Protestors get to Harper undetected during pipeline speech

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
39,778
454
83
Protestors slip past security to get to Harper during pipeline speech

Two protesters slipped past security and got within reach of Prime Minister Stephen Harper as he was about to begin a question-and-answer session on energy and economic issues at the Vancouver Board of Trade on Monday.

The protesters took to the small stage and stood behind Harper, with one holding a sign that read “Climate Justice Now.” A second protester held up a sign that said “The Conservatives take climate change seriously” with a line crossing out the phrase.

Security quietly removed both protesters without incident as Harper and board president Iain Black remained in their chairs on stage. Before they carried on with their agenda, Harper joked that “It wouldn’t be B.C.” without a protest.

The group that organized the protest issued a press release moments after the incident to say the protesters “managed to make their way past police undetected and into the secured Vancouver Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel,” and to denounce the government’s environmental record.

“The latter (protest sign) was a condemnation of the Harper Government’s failing climate policies and a reference to the recent revelation that Conservative minister of the Environment removed a comment about taking climate change seriously from a speech, despite being recommended by Environment Canada,” the statement read.

The release linked to a PostMedia News report last month that said Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq “set aside” a proposal from staffers that she publicly acknowledge scientific evidence that humans are “mostly responsible for climate change.”

The release was signed by Brigette DePape, a Senate page who was fired two years ago for disrupting the government’s throne speech by holding up a “Stop Harper” sign as Gov.-Gen. David Johnston read.

Anjali Appadurai, one of the protest’s organizers, told CTV News Channel Monday afternoon that hundreds more protesters were outside the hotel in a show of “public opposition to the prime minister’s climate policies.”

Protesters slip past security to disrupt Stephen Harper's pipeline talk in Vancouver | CTV News
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
14,591
2,336
113
Toronto, ON
Help me out here. Isn't it true that in democracies political leaders answer reporters' questions?

So these protesters were reporters? Aren't reporters (when not sifting through Rob Ford's trash) supposed to be sitting and putting their hand up and asking the person on the podium questions? I wasn't aware they were allowed to go on stage and hold signs. Perhaps they can also go up there and sell Toronto Star subscriptions.
 

BornRuff

Time Out
Nov 17, 2013
3,175
0
36
So these protesters were reporters? Aren't reporters (when not sifting through Rob Ford's trash) supposed to be sitting and putting their hand up and asking the person on the podium questions? I wasn't aware they were allowed to go on stage and hold signs. Perhaps they can also go up there and sell Toronto Star subscriptions.

Just for propriety's sake, I feel I should point out that it was the police who went through Ford's trash, as part of a guns and gangs investigation. They found that he was drinking cheap vodka with an accused drug dealer and extortionist during normal work hours.

:)
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,843
7,790
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
 

Colpy

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 5, 2005
21,887
847
113
69
Saint John, N.B.
Help me out here. Isn't it true that in democracies political leaders answer reporters' questions?

Nope.

That is an American political view.

In the USA, the opposition has no opportunity to closely question the President, or those in power in Congress. Therefore that job falls to the media.

In Canada, we have Parliamentary Question Period.........the media does not have any essential role in holding the gov't's feet to the fire.....that is the job of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.
 

Spade

Ace Poster
Nov 18, 2008
12,822
49
48
9
Aether Island
Colpy, I watch Question Period regularly. The government, particularly regarding who knew what about the Duffy affair, does anything but answer Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition's questions.

Example:

Q: What does Nigel Wright's email comment "Good to go" mean.
A: I've never been to Watrous.