OTTAWA - The Tory staffer who was axed Tuesday for using her boss' name to try to secure an extra ticket to a controversial Canadian film walked into the Ottawa screening last night with her head held high.
"Of course, I had to come now, after everything that happened," Victoria van Eyk said outside the World Exchange Plaza theatre.
Van Eyk, 22 -- who attended the screening of Young People F---ing with her father and sister -- was fired from her job as assistant to Tory MP Gary Goodyear after she put his name on the guest list for the screening.
The film has fuelled censorship debates over the Harper government's Bill C10, which would allow the government to deny tax credits to productions deemed "contrary to public policy."
When van Eyk asked the woman at the door for extra tickets for her dad and sister, the woman gushed: "Of course, you can have like 10."
She also encouraged van Eyk to take her ticket and have director Martin Gero autograph it after the film.
Many Conservative MPs were on the RSVP list for the screening, but said they never planned to attend -- and they didn't.
Liberal MP Denis Coderre attended the screening and called van Eyk's firing a "disgrace."
"I think it's disgusting ... we might have a good case of human rights here."
Coderre also criticized Bill C10.
"My kind of Canada doesn't have any censorship," he said, cradling popcorn in one hand, a large soft drink in the other.
"It (the movie) might be good, it might be bad, but at least they have the capacity to do it. I am totally in favour of creativity," he said.
Coderre commended van Eyk for showing up.
"She's a woman of principle, good for her," he said.
In the darkened theatre, Gero and another member of the production team urged the audience to make their own informed decisions about the film.
"What's the film called?" an audience member shouted.
"I'm a family man, I can't say it," said the member of the production team.
Seconds later he changed his mind.
"Welcome to Young People F---ing" he said, to loud applause.
Gero quipped: "Now you can see there's actually something behind the title."
The first 45 minutes of the movie were tame, filled with dialogue as the ensemble cast was introduced -- several dysfunctional couples about to have sex.
Aside from partial nudity and sexually suggestive dialogue, the film wasn't as raunchy as its title suggests.
Van Eyk said her attendance was about something more important than going to see a controversial film.
"I don't like censorship. I've never felt comfortable with Bill C10," she said.
Despite the controversy, the mood was light. People sipped on wine and nipped on crackers.
"It's a swearing night," the girl at the door said. "Have a good f---ing night."
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