Truckers protest has been hijacked by right-wing agitators
By Lethbridge Herald on February 9, 2022.
Editor:
Because we live in a free and democratic country, protests are tolerated without fear of serious retribution and persecution. Yet, signage and actions at the Ottawa event would suggest that some at least believe otherwise and have hijacked a genuine protest from unvaccinated truckers.
How else to explain such statements suggesting that this would be “Canada’s 6th January”? (In reference to the storming of the US House a year ago.)
Upside-down Maple Leaf flags alongside Confederate flags, obscene statements and threats directed at Trudeau, continual aggression directed at Ottawa citizens, desecration of national war memorials and the Terry Fox monument, demanding free meals and subsequently threatening an Ottawa soup kitchen’s employees, forcing the closure of at least one mall because of openly defying mask mandates and almost four full days of diesel belching trucks and honking of horns 24/7 interfering with thousands of downtown residents.
This is a movement that has been hijacked by right wing folk from both the U.S. and Canada including perhaps, several known agitator groups.
The truckers having every right to protest, began their journey to demand changes to what they perceived to be an injustice. (I would disagree but still, I respect their right to protest.)
What has happened is that suddenly the original cause has become but one part of a far right rallying cry amidst calls for insurrection. A small minority but a dangerous one nonetheless.
Some (mostly anonymous) “commentators” in the Herald have demanded proof beyond relying on the CBC and other national broadcasters.
Well, having returned from a two-months stay in Ottawa and after the weekend protests, I can confirm the aforementioned series of events outlined above, having witnessed most (but not all) of them.
Residents have had enough, businesses have had enough and now (Feb. 3), Coutts, Alberta would appear to have had enough.
A well-organized means of protest has been infiltrated and the original intended message of the so called “trucker vaccine mandate” has been precluded, lost in the fog of “human rights violations” and other messages routinely sounded by the protesters. This despite the brandishing of swastikas fluttering from vehicles and persons.
As suggested earlier, people protesting about “freedoms” should expand their thinking and consider the very fact that we in Canada are free to protest and strike insulting rhetoric at elected officials without fear of repercussions – something which is lacking in many parts of the world.
That said, every protest has a breaking point and that has been reached in Ottawa, Coutts and no doubt other locations across Canada.
There are some who sympathize with the truckers plight regarding vaccinations but considerably less, support the militant actions of the few.
I trust our MP also condemns such hateful rhetoric.
John P Nightingale
Lethbridge
18-17
The following was added on Sunday following our MPs article last Saturday. Presumably it missed the Herald’s deadline:
…………. There are some who sympathize with the truckers plight regarding vaccinations, less support the militant actions of the few, considerably less support the continuing disruptions of commerce and personal well being in major centres and smaller locations across the nation.
Two years ago, the Conservatives were highly critical of the rail blockades in support of opposition to the pipeline in NW BC*, yet support for the truckers is high amongst most Conservative party members. Both events caused severe disruption , so why support one, whilst condemning in the strongest possible terms, the other?
*2020 quote from Pierre Poilievre , possible contender for the Conservative leadership: “the financial repercussions … amounted to a “war on working people” and (he) asked how the government would fight back.” (Daily Motion.com)
Perhaps our MP Rachel Thomas, could explain her parties opposition to a protest two years ago , yet almost unanimous support for a major disruptive event in 2022.
And BTW, in response to the recent article by our MP suggesting all is well in Ottawa, it most certainly is not, this is no longer a “protest” , it is an “occupation”.
DOES EVERYONE KNOW THIS???????
Canada …. 58000 trucks … people cheering all along the route … main stream media lying about it
🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
This Convoy is not just for the trucker’s mandates.
It’s for the family members banned from visiting family in nursing homes.
It’s for the censorship on all social media platforms.
It’s for all the people afraid to speak In fear of being called conspiracy theorists.
It’s for the people who didn’t want to give up their freedom of choice!
It’s for the people who don’t want to give up their right to bear arms.
It’s for the people who don’t want to be in debt for the next 100 years.
It’s for the people who only want answers to the many questions that haven’t been answered.
It’s for the people afraid to hug their family and visit friends.
It’s for the people who want their lives back.
For the hairdressers to cut hair.
For the restaurants to serve food.
For the bars to play music.
For the students to learn .
For the kids to be free .
For people who want to work but are forced not to .
This is for the people.
This is for trying to silence honest and hardworking citizens.
Never in my life have I ever seen the healthy punished and the sick untreated.
