By Prapti Bamaniya
A protester interrupted Canada’s defence minister Anita Anand at a democracy forum on Oct. 21 held at Toronto Metropolitan University ‘s (TMU).
The forum, called “Defending Democracies” hosted by Toronto Star columnist Martin Regg Cohn, discussed Canada’s contribution to defending democracies, the war in Ukraine and threats of nuclear war in Europe.
With TMU president Mohamed Lachemi in attendance, halfway through the event, a protester stood up in front of the stage with a banner that read: “Stop the war, peace in Ukraine, stop lying, stop sending weapons, stop NATO.”
Anand asked to see the sign, as the protester inched closer toward Anand and Cohn.
“Thank you for sharing that with me,” said Anand to the protester. “I want to say that the aid that we have sent to Ukraine is aid that is in support of democracy and sovereignty and rules-based international order—that same order that has kept you, everyone in this room and our country safe since the end of the Second World War.”
Shortly after the interruption, Anand took a break and security at the forum asked the protestor to sit down. Anand returned about 10 minutes later and continued forward with the conversation.
“Well, it’s important in democracy for there to be a full airing of voices and views,” she said. “That’s exactly what happened today and so I am completely accepting of democracy.”
Regg Cohn said he wasn’t surprised by the interruption.
“There’s always a tension when you’re having a public event—between letting people have their say in a democracy but also not shutting people down or trying to shut people down because it’s not fair.”
Fourth-year politics and governance student Gabe Eduardo, whose parents came to Canada due to conflict in their home country, said the points the protester had on war were valid.
“Because it is democracy, you can’t just kick somebody out for voicing their opinion,” he said.
Liam Iannarelli, a fourth-year criminology student said while violence is inarguably unfavourable, this fight can lead to a change.
“I think that defending democracy and also defending the lives, the livelihoods and the dignity of Ukrainian people is worth a fight. I think some things are worth the fight and fighting is violence.”
Iannarelli thought the obstruction was managed well.
“They took a break when it was indignant,” he said. “It was handled really well and because it is a democracy, you can’t just kick somebody out for voicing their opinion.”
It was Iannarelli’s first democracy forum and he said he would return for another one. “It was very informative and it’s cool that they would just let students like us go and be involved in such an important topic.”
Dante Hayes, a fourth-year politics and governance student, said he felt the same way.
“I think it’s free and I’m fucking chilling anyways, so why not?”
Anand and Regg Cohn both said in interviews after the forum that they would return to TMU for another event, despite the interruption.
“This would never stop us,” said Regg Cohn. “What we saw upstairs is show business, but the business of democracy is really important and the show must go on.”
“People can make a point, and we let the person make the point with protests. But that doesn’t mean that they can stop us from doing what we’re here for,” said Regg Cohn.
The event was sponsored by TMU’s faculty of arts and was held in the Sears Atrium at the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre on campus.
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