What's happening in Canada with the truckers and Trudeau?

[GenderNo]

Can anyone explain what's going on here?

The last I read, the truckers are having their bank accounts frozen for protesting!

I follow on insta someone who lives in Ottawa and she says the protests are outrageous. She isn't in favour of the strict mandates, but reports way more than just one nazi flag. Also the noise and violence has done more to close off the shops than the mandates. And a lot of people of colour are being so verbally abused by the truckers they are now scared to leave their houses.

It might have started about covid, but it doesn't sound like it's about that now.

no clue as to the veracity of any news reports at this time. that's been my take on the events of the last 2+ years. cbc is always aligned with jt and his ideology.

@fallfallfall

as bad as that photo is the idea someone threw down a bicycle to tangle up a horse was equally deplorable. it's a mess and i hope JT is never again elected :(

It's been shown that the "bicycle thrown at a horse" was a fake story and it was actually the mobility walker of the old lady.

Anyone attending the protest with their pet now faces having it taken from them, held for 8 days and then " relinquished".

You have to think if they are willing to go this to the protesters pets then what will they do to the protesters.

[quote DazedandConcerned]@EmmaH2022 I think what concerns me the most is that he has a name that is one of two things:

1. A dog whistle
2. A rallying point

So, grass roots movements in the liberal party are unlikely as they are firmly in camp 2 from what I’ve seen and heard from family. The issue is - from outside his own party - Trudeau has shown he will do everything in his power to shutdown any protest or speech he isn’t in favour of. Including attacking your likelihood and assets. When enough people get scared and stand down it becomes a fringe movement which is then easy to call “terrorism”.[/quote]
Thank you

Something else that's hard to gauge as an outsider

I saw a video clip of Trudeau talking about media he paid for. I don't know if it's a bad taste joke or what the context was. But the way he refused to answer Rebel News question at the press conference and the awful things he has said to MPs made me wonder if it's a joke like Allegra Stratton joking about dealing with questions on parties at No 10.

@RazorstormUnicorn

I follow on insta someone who lives in Ottawa and she says the protests are outrageous. She isn't in favour of the strict mandates, but reports way more than just one nazi flag. Also the noise and violence has done more to close off the shops than the mandates. And a lot of people of colour are being so verbally abused by the truckers they are now scared to leave their houses.

It might have started about covid, but it doesn't sound like it's about that now.

Many of the truckers are not white though?

I was upset about JT in blackface a few years ago....but now he'd call me a white supermacist though I am not white.

It’s completely OTT, police horses trampling a woman man in a mobility scooter. It’s like Trudeau has lost any sense of proportion.
Thank goodness we’ve avoided all that here in the U.K. avoiding mandates on the whole. They are so divisive and unnecessary,
Perhaps we can thank partygate for that to some extent. It’s funny how things work out.
U.K. looking generally sane and rational compared to quite a few other countries around the world at the moment!

Why the silence from our media?

The Ottawa subreddit is very busy obviously with this subject. It’s worth a read to see what Ottawa’s residents are facing.

@Tealightsandd

The 'truckers' (apparently the majority are not Canadian or even truckers) are linked to the far right. They're waving nazi and confederate flags.

This is irrelevant. Being "far right" is not illegal. Being "far right" and organising a protest is not illegal.

You may find the far right distasteful, but that does not infringe their right to opinion and protest.

Trudeau has lost his mind. If Trump had done this the world would be up in arms, instead, political leaders seem to be watching and waiting to see if he gets away with it, presumably to see how far they can push their populations too.

If you haven't already noticed: this is nothing to do with covid anymore.

I asked my English born and raised DH (who is also a Canadian citizen) what he thought would happen if the British Houses of Parliament were surrounded by huge trucks and all kinds of craziness was going on.

Whole pig roasts, hot tubs, street hockey, bouncy castles to name a few. Huge semi trucks running and spewing diesel fumes and horn honking.

He couldn't answer me.

I believe firmly in freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest, but the goings on in Ottawa are well beyond that. They have made their point. It needs to stop now.

There are clearly people with grievances about vaccination. Ok, you can object. But I fail to see how Canada's Covid response is so offensive to them.

Much I have read suggests American "professional" protesters on the far right are involved. The US Congress has asked Facebook for information about how it could have contributed.

It is not at all unusual for US activists to be involved in Canadian issues. There have been Confederate flags etc.

I do not agree with invoking the Emergency Measures Act. I suspect it was because of the flow of money to the blockaders.

DH feels they are doing this because they haven't been heard and Trudeau should talk to then. I am not sure who he would talk to.

This is an interesting read.

www.nytimes.com/2022/02/17/opinion/ottawa-protest-convoy.html

Maybe I am too far influenced by the old CW McCall song but when I see an anti Government Convoy I get behind it
I says, "Pig Pen, this here's the Rubber Duck.
"We just ain't a-gonna pay no toll."
So we crashed the gate doing ninety-eight
I says "Let them truckers roll, 10-4."

