Will the Authoritarianism of Canada Follow the Freedom Convoy South of the Border?
The Freedom Convoy has made a scene across Canada, as downtown Ottawa and the Ambassador Bridge between Michigan and Ontario were temporarily shut down. Thousands of truckers sprawled out across the land, cheered on by large crowds, to peacefully protest vaccine mandates (initially those requiring drivers coming back into Canada from the United States to be vaccinated, with the unrealistic alternative being quarantines). Even millions of dollars were raised to support this “fringe” group of people, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who immediately went into hiding (I mean, caught “COVID-19”), called them. The actions taken by the federal and local authorities in Canada are human rights violations and something that should be condemned in a free society, but, of course, governments labelled the truckers, who were fighting for the freedom of all Canadians (and to a larger extent, the freedom of the people of the world), as domestic terrorists and disturbers of the peace that needed to be halted from their unlawful assemblies.
The American corporate media hardly touched the story, as thousands of trucks descended on Ottawa, and the Canadian state-run propaganda centers quickly condemned the protestors as far-right white supremacists and fascists. When the American media did cover the story, it locked in on a few instigators that carried swastikas and not-related-to-Canada Confederate flags (it is not like Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020 did not have some people taking advantage of the situation or burning down buildings, or anything), which was way out of touch with the entirety of the protests and what the demonstrators were attempting to accomplish. Liberal podcasters and commentators also jumped in on the bandwagon and made connections between the protests and President Trump (again, Trump has nothing to do with Canada), in an attempt to claim that far-right movements are spreading across the globe, in a concerted effort, to end global democracy. Although these critics had no clue what they were talking about and the protests were largely peaceful, most Americans remained ignorant of the events north of the border, and what they did know was influenced by biased media that shed the truckers in negative light (no serious or critical analysis was done by those condemning them).
Probably under pressure from the Ottawa officials (the move was quickly praised by the mayor and others), GoFundMe violated contracts with donors of the convoy by preventing the funds from reaching the truckers and distributing the money to places of the company’s choosing (this amounted to theft). The Ottawa police force was unable to break up the protests, and they resorted to confiscating firewood, in order to freeze out the protesters in the cold Canadian winter; diesel fuel; and food, in order to starve them (people were arrested for providing food). An Ontario judge even issued a ten-day order prohibiting the truckers from honking their horns.
The inability of the local police to suppress the freedom of expression was most likely the reason for Trudeau’s decision to invoke the never-before-utilized Emergencies Act, which gave him the power to send in the military for domestic law enforcement, if needed, and suspend the rights to assemble and freely travel. It also gave the federal and local governments in Canada, through financial institutions, the ability to release individual banking data, halt pending transactions, which amounted to C$3.8 million, and freeze personal bank accounts of anyone who donated to the cause, which resulted in C$7.8 million (US$6.1 million) in frozen assets; and this power was done without court orders or warrants. Because arrests and frozen bank accounts disallowed protesters from caring for their animals, the government threatened to confiscate truckers’ pets for eight days, after which point, the animals could forever be under the “care” of the government (and perhaps euthanized). Roughly 200 protesters were arrested and deprived of freedom for exercising their right to assemble, and 57 trucks were towed (some forcibly removed, with tow companies ordered to do so). The Ottawa police utilized pepper spray and stun grenades to clear out the remaining protesters, and there have been accounts of unwarranted violence by law enforcement, as well as police forcefully pushing their way through crowds. The police also issued warnings that they would hunt down anyone who took part in the protests and prosecute them.
All in all, the convoy was largely a success, in that the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Ontario announced that they would be lifting vaccine mandates, including their passport systems (the claim was, of course, that the mandates were lifted because the virus was on the decline, but the timing is too peculiar for that to be the case). Government officials were unable to disperse the crowds, and they were forced to admit defeat, until the authoritarian Trudeau marched in to save the day. In doing so, the hypocrisy of the prime minister, among others, was on full display, and it was revealed to the world that when push comes to shove, politicians will do whatever they need to do to remain in power. Justin Trudeau is no exception, and his authoritarian side and iron fist were witnessed by the masses. In addition, similar protests (though none so far have been to the same magnitude) have been reproduced in the United States, France, Australia, and New Zealand.
