My favourite sign from the counter-protest. pic.twitter.com/ie0cnR6piR
— John Ibbitson (@JohnIbbitson) February 5, 2022
Protest is a necessary part of a functioning democratic society. Train strikes in Europe. Picket signs outside a company that you think is doing damage to society. Letting the government know what you feel.
We usually associate protest with liberal or left-leaning groups. After all, they have to work hard just to come up short in opportunities in society. We've seen police crack down hard, especially in recent years, on protesters.
What we've seen in Canada: Ottawa, Windsor, and many other places — this may look like a protest. They have signs, they seem to have a purpose. It's okay to be upset that the pandemic has upset lives. Here are some missing elements to what is happening in Canada.
- The action is being portrayed as a truckers convoy. Most of the people are not truckers. This is like saying "blueberry" on the front of the food label and finding blueberry to be 9th or 10th in the list of ingredients.
- These people are upset at COVID-19 restrictions. Those fall under the jurisdiction of provinces, which is why some provinces have done okay and some have done awful. The federal restrictions involving actual truckers requires truckers entering Canada to be fully vaccinated. Again, most truckers are vaccinated.
- If you are sincerely protesting, which is debatable, you would have clear messaging for what you want to accomplish. Nazi flags, distorted Canadian flags with swastikas, loud noises waking up people who live in downtown Ottawa, blocking traffic so Canadian nurses can't go to work in the United States, setting up an encampment in Ottawa. This is not about protesting, this is disruption.
- The Ottawa police treating these people with much more kindness than people who are protesting on the opposite side of the spectrum. Their performance has been pathetic. The people of Ottawa need to be defended from these people, not sucked up to by the police force.
- The image of using children as shields is standard "way beyond any real sense of protest."
The auto industry is suffering because of the blockades with the Ambassador Bridge in a time where more cars need to be built. Downtown Ottawa, normally a very boring place, has received too much excitement, especially in a negative light. Other areas of Canada are dealing with selfish, boorish, outright illegal behavior.
U.S. groups financially supporting these people should understand the concept of sovereignty. This is literally not your fight.
Erin O'Toole out as Conservative Party federal leader
The Conservative Party of Canada is sucking up to these people. Candice Bergen won't be the leader of the party when the ramifications truly come but she is loud and proud. "The economy that you want to see reopened, is hurting.” The people Bergen is supporting are hurting the economy.
The Conservatives had many reasons to get rid of O'Toole. The timing of his dismissal as party leader seemed to also be a timing to respond as stronger allies with these people.
United Conservative Party Alberta premier Jason Kenney has been critical of protests that interfere with business yet these people, socially and culturally aligned with conservatives, are doing just that.
2022 Canadian politics preview
We know people have short memories. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been slow on so many challenges, including the convoy. Ford did declare a state of emergency but why did this take so long.
The Ontario election is set for June 2. Will this change minds away from Ford Nation that were previously undecided?
Canadian politics coverage on CanadianCrossing.com
Mick Jagger famously said "Why are we fighting?" at Altamont in 1969. Liberals and left-leaning people are upset at COVID-19 restrictions. We have argued numerous times that Canada is too cautious in pandemic restrictions.
This is frustrating that conservative people are acting out their frustrations, whether that be masks or vaccination requirements or some other kind of "victim" syndrome. We love that Canada acts more as a society and, despite this, Canada is that country.
Those who were tricked into believing the "memorandum of understanding" was a real thing should have to take the test that immigrants have to in order to become a Canadian citizen.
We saw some of this same element, perhaps the same people, with antisocial disturbing behaviour at Justin Trudeau rallies in the election last fall.
Update: Just a few bad apples waving swastika/Confederate flags, stealing food from homeless, dancing on National War Memorial, defacing Terry Fox statue, assaulting journalists, storming Rideau Centre maskless
— The Beaverton (@TheBeaverton) January 30, 2022
Stop being babies. Stop throwing tantrums. All of us are sick of having to do what we do. Restrictions and mandates should end based on science, not intimidation from those who haven't wanted to play by the rules.
People who protest know what they want in terms of solutions. These people want to disrupt without an end plan. They have a right to be frustrated but they are not responding like they have a clue or a solution. This is Canada but a small minority.
Twitter captures: @JohnIbbitson; @TheBeaverton
photo credit: CBC News
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