So I guess a question that I have (particularly interested in any Europeans who read this forum) is are, and if so why, are North Americans more complacent about such issues, after all, I doubt that one could muster 100,000 people in Toronto (Canada has 45% the population of Germany and GTA has ~ the population of Berlin and surrounding) for a similar rally.

Is it that Europeans are more paranoid of a corporate fascist state or corporatocracy, having a greater distrust in lack of Government transparency, due to their shared 20th century history, or that they are simply just more socially aware/engaging. Or is it a combination of the two, with the latter being a natural consequence of the former?

Do Europeans in general have more free time to engage in political discourse/actions (not being distracted as much or as easily by bread and circuses us we North Americans are in general ( aside from footy) or is it just a matter of such political/social activism being more ingrained in their socialistic society? Is pre-emptive “scare/fear-mongering” (as main stream media sources might portray such discourse, including that by the Canadian trade union representative alluded to in the article) justifiable prior to the specifics of the various trade agreements been released, based on the well-known outcomes of prior trade agreements?

Cheers,

Luker