Down With the Sickness: Canadian Politics 2022

Not at all! That's my point--such posts are fine. It's bizarre to get complain about them.

("get upset" or "complain"; "get complain" a little weird)

So a couple of things I'd noticed (and that came out in the photos I took) were: i) a lot of Christian and Biblical messages on signs and sides of vans ii) a lot of QC flags, French signs, and QC accents with no evidence of separatist sentiment - a lot of the people with QC flags also had Canadian flags; some signs were even bilingual. (Bernier/PPC stuff was v popular otoh, which is virtually unheard of in Ottawa.) A friend in Mtl sent me this article, which goes some way to explaining both phenomena: https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2022-02-02/recherche-sur-le-complotisme/la-pandemie-a-cree-des-ponts-entre-le-quebec-et-l-ouest.php . It's about a report by researcher Martin Geoffroy and his research team on the "ethnography of conspiratorial thought" during the pandemic - where he notes that far-right nationalists in QC, typically loath to unite with anglos, have actually found common cause with Western separatists and reactionaries in their opposition to sanitary measures. He compares the decentralized structure of the movement, reflecting both the diversity of goals but also a strategy that makes surveillance or governmental influence more difficult, to the Black Panthers in the 60s. They identify the components of the coalition as belonging to two broad categories: a political far right 'matrix' (further divided into "sovereign citizens", white identitarians, and survivalists) and a spiritual/religious 'matrix' who are united by their opposition to mainstream science and rationality (broken down into the New Age network, some of whose views he thinks border on eugenics, traditional Catholics, and fundamentalist Protestants).

The scary part is the possibility that someone like P01l13vr3 could harness this kind of coalition to win government.

Dans le groupe associé à l’extrême droite, Martin Geoffroy inclut les groupes identitaires, comme les Farfadaas, qui participent au blocus dans les rues d’Ottawa. Ces groupes sont nés de l’opposition à l’immigration, mais ont reformaté leur discours avec la pandémie. Leur objectif n’est pas d’influencer les décideurs publics, mais plutôt de « transformer la façon dont les citoyens eux-mêmes perçoivent le monde », note le rapport de recherche du CEFIR.

Okay, I was curious about that Farfadaa group. I saw a bunch of them on the Ottawalks livestream (Saturday, I think), but there was almost nothing about them online. Figured they'd be something like this.

o'toole out
(wow)

seems bad tbh

yeah—i mean i think o'toole had a legit chance to be prime minister (in a relatively centrist mode)

whereas now whoever replaces him will likely lurch the party to the ugly right, which gives more voice to canadian trumpism and strengthens trudeau

neither situation is particularly good for a listless NDP, but i would have favoured the one without an energized alt right

I don't follow closely enough to answer this: was he on his way out already, or did the last week's events precipitate this? If the latter, that would seem like a problem.

he was under threat since the election, where he was perceived to have underperformed

but the critique even then was coming mostly from the trucker-style conservatives

o'toole seemed like he genuinely wanted to renew the conservatives as a "modern" tory party, similar i think to Boris Johnson's vibe. the kind of party that would take some action on climate change (not enough), would probably have done something like CERB (not enough), but more "responsibly" and pro-business/anti-tax/anti-woke than the liberals

i think it woulda worked! a kinder stephen harper kinda thing. canadians (sigh) like that.

but now they'll be riven by ugly forces for a while and promote bullshit and radicalize even more people

Farfadaa group

Does their name have something to do with leprechauns or...?

A bunch of grade 7/8 kids at my son’s school, staged a protest today against covid safety measures like recess zones etc. Can’t imagine where they got the idea.

wow that's pretty infuriating given how much authority you constantly submit to as a student (like "recess" is what they have in prison you dolts). At least the justification is transparent when it's covid safety!

Haven't been to a school yet that strictly monitors that kind of thing once outside--maybe we should, but it's pretty difficult. And for what it's worth, my old school (a K-8), and many schools, had recess zones before COVID: you try to keep young kids and older kids separate, so the young kids don't get trampled running in the middle of a soccer or football game. (Not applicable if your son goes to a middle school.)

CBC reporter summarizing Ottawa Police Chief Sloly's statement:

To sum it up:
Thousands more Convoy protestors expected this weekend.
Convoy being funded by American$
Counter protestors are also going to show
Ottawa Police can't handle this occupation on own
Mayor says need provincial and federal help
Military may need to be called in

— Judy Trinh (@judyatrinh) February 2, 2022

We've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas

many xps but i share your derision and frustration with these truck demons, they seem dickish and i'm not trying to add additional dickishness to the equation

Just got an email from my local hospital saying that they are CANCELLING THEIR URGENT CARE CLINIC on Saturday due to expected trucknutz in the neighbourhood...

Wtf? Are you in Ottawa?

Trawna.
Hospital's near Queen's Park....

Yeah there is some convoy tronno copycat protest this Saturday. Their plan is apparently to meet up at a bunch of malls and travel from there. I mean, have any of these people ever actually been to the Yorkdale parking lot on a Saturday? Good luck w that!

I was thinking of driving into the city tomorrow to see the Poly Styrene documentary at the Bloor, but thinking about this thing, I think I'll skip it--have a feeling getting anywhere downtown will be an ordeal.

Good move, she has a big trucker constituency who are sure to be congregating at Bloor and Bathurst.

You gotta get into the city first...Gardiner, Lakeshore, they'll both be bad.

I know it's not the biggest issue but can I just mention how unsettling the constant horns are when you're actually trying to drive and are used to a horn being a signal that means "pay attention!" or "watch out!" Not to mention that when someone was charging towards me bc they were going the wrong way on a one-way street, I couldn't even be sure my honk would be understood.

