC News reports the cyber attack.
Feb. 17, 2011 — Prime Minister Stephen Harper says government has a strategy to protect computer networks but admits cybersecurity is "a growing issue of importance."
June 2, 2011 — CBC News reports a memo obtained through Access to Information confirms hackers stole classified information.
Day said up until he retired as minister, he was told the information was safe.
"All the information that I had been getting, up until the point when I was no longer minister, the folders were protected. The walls had been breached, but it looked like the folders were protected, and now comes the painstaking work of seeing if in fact everything was maintained."
Day didn't run for re-election May 2 but was considered minister until the new minister, Tony Clement, was sworn in on May 18.
Today, the Department of Finance and the Treasury Board are still limiting internet access to their workers. Employees take laptops to Ottawa coffee shops, or work from home.
The departments now have separate computer stations on each floor — systems that are not part of the government's computer network.
That's where workers can go to access websites they need for research and policy work. If those computers are taken, people do their surfing at a coffee shop.
CBC News contacted all the departments involved, including Public Safety, and none had any further comment. Access documents show the communications response to the cyber attack has been carefully monitored and scripted.
Former auditor general Sheila Fraser raised alarms in 2002, saying that cybersecurity was not up to snuff and warned about "weaknesses in the system."
She urged an overhaul to deal with the vulnerabilities, but found not much had changed when she checked again three years later.
In May, 2010, a top secret memo from CSIS, Canada's spy agency, warned that cyber-attacks on government, university and industry computers had been growing "substantially."
Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Quebec government has told a Montreal man that he cannot receive child-assistance benefits because his name appears on a United Nations terror watchlist... Abousfian Abdelrazik.
The Quebec government has told a Montreal man that he cannot receive child-assistance benefits because his name appears on a United Nations terror watchlist.
Abdelrazik spent six years in forced exile in Sudan, some of which was spent in prison where he says he was tortured.
A letter from the Quebec government furnished to The Canadian Press states that Abdelrazik cannot receive benefits for his two children as long his name appears on the UN list.
The letter advises him to get a certificate signed by the minister of foreign affairs stating he can collect child-care benefits.
Abdelrazik has been unsuccessful to have his name taken off the list, even though he's been formally cleared of the terrorist allegations by CSIS and the RCMP.
Being on the UN's blacklist means Abdelrazik can't leave Canada and all of his financial assets remain frozen.
But Abdelrazik says the money is for his children and they are being unfairly penalized.
Abdelrazik spent six years in forced exile in Sudan, some of which was spent in prison where he says he was tortured.
A letter from the Quebec government furnished to The Canadian Press states that Abdelrazik cannot receive benefits for his two children as long his name appears on the UN list.
The letter advises him to get a certificate signed by the minister of foreign affairs stating he can collect child-care benefits.
Abdelrazik has been unsuccessful to have his name taken off the list, even though he's been formally cleared of the terrorist allegations by CSIS and the RCMP.
Being on the UN's blacklist means Abdelrazik can't leave Canada and all of his financial assets remain frozen.
But Abdelrazik says the money is for his children and they are being unfairly penalized.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Sweden signs a new international treaty to Address Damage that may Result from Living Modified Organisms ... Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
Sweden signs a new international treaty to Address Damage that may Result from Living Modified Organisms
At a ceremony held at UN in New York, the Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was opened for signature by Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
The Supplementary Protocol aims to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity by providing international rules and procedures for liability and redress in the event of damage resulting from living modified organisms (LMOs).
At a ceremony held at UN in New York, the Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was opened for signature by Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
The Supplementary Protocol aims to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity by providing international rules and procedures for liability and redress in the event of damage resulting from living modified organisms (LMOs).
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