Are the citizens of the world waking up? In the United States, the mimic convoy has taken off from California and is scheduled to reach Washington, D.C. by next week (perhaps in time for the State of the Union address). What will be the response by the Biden administration or governors in states effected? The Pentagon has already authorized a National Guard deployment of 700 troops to be ready to quell what is planned to be a peaceful protest. The Department of Homeland Security, which recently issued a bulletin suggesting that those opposing pandemic measures are domestic terrorists, along with the White House, is carefully monitoring the situation in case it needs to “protect” Americans from another “insurrection” of far-right extremists (who, again, plan on protesting peacefully). In anticipation of violence, the government is having fencing installed around the Capitol (the government would not take this measure if it were BLM protestors, some of which trespassed on federal courthouse grounds and burned down buildings).
What should make patriots nervous is that this convoy will be painted, just like with the Canadian one, as racist, radical, and unjustified, and as a result, it may initially ruin the reputation of the freedom movement. As Americans, many of us were subjected to restrictions of travel, prohibitions against assembly at churches and small businesses, muzzling and forced facial attire, loss of jobs and entry to restaurants for making a decision over our bodies for two years with massive physical, social, and economic consequences, and yet, these pro-lockdown and pro-mandate people are unapologetic. They still do not understand why these protests are occurring, nor do they value freedom. In fact, many of them would be content sending the unvaccinated to quarantine camps. If we easily accepted pandemic measures during this perceived emergency, what will happen when the next crisis occurs? Americans have been conditioned to accept blind faith in government, authoritarian measures, and potential concentration camps, all the while accepting executive edicts, outside of the legislative process, being issued by the president and governors in direct violation of the separation of powers concept.
When the American convoy reaches our capital, will the federal government freeze the bank accounts of those who support the protests, issue martial law against the citizens, and use heavy-handed militarized tactics to suppress the freedom of peaceful protestors who will be classified as terrorists by authorities? Being that almost everyone is dependent on the banking system, the unconstitutional seizing of personal accounts would have negative impacts on those who still value freedom. In addition to the militarized response, this will likely further the surveillance state and give those on the Right or identifying with liberty movements a place on terrorist watchlists or in prison. Freedom of expression is not genuinely cherished by governments (or progressives or those on the Left, apparently). These are dark times, but the path of Canada’s Freedom Convoy should not be forgotten.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
The American corporate media hardly touched the story, as thousands of trucks descended on Ottawa, and the Canadian state-run propaganda centers quickly condemned the protestors as far-right white supremacists and fascists. When the American media did cover the story, it locked in on a few instigators that carried swastikas and not-related-to-Canada Confederate flags (it is not like Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020 did not have some people taking advantage of the situation or burning down buildings, or anything), which was way out of touch with the entirety of the protests and what the demonstrators were attempting to accomplish. Liberal podcasters and commentators also jumped in on the bandwagon and made connections between the protests and President Trump (again, Trump has nothing to do with Canada), in an attempt to claim that far-right movements are spreading across the globe, in a concerted effort, to end global democracy. Although these critics had no clue what they were talking about and the protests were largely peaceful, most Americans remained ignorant of the events north of the border, and what they did know was influenced by biased media that shed the truckers in negative light (no serious or critical analysis was done by those condemning them).
Probably under pressure from the Ottawa officials (the move was quickly praised by the mayor and others), GoFundMe violated contracts with donors of the convoy by preventing the funds from reaching the truckers and distributing the money to places of the company’s choosing (this amounted to theft). The Ottawa police force was unable to break up the protests, and they resorted to confiscating firewood, in order to freeze out the protesters in the cold Canadian winter; diesel fuel; and food, in order to starve them (people were arrested for providing food). An Ontario judge even issued a ten-day order prohibiting the truckers from honking their horns.
