PDP #166: A Sign in the Wilderness

On Saturday, the Toronto rally for Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament brought an estimated 3,000-5,000 people together to demonstrate against Prime Minister Harper keeping Parliament shuttered until March. That was the theory, at least. While the signs were overwhelmingly supporting CAPP's point - the free placards that were there for the taking had a great deal to do with that - the prospect of a demonstration also attracted the usual suspects.

There was a sign from the International Bolshevik Tendency, advocating that we Abolish the Monarchy! For a Workers' Republic! Others urged WOMEN TAKE OVER PARLIAMENT NOW and WOMEN UNITE BABY STRIKE. It was a similar deal at the Toronto pro-Coalition rally in December 2008 - whenever the prospect of a major demonstration arises, fringe groups like the Bolsheviks will latch onto it to wave their signs and be seen even though they really have nothing to do with the matter at hand.

Some, though, were creative and well-done. The Spartans Against Tyranny I mentioned yesterday were probably the best. Another one, which I photographed as the march wound its way up Bay Street, was shaped like a perogie. James Bow reports that free perogies were being handed out at the Kitchener-Waterloo rally - all we got were signs shaped like them. But that's close enough for me.

I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In case this is not legally possible, I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.