In an age when celebrity and convenience are popularly held as the pinnacle of human achievement, it is impressive as well as inspiring to know that folks can be moved to action to defend an idea.

For that is all that democracy is: an idea. An idea that a group of people forged into principles by which we agree to live, abide and share responsibility. It is an idea that enables us to forge peace, equity and justice out of disorder and chaos; without the shackles of an overbearing state.

But democracy, like any idea, is fragile, sometimes fleeting and fades if neglected. A couple of decades of relative order go by and the urgency of the idea fades. We become comfortable. Soft. It is not long before the status of Brad and Angelina’s marriage or Tiger Wood’s sex addiction take on more meaning in our daily lives than what our democratic institutions are doing on our behalf—or rather, not doing. Someone else can worry about the big ideas—after all I only have one vote.

It was, therefore, extremely heartwarming to observe that 250 local folks, led by the County’s own Bryan Bondy, set aside part of their weekend routine to assemble at MP Daryl Kramp’s office on Saturday. They were there to protest the federal Conservative government’s decision to prorogue Parliament until after the Olympics next month. They were joined by thousands of other offended Canadians in protest in more than 60 cities across the country. AFacebook group condemning Stephen Harper’s decision to arbitrarily stop the wheels of Parliament has gained more than 210,000 members.

Some attended these rallies, no doubt, because they were simply unhappy with the leader, his government or its policies. Still others showed up because they are still bitter that the coalition of Jack Layton, Stephane Dion and Gilles Duceppe failed to topple the government the last time Harper hit the prorogue button. Most, however, likely didn’t know what the word prorogue meant until last winter.

But it doesn’t really matter what spurred them to action. What is important is that each understood at some fundamental yet profound level that Harper, in choosing to stop and start Parliament at his whim, was, in actuality, diminishing an important democratic institution and, in doing so, was diminishing the rights accorded to us by our democratic principles.

I must admit here that I was not one of those holding signs outside our MP’s office on Saturday. It is an issue that has not seized me the way it has others. As one who feels a bit uneasy about a busy government passing bills to further constrain me and my activities, or ever-scheming more convoluted means to extract money from my pockets—I must say I am not unhappy when Parliament takes a break once in a while.

Besides I grudgingly accept the argument that Harper had to fix the Senate. It had stopped working. Bills with threeparty approval remain stalled in the chamber of sober second thought. Harper’s preference (and mine) would be to abolish the antique institution; but that isn’t going to happen with a minority government, and the country seems to be in no particular mood to reopen constitutional negotiations. So all that is left for Harper is to add some new members and gain a majority—in other words, stack the Senate in the tradition of this sorry institution.

For many Canadians, it is his willingness to descend into a bare-knuckle scrap at the weakest of provocations, which fouls their view of Harper. He rarely, it seems, misses an opportunity to poke a stick in the eye of his opposition. Canadians aspire to more from their leaders.

All of this, however, is beside the point. Whether I agree or disagree with the reasons to prorogue or the intentions of those mad as hell and not going to take it anymore, is a gift afforded to me by the idea of democracy. I am allowed to express these ideas. And you, the reader, are allowed to dismiss them. These are freedoms to be cherished, protected and defended.

Full marks to Bryan Bondy, and all those Canadians who put aside their daily lives on Saturday to defend an idea on our behalf.

rick@wellingtontimes.ca