Stop Harper Protest: Reverse Sting ?

As the pomp and cerimony of the Speech from the Throne Ceremony was unfolding on the Senate floor yesterday a young woman named Brigette Depape held a sign in the form of a stop-sign which read, "Stop Harper !" The message was clear and simple. Viewers all over the country and indeed the world received the message.

The question is was that message part of a spontaneous and legititmate political expression on the part of this young woman or was it "orchestrated" by the government. Why would the government do that you ask ? Why not ? Harper's government was recently voted in with a majority. Harper's government cleverly faulted the demise of their minority government on the opposition. The oppossition according to the Harper government acts contrary to the interests of Canadians. Orchestrating such an act does two things for the Harper government. Firstly, it reaffirms the pre-election message that the opposition want to destroy the country and only Harper can save it. Secondly, it sends the reverse message that the Harper government can not be stopped and at the same time solidifies the Harper base of support.

Time will tell whether Brigitte DePape's "Stop Harper" message was spontaneous and legitimate political expression or a reverse sting operation orechestrated by the Harper government. If it is the former there is hope for Canadians. If it is the latter Canadians must ready themselves for reform.

Note: This piece is written for the sole purpose of drawing attention to an issue of public importance. I do not profess to have any knowledge of the communicator's or the government's motivation with respect to the sign. I am simply outlining two possible scenarios. I leave it to those who earn their living in the media to investigate the communicator's background and enlighten us. Democracy works best in this way.