Down With the Sickness: Canadian Politics 2022

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!

State of emergency declared:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/convoy-protest-ottawa-sunday-impasse-1.6341548

I was going to pick up some some food at Orange Julep here in Montreal and when I approach the place I start hearing all these car horns going and I am dreading running into a bunch of these trucker protesters who decided to stop here to eat or whatever. I was so relieved when I start seeing a bunch of Senegalese flags (who apparently just won the African Cup).

Hate this fucking guy: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/race-for-the-next-conservative-leader-begins-as-poilievre-announces-his-bid-1.5769778

He's been a nuisance since his mid-20s, when he was the MP for my parents' riding. Currently, he's the only Tory MP in the city of Ottawa, which makes his wholehearted endorsement and advocacy of this siege especially despicable. His riding consists of a couple of affluent exurbs plus all the rural/semi-rural towns and villages that were amalgamated into the municipality under Harris, which I'm sure contain plenty of people who've long dreamt of terrorizing Centretown and Lowertown.

And tbc he is driven and ambitious, more confident than the last two Tory leaders, more bilingual than any Tory leader since Mulroney, and could have a credible chance of becoming PM.

Ok if Charest counts as a Tory leader, replace "Mulroney" with "Charest" there.

And the only thing preventing us from that outcome rn is Justin Trudeau's skill at avoiding ethical scandals

arson, even?

I've been hesitating to post this publicly, but I feel I must for the safety of downtown Ottawa residents. Here are the facts:

Last night two arsonists brought a full package of firestarter bricks into our building's lobby at 5AM. The building is located at Metcalfe & Lisgar. 1/

— Matias Muñoz (@TiMunoz) February 6, 2022

Holy shit

In case you’re wondering why #centretown residents and the rest of urban Ottawa are losing our minds…my watch was showing dB readings hitting 105 dB at Bank & Queen. This occupation has ZERO sympathy from us anymore. #OttawaOccupation #GoHomeConvoy #ottcity pic.twitter.com/6aWZXYTN2H

— Sean Flynn (@sfyro) February 6, 2022

Had to close the bedroom window yesterday bc my wife felt like she was choking on diesel fumes.

(The worst of it has been contained to some blocks away from where we are, though.)

someone is keeping track of all the businesses associated with the truckers convoy occupation

https://convoytraitors.ca

I was wary of trusting that thread StanM posted, but goddamn:

Arson investigation: We are asking for help to identify two individuals as persons of interest in an arson investigation.

The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Feb. 6 at a building in the 200 block of Lisgar St. @CrimeStoppersOT https://t.co/Cd84K1g2sq pic.twitter.com/OW6H1LeW5K

— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 7, 2022

Still not determined that the arsonists were with the convoy but yeah, guy wasn't making up video footage. The OP in StanM's thread used to be a part owner of a cool venue where a lot of improv gigs took place btw.

While there were a lot of predictable "antifa false flag" responses, my favourites were the ones that were positive that they couldn't be with the occupation since one of them appeared to have purple hair (?) in the original images:

There's no way the dude with purple hair is part of the trucker convoy. This is lib theater designed to create chaos and to force arrests.

— Lili von Shtupp (@LvS_Redux) February 7, 2022

I love all the people replying "have you tried just talking to them?" Clearly the people who are occupying the capital city for a week with "FUCK TRUDEAU" painted on their vehicles are just there to start a dialogue.

In addition to nearly 300 RCMP officers, tactical police troops, joint intelligence and operational teams and community liaison teams, the federal government is convening a table with relevant federal and municipal partners to further strengthen our response to this situation.

— Yasir Naqvi 🇨🇦 (@Yasir_Naqvi) February 7, 2022

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".

Meant to respond to this the other day...I don't think it's yet reached this point here--maybe I'm wrong--but in the States, as a zillion people before me have pointed out, the Chamber of Commerce and moral traditionalist Republicans who bowed to Trump were afraid of losing, of getting primaried, etc. If you're talking about office-seekers/holders, that is--or do you mean non-politicians?

Well both insofar as the office-seekers are presumably trying to appeal to voters.