Apparently Ottawa is planning to quell the noise a bit this weekend by installing signs at the city limits saying “WELCOME TO OTTAWA - HONK IF YOU LOVE TRUDEAU”

Haha

The Ottawa Police Service and its partners are implementing a surge and contain strategy in Ottawa’s downtown neighbourhoods to further protect neighbourhoods, restore order and prevent unlawful activity.

In connection with ongoing demonstrations, Ottawa’s downtown residents and businesses continue to be severely impacted by unlawful acts, including harassment, mischief, hate crimes, and noise violations. We know that additional demonstrators are coming, and we are significantly increasing our policing resources to respond.

To prevent and reduce the impacts of demonstrators entering the downtown core, and to improve neighbourhood safety, the Ottawa Police Service is implementing the following measures – effective immediately

Major deployment of police officers in the downtown neighbourhoods: There will be approximately 150 additional uniformed and non-uniformed officers dedicated to only patrolling and addressing unlawful and threatening conduct in the most impacted neighbourhoods including: Centretown, Sandy Hill, Lowertown and the Byward Market. This includes working with City and NCR officials to prevent unlawful and unsafe use of public space by demonstrators.

Expand and harden perimeter of the demonstration red zone: The Ottawa Police Service and City of Ottawa will be utilizing concrete and heavy equipment barricades to create no-access roadways throughout the downtown core. The City of Ottawa will be releasing a map of impacted roads later today. Protestor vehicles will be directed to designated parking zones outside of the downtown core. Illegal parking by demonstrators will result in by-law enforcement, removal and impound. If necessary, interprovincial bridges, highway off ramps and/or roads will be closed.

Enforcement directives: The surge of police officers will result in enforcement to restore public safety. This includes increased investigation enforcement and charges for all criminal acts related hate, harassment, assaults (including spitting), intimidation, and mischief.

Enhanced intelligence operations and investigations: National, provincial and local intelligence agencies have increased efforts to identify and target protestors who are funding/supporting/enabling unlawful and harmful activity by protestors. Investigative evidence-gathering teams are collecting financial, digital, vehicle registration, driver identification, insurance status, and other related evidence that will be used in criminal prosecutions. Every unlawful act, including traffic violations, will be fully pursued regardless of origin.

The primary focus of each of these measures will be on the unlawful behaviour connected to the ongoing demonstrations (including parallel and counter demonstrations).

We strongly urge all demonstrators and those engaging with demonstrators to act lawfully, peacefully and respectfully.

Guess we'll see how it plays out this time.
https://www.ottawapolice.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?lang=en&newsId=0f31ea4e-110e-434c-b817-04c3d23f1ede

Protestor vehicles will be directed to designated parking zones outside of the downtown core. Illegal parking by demonstrators will result in by-law enforcement, removal and impound.

Does that mean that the convoy has to stay moving in order to remain downtown?

Incidentally, here's a story about a 4yo with brain cancer who missed his chemo appointment bc of the occupation, at the height of which every bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau was blocked: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-truck-convoy-protest-child-health-care-delay-cancer-cheo-1.6338038

Jmm, I'm hoping it means they will have to park their vehicles and actually march or stand on their feet on the Hill like normal demonstrators do.

I really feel for you being right there sund4r. I’d imagine it’s all super unsettling, like your house has been robbed.

thx

seriously, constant horn honking would drive me to murder

Former President Trump throws support (again) behind Ottawa protest, describing it as standing up to “harsh policies of far left lunatic Justin Trudeau”. Trump lashes out against Facebook and GoFundMe.

— Katie Simpson (@CBCKatie) February 4, 2022

Why Gofundme? Did they pull support?

I mean, have any of these people ever actually been to the Yorkdale parking lot on a Saturday?

True enough. Stay away from Sherway, too, convoy people.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/trucker-convoy-gofundme-suspended-after-reaching-10-1-million-1.5765794

btw https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mps-agree-to-call-gofundme-to-testify-over-trucker-convoy-fundraiser-1.5766591

The Gofundme page was started by two right-wing extremists who are not truckers themselves aiui.

Thanks Sund4r, I guess we'll see how that shakes out...

https://www.antihate.ca/the_freedom_convoy_is_nothing_but_a_vehicle_for_the_far_right

Seeing "Let's Go Brandeau" on some signs. That's at least two layers of inanity.

I often have the news on in the next room while I'm at the computer. I even find the honking in a news story really annoying.

GoFundMe says the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser “is now in violation of our Terms of Service (Term 8, which prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment) and has been removed from the platform.”

— Sarah Sears (@iamSas) February 4, 2022

That probably isn’t actually net good news - because it’s galvanizing, and is definitely going to intensify the American attention and interference that’s already been happening. Already saw an avalanche of inflammatory tweets that were basically raging like “they stole your donations and gave them to BLM instead!” Seems weird or foolish that the Ottawa police are on there almost taking credit for it too.

Hopefully someone there is smart enough to give a bunch of it to the Terry Fox Foundation

Didn’t Ottawa police reported the violations to GoFundMe?

Yeah, it's blowing up right wing Twitter. On the other hand, it also means that they're no longer raising millions of dollars. I might take that deal!

Has anyone ever seen police respond this way to a crowd?

Wondering why there were no cops at the 100+ person street party with a DJ on a truck at Rideau and Sussex last night?

The protestors chased them off.

Here is video from one prominent protestor from last night #cdnpoli #ottnews #TruckerConvoy2022 https://t.co/W80MUSmYEF pic.twitter.com/7Jl9ttbeJ7

— Mackenzie Gray (@Gray_Mackenzie) February 5, 2022