As this paper goes to press, former U.S. President George W. Bush is heading to a Surrey ballroom to speak to a $599-per-head audience.
He'll be greeted by the premier and various local big-wigs - and a throng of protestors calling for him to be arrested for authorizing torture, kidnapping and extra-judicial killings.
Canadian law, arguably, does allow for this, but we don't expect Bush to be led away in handcuffs - any more than we expect the Occupy Vancouver protestors to be winning public policy changes any time soon.
But it's worth recalling that women didn't have the right to vote in B.C. until 1917, and not until 1940 in Quebec. Before 1872, Canadian workers didn't even have the right to strike.
These long-cherished freedoms weren't just handed over. They were fought for by courageous, committed protestors, most of whom were roundly mocked and reviled at the time. When the rule of law has let you down, how else do you get your government's attention?
We've already suggested the Occupy movement needs focus if it is to make any progress. But we should avoid sneering at it, even if the crowd is salted with a few folks having a little bit too much fun. Bush's visit and the fallout of the financial crisis are reminders that there truly is one system for the few, and quite another for the many.
Many causes begin as a lone voice in the wilderness. Some, maybe the worthiest, grow to be roaring crowds in the streets. It's something worth listening to.
