Things have been very crazy since the last time I got to actually post on my own website. After returning from the UN Climate Change meetings in Bangkok to Canada and jumping right into the mix of things with the Climate Action Network Canada AGM.  I even got to attend the vote where Canadian Members of Parliament extended the review of the Climate Change Accountability Act then had the pleasure of attending Power Shift Canada things were continuing to with full force in the climate movement in Canada.

But on the closing day of Power Shift Canada there was an unplanned disruption by concerned young Canadians during Question Period in the House of Common on Parliament Hill.

The disruption started when one young person stood up then another then another then another, they were standing up to express their disappointment by the lack of action from the Members of Parliament to pass the Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-311) and the failure of Canada signing onto the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Rights.

I was in attendance of the disruption and had stood up to make sure that no one was injured by security as they were escorted out of the public gallery. Even though I had not raised my voice I was grabbed by security guards and was told that I had to leave the public gallery. For what reason? I guess the fact that I was young and this disruption was being created by young people was enough reason to remove me from the public gallery. While I was asking the Parlimantary security guard why I was being removed the amount of force he used kept increasing to the point that he was putting a large amount of force onto my left arm (the same side where I have a pace maker)

The way that I was handled by the security guard was over the top since I was complying even though there was nothing done to justify being removed from the public gallery. Even with the explanation to the guard that I have a pacemaker and the way he was handling me could seriously cause issues with my heart condition he did not listen and kept using excessive force until I was in the hallway outside of the public gallery.

Things started to escalate outside of the gallery when the chanting kept continuing which turned into four Parliamentary security guards using pain compliance in the stairwell on one of the young people who were chanting. This resulted in his face being smashed into the marble floor causing his nose to be injured and blood to pour out onto the halls of Parliament.

The guards had then removed the young person who had four guards onto of him and escorted five other young people downstairs to be detained. Being one of the five who were being escorted downstairs I was yet again aggressively handled by Parliament security to the extent of almost being thrown down the stairwell which also resulted in ripping the back of the dress shirt that I had worn that day since I had arranged a meeting with a Prince Edward Island senator. If this was how they handle those who are complying I would not like to see how they would treat people who were resisting.

After being detained for a few hours they had released us to a RCMP peace office but there were no charges laid and then Ottawa municipal officers had laid a $65 “Refusing to Exit When Asked” charge on us even thought it was impossible to exit while there was six Parliament security guards ontop of one young person blocking the exit in the stairwell.

Once we were released from the detainment we were escorted out to the back exit of Parliament and were told that we were not allow back on the grounds since it would be tresspassing. There was a CBC camera crew waiting at the back for when we were released but no other news channels, while walking out we were met with others who were also in the public gallery but wer not detained.

Here are the many CBC videos including being on the CBC Power & Politics show and following media storm including the terrible reporting which focuses on the blood and not the issue that Canada being an international blockage to addressing climate change.

Was the protest useful to creating more awareness of Canada’s role at the upcoming United Nations Summit? Maybe maybe not but there was more media coverage of the Climate Change Accountability Act in two days than there was in three years. Maybe this will start the process of Canadian’s asking why we are being represented this way at the UN Climate Change negotiations.