London did have a long tent / festival situation. Back in 2011/ 2012. It was called Occupy and was in response to the crash: banker’s bonus etc. They occupied various places in london notably St. Paul’s but also on the grass outside palaces of Westminster. They became a tourist attraction!
No threats of killing pets necessary and after an injunction bailiffs moved them on. They were there maybe 6 months in the end.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18437009

Yes, we had Occupy here too. On the lawn outide our Provincial legislature and a public square vby the Vancour

Oops posted by accident too early. They were by the Art Gallery.

But Occupy did not have huge trucks.

LoveFell "I believe firmly in freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest, but the goings on in Ottawa are well beyond that. They have made their point. It needs to stop now."

As long as people have limited freedom based on the vaccine, the point hasn't been made. As long as they risk losing their jobs etc

The protests are very late in coming. I had given up in November 2021. I'm pleased to see it but fear it will be too little, too late.

True but why not use same tactics rather than this aggressive approach. Occupy ended peacefully here in U.K., presumably in Canada too. So yes it took longer but it went via the courts rather than aggressive tactics that backfire. We do live in a democracy and that is important even for protests we don’t like ( maybe especially for those ones!)

@Midlifemusings

It is a mess. The initial reason for the protest was really about people being frustrated with restrictions and mandates but the far right co-opted the protests and took the focus away from the real purpose. The nazi and confederate flags delegitimize any protest. Additionally the truckers who blocked off the downtown in Ottawa were honking their truck horns 24/7 causing significant distress and harm to families who live in that area. I also know people who while just trying to walk to work and they were spit on and called racist names by the protestors. It had become an unsafe place due to those who were the loudest and most obnoxious making it about themselves more than anything.

Trudeau is an idiot and the Emergency Act is complete overkill. The protests were not well handled to keep them safe and peaceful and non harmful BUT that is just Trudeau flexing his power and being who he is. Very disappointed in everyone really.

There were one or two confederate flags photographed at the protests which have been roundly condemned. Generally, the protests have been incredibly peaceful and community spirited. A Jewish member of the Canadian parliament and separately a group of Jewish doctors and scientists have condemned Trudeau's comparison of the truckers to Nazis as a "smear campaign". It's outrageous for a politician who was photographed in black face numerous times to suddenly be shouting about white supremacists and Nazis to try and condemn these protestors, most of whom are completely peaceful and have not shown any racism.

Peaceful protest is one of the few ways ordinary people can show their objection to policies they disagree with and the fact that Trudeau is trying to deny them this should be a warning to all of us, especially as he is supposedly a "liberal".

There have been several protests during the pandemic which have been far more violent, far more murderous and far more divisive yet Trudeau has not spoken out about such protests in the same way he has spoken about the truckers. Trudeau seems out of control.

Thera similar situation going on in NZ at moment too. Arden seems determined to paint them all as Trumpists etc and talks about “importing” the protest but looking at the crowds they seem more hippy/ lefty types, growing herbs etc dancing and singing. Hardly neo nazi behaviour
They too have been treated badly with sprinklers turned on them during a wet weekend but I can’t see NZ being as draconian and aggressive as Canada. Bet they are watching closely though!

@fallfallfall

as bad as that photo is the idea someone threw down a bicycle to tangle up a horse was equally deplorable. it's a mess and i hope JT is never again elected :(

I was was just watching. live stream and the bicycle situation never happened. The lady had a mobility walker. The bicycle situation happened in lodnon last year and there are lost of videos. Wondering if the police are making false statements to sway peoples options. There are couple of very good livestreams on youtube if anyone is interested to follow the protests.

yes a statue toppled and beheaded two days ago as well as a work camp terrorized with equipment beyond damaged. certainly not much police action on either of those two incidents (maybe all the police are in ottawa...)
no vaccine no flying and many oil worksites are fly in fly out. healthy young albertans not able to work.
hopefully by tomorrow things have settled down and JT's days are numbered.

I've seen a lot of mention of confederate flags and even Nazi flags but I haven't actually seen any videos of people carrying them.

Could anyone link videos of that happening?

One of the livestreams

These have not been peaceful protests. Just because they haven't been violent - doesn't mean they have been peaceful. They have been an extreme disruption to the peace and safety and wellbeing of the residents who live in the downtown Ottawa area due to the incredible noise being made. There are also a number of protestors who are aggressive and racist and you only need a small number to disrupt the peace further. Peaceful doesn't mean being spat on and called a racist name while walking to work by someone who says they are there to fight for freedom.

This has not been in any way a peaceful protest at all. Hence why the injunction was granted to stop the horns due to the harm being caused to the local residents.

Peace doesn't hurt people. This protest has led to harm for many local residents, individuals with disabilities and visible minorities.

Trudeau is in the wrong. So are the protestors. I have no use for any of them. You can make a point without harming others.

www.hilltimes.com/2022/02/02/right-wing-conservatives-have-incredible-knack-for-being-on-the-wrong-side-of-history/341705

Picture of protestor with confederate flag

thecjn.ca/perspectives/swastikas-and-other-symbols-of-hate-displayed-at-ottawa-protest-arent-just-offensive-but-dangerous-says-andrea-freedman-ceo-of-ottawas-jewish-federation/

Picture of swastika on flag