Senate Page, Michael Moore
"For a young person to do that and to do it peacefully, and quietly and with grace, I thought it was a very powerful moment," Moore told The Canadian Press on Sunday from New York.
"Every now and then there is an iconic moment where an individual takes action, and it inspires others to think about, you know, what else would we be doing."
Moore has become 21-year-old Brigette DePape's most prominent supporter, posting a photo on his website showing her holding up a "Stop Harper" sign in the Senate chamber during Friday's throne speech.
The prominent filmmaker and left-leaning political commentator has been a leading voice against big corporations, gun ownership, the Iraq War, and the American health care system. He is a longtime critic of Harper's Conservatives, routinely urging Canadian voters to vote for another party.
When contacted with news of Moore's support, DePape reacted with excitement — even briefly breaking into a giggle with a friend — before regaining her composure.
"It's nice to have the support of people who think critically," DePape said by phone on Sunday.
Not everyone was happy with the protest, however. DePape was criticized by many Parliamentarians who suggested the act was disrespectful, while others have argued her call for an "Arab Spring" in Canada showed a lack of perspective.
A former parliamentary page said the stunt reflected poorly on the program, known to be a stepping stone for young Canadians interested in politics.
Kyle Ahluwalia, a University of Ottawa graduate who was briefly DePape's roommate, said the stunt is a black eye for past, present and future participants.
"I think whether or not it's a good message to send, it wasn't the right way to do it," he said an interview.
Moore said a functioning democracy should "encourage you to be disrespectful, to question what is going on."
"I think that Canada and Canadians probably need to put aside the full respect thing and bring out their inner hockey stick and get to work on preventing their government from turning into a version of ours," he said.
Read more: cbc
