The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Canadians were the people in North America who were fine with taxation without representation in 1776 and now it seems many Canadians do not even believe in or practise democracy.
First, barely 50 per cent even bother to vote in federal and provincial elections, and now according to the polls, many do not support people exercising their democratic right to peaceful protests such as the Occupy movement.
Apparently protesting not only upsets them but also inconveniences them and somehow embarrasses or threatens their peace of mind.
Canadians have allowed archaic federal and provincial electoral systems which allow huge majority governments with a minority of voter support.
I find it hypocritical that the Canadian people as well as our government applauded Egypt and other countries for protesting for freedom and democracy but when Canadians practise democracy somehow it is stupid and frivolous and even illegal, such as the G20 and all the Occupy demonstrations taking place in Canada and all over the world.
It seems if things keep going in the same direction, very soon, if Canadians want to live in a democracy, they will have to move to Egypt.
At least we will have lots of new prisons to incarcerate all these malcontents thanks to Stephen Harper and his draconian vision of Canada.
Here is an added caution to the people who are suggesting the government use Canadian troops to disperse these protests: With the new rules anyone arrested by the military would be considered a terrorist, with all the loss of rights that comes with that particular designation.
Wayne Clark
Maple Ridge