The inability of the local police to suppress the freedom of expression was most likely the reason for Trudeau’s decision to invoke the never-before-utilized Emergencies Act, which gave him the power to send in the military for domestic law enforcement, if needed, and suspend the rights to assemble and freely travel. It also gave the federal and local governments in Canada, through financial institutions, the ability to release individual banking data, halt pending transactions, which amounted to C$3.8 million, and freeze personal bank accounts of anyone who donated to the cause, which resulted in C$7.8 million (US$6.1 million) in frozen assets; and this power was done without court orders or warrants. Because arrests and frozen bank accounts disallowed protesters from caring for their animals, the government threatened to confiscate truckers’ pets for eight days, after which point, the animals could forever be under the “care” of the government (and perhaps euthanized). Roughly 200 protesters were arrested and deprived of freedom for exercising their right to assemble, and 57 trucks were towed (some forcibly removed, with tow companies ordered to do so). The Ottawa police utilized pepper spray and stun grenades to clear out the remaining protesters, and there have been accounts of unwarranted violence by law enforcement, as well as police forcefully pushing their way through crowds. The police also issued warnings that they would hunt down anyone who took part in the protests and prosecute them.
All in all, the convoy was largely a success, in that the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Ontario announced that they would be lifting vaccine mandates, including their passport systems (the claim was, of course, that the mandates were lifted because the virus was on the decline, but the timing is too peculiar for that to be the case). Government officials were unable to disperse the crowds, and they were forced to admit defeat, until the authoritarian Trudeau marched in to save the day. In doing so, the hypocrisy of the prime minister, among others, was on full display, and it was revealed to the world that when push comes to shove, politicians will do whatever they need to do to remain in power. Justin Trudeau is no exception, and his authoritarian side and iron fist were witnessed by the masses. In addition, similar protests (though none so far have been to the same magnitude) have been reproduced in the United States, France, Australia, and New Zealand.
Are the citizens of the world waking up? In the United States, the mimic convoy has taken off from California and is scheduled to reach Washington, D.C. by next week (perhaps in time for the State of the Union address). What will be the response by the Biden administration or governors in states effected? The Pentagon has already authorized a National Guard deployment of 700 troops to be ready to quell what is planned to be a peaceful protest. The Department of Homeland Security, which recently issued a bulletin suggesting that those opposing pandemic measures are domestic terrorists, along with the White House, is carefully monitoring the situation in case it needs to “protect” Americans from another “insurrection” of far-right extremists (who, again, plan on protesting peacefully). In anticipation of violence, the government is having fencing installed around the Capitol (the government would not take this measure if it were BLM protestors, some of which trespassed on federal courthouse grounds and burned down buildings).
What should make patriots nervous is that this convoy will be painted, just like with the Canadian one, as racist, radical, and unjustified, and as a result, it may initially ruin the reputation of the freedom movement. As Americans, many of us were subjected to restrictions of travel, prohibitions against assembly at churches and small businesses, muzzling and forced facial attire, loss of jobs and entry to restaurants for making a decision over our bodies for two years with massive physical, social, and economic consequences, and yet, these pro-lockdown and pro-mandate people are unapologetic. They still do not understand why these protests are occurring, nor do they value freedom. In fact, many of them would be content sending the unvaccinated to quarantine camps. If we easily accepted pandemic measures during this perceived emergency, what will happen when the next crisis occurs? Americans have been conditioned to accept blind faith in government, authoritarian measures, and potential concentration camps, all the while accepting executive edicts, outside of the legislative process, being issued by the president and governors in direct violation of the separation of powers concept.
When the American convoy reaches our capital, will the federal government freeze the bank accounts of those who support the protests, issue martial law against the citizens, and use heavy-handed militarized tactics to suppress the freedom of peaceful protestors who will be classified as terrorists by authorities? Being that almost everyone is dependent on the banking system, the unconstitutional seizing of personal accounts would have negative impacts on those who still value freedom. In addition to the militarized response, this will likely further the surveillance state and give those on the Right or identifying with liberty movements a place on terrorist watchlists or in prison. Freedom of expression is not genuinely cherished by governments (or progressives or those on the Left, apparently). These are dark times, but the path of Canada’s Freedom Convoy should not be forgotten.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
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