The last week has seen a sudden and bizarre growth in political engagement. Tens of thousands of Canadians have become interested in the intricacies of Parliament, namely the difference between “adjournment” and “prorogation.” Mr. Harper has chosen to cancel all of the Parliamentary committees and the kill all of the unpassed bills, and that has Canadians angry.

Canadians were quiet when Richard Colvin alleged that our government committed war crimes. Canadians were quiet when Mr. Harper sacked the head of the nuclear regulatory commission for doing her job. Canadians were quiet when the Conservative Party was hauled in front of Elections Canada for their in-and-out financing scheme. But Harper’s recent move to prorogue Parliament may be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

The Facebook group protesting the Harper Holiday has grown from a little under twenty thousand members on Monday to almost one hundred thousand as I write this. They’re even planning a rally in Ottawa.

One hundred thousand Canadians who care about the state of their democracy might not seem like a lot, but it’s a good start. Over the past few decades, we’ve allowed the power of the Prime Minister’s Office grow. We’ve watched passively as our prime ministers have hidden from the media, avoiding difficult questions. Any reversal in that pattern is good for our democracy.

Happy New Year, Mr. Harper. Here’s hoping you’ve started something big.