Adam Olsen -- While I must defend the right to peacefully demonstrate, it’s also important to use encourage people to us tactics that advance the interests they’re demonstrating for
This week I saw my riding grapple with mixed emotions to the protesters who blocked the Swartz Bay ferry terminal, for two hours, in what they said was an act of solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs who are opposed to the Coastal GasLink pipeline currently being constructed in their territory. Living in this vibrant democracy is not easy. We all recognize the constitutionally protected right to protest, but when these acts of democratic engagement impact our daily lives, it can be hard to stand behind those foundational principles. Things are often easier in theory than in practice. But nothing worth doing ever does come easy. The very freedoms and rights we enjoy today as Canadians have not come easily and protecting them today requires every one of us to remain diligent and engaged. While I must defend the right for people to peacefully demonstrate it is also important to publicly encourage people to use tactics that advance the interests t...