Down With the Sickness: Canadian Politics 2022

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

I figure odds are about 65-35 this will backfire on the Tories and strengthen Trudeau's Liberals. I don't think the average suburban Canadian voter wants to ally themselves with this sort of thing. I'm not ruling the possibility of a genuinely scary pan-national hard right coalition developing successfully out of this, though.

I'm still a little baffled as to when mainstream conservatives decided they were cool with terrorism and insurrection in their own countries.

Baffled is the word:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/bergen-pushed-o-toole-to-back-convoy-saying-there-are-good-people-on-both-sides-sources-1.5768337

Isn't the most obvious answer the correct one: with Trump (Jan. 6, earlier, at some point)?

genuinely scary pan-national hard right coalition

I had the idea that one of the things working against this was the PPC hating the Conservatives as much as they hate the other parties.

...but a similar coalition happened when the Reform Party essentially took over the PCs, so who knows.

^^^

Glad I stayed clear of the city: going by the news coverage, sounds like there's a second jammed-up area at Avenue and Bloor, and they closed a Gardiner off-ramp an hour ago. CNN is giving Ottawa lots of coverage, which I'm sure just encourages them.

Isn't the most obvious answer the correct one: with Trump (Jan. 6, earlier, at some point)?

Right. I'm just trying to get my head around how a Chamber of Commerce type or a moral traditionalist looks at that and thinks "OTM".

Ottawa Police Chief Sloly: This is a siege. This is something different than I have ever experienced in my life … it’s not a demonstration, it’s not an occupation.

— Sarah Sears (@iamSas) February 5, 2022

I went to check out the City Hall counter-protest briefly. It was pretty small, just a few hundred people, with a few dozen OPS standing between the crowds on Laurier. I think the cold was keeping many people from sticking around.

Woot woot 👏 https://t.co/LTaVaTO1Zn

— NanaK (@NanaKCanada) February 5, 2022

I enjoyed seeing the counterprotesters in downtown vncouver this afternoon

I went to check out the City Hall counter-protest briefly. It was pretty small, just a few hundred people, with a few dozen OPS standing between the crowds on Laurier. I think the cold was keeping many people from sticking around.

Didn't know about this; will go to one if I hear about it.

Darn, I should have texted you. Next time. I found out about it on the Ottawa subreddit.

I hope no one gets hurt, but the Vancouver bikers story was really cheering to read about.

Just read this in a CBC story: "But acting Deputy Chief Trish Ferguson said both laws and judgment have to be considered, as police believe that situation could become dangerous quickly."

Ah, so when the police attack land defenders and people concerned about the homeless, it's because they're certain those people pose no threat but they prefer to use overwhelming violent force anyway—very cool!