This is for the 300,000 surgeries cancelled.
This is for the people that died waiting for their surgery.
This is for the people who died alone in the hospital without being able to hold that hands of their loved ones.
This is for the exhausted nurses.
This is for the doctors that are going unheard.
This is for all the front line workers… delivery trucks, grocery store clerks, PSWS who are constantly working overtime etc.
This is for all of us.
Godspeed truckers Convoy to Ottawa 2022 and all over the world! ❤️
**Copied from another post**
and for you elites who think you have high jacked.
It is interesting to me how some people can navigate the paradox of anti-democratic, violent insurrection with the notion of freedom.
And it is nice, buckwheat, that you can appreciate the sacrifices we have all made to keep each other safe and manage the pressure on the health system. It is too bad this is sullied by dangerous political circus. What ‘elitism’ is involved in caring for others?
what violent insurrection – where? the letter, as well as your comment, are hyper focused on a teeny tiny sprinkling of extremism, that is representative of a tiny few present. get real.
this has been and continues to be the longest nonviolent, calm, and safe protest i have seen in my fairly long life. is it a disruption? yes, but to be sure, it is only via disruption that protest becomes effective; otherwise, it would be as ineffective as our bogus elections, that have us flipping and flopping like – the fish out of water we are – from one giant corp owned party to another giant corp owned party. either tweedle dum or tweedle dee. all the while the oligarchs get to remain in the real positions of power, free from public accountability, increasing their wealth and power…even as that of the masses decreases, and even as rome continues to whither and burn.
the protests are about ensuring that freedom means that tyranny of the majority is never acceptable, and that we each have the sole right to our body. what is being missed in the spin by the media – so owned by giant corp – is that the protests have been nonviolent and safe; rather, they are focusing on tiny fringes in the desperate hope of undermining what is an amazing lesson in how to protest effectively. and the duped masses continue to eat up the obfuscation and propaganda that underscores the govt’s official narrative, even comparing it to, rather than contrasting it with, the attack on capitol hill lol. meanwhile, loss of reason by so many among the masses, that have come to equate state ownership over one’s body as “freedom,” suggests that chronic covid vaxing may significantly compromise one’s mental capacities. or, perhaps some are more prone to mass hypnosis, and hysteria, than are others. let’s try this: we will try and bring you each back by counting to 3 (not 3 vax doses). ready…1, 2, 3!
Just wondering “biff”, why do you observe some conventions of written English — i.e., commas, periods, question marks and, of course, the exclamation mark — but not others? What are your decision rules?
thanks to punctuation, caps are redundant. therefore, we know where sentences end and begin, without caps. if did not punctuate, caps would then be useful
Such an idiot. Here, on what originates to be a written platform, Biffy makes his own rules. The stomping baby needs attention, so it’s “look at me I’m going defy sentence structure”. What a fine example you are. Jackass.
haha! all in a snit because a person will not use a cap to begin a sentence. are you so much of a control freak? then again, the proof is here: not only must i use caps, but i must take a vax to which i am ethically opposed. freedom of choice around my body, and freedom of conscience are not what h2ZERO believes in, and not what the pro-forced vaxers support.
it is unfortunate you have, heretofore, been unable to express an intelligent thought in this forum…just nasty entries. i hope you may find a good friend, one can help uplift you, and that you might one day be able climb out of your darkness.
Nobody is forcing you to vax, dumbass! No ‘snit’ here, I’m just pointing out your stupid run-on posts that set a bad example. Cannot you try to be an adult?
You forgot about those opposed to fluoridation of municipal water systems. I know they feel disrespected and ignored by not being included in your list. A protest is scheduled for Mayor Magrath Drive this Saturday to express their outrage.
adding anything to the water other than which makes it potable is diabolical. if people want more fluoride than they get from toothpaste, they should see their pharmacist.
The donkey told the tiger, “The grass is blue.”
The tiger replied, “No, the grass is green .”
The discussion became heated, and the two decided to submit the issue to arbitration, so they approached the lion.
As they approached the lion on his throne, the donkey started screaming: ′′Your Highness, isn’t it true that the grass is blue?”
The lion replied: “If you believe it is true, the grass is blue.”
The donkey rushed forward and continued: ′′The tiger disagrees with me, contradicts me and annoys me. Please punish him.”
The king then declared: ′′The tiger will be punished with 3 days of silence.”
The donkey jumped with joy and went on his way, content and repeating ′′The grass is blue, the grass is blue…”
The tiger asked the lion, “Your Majesty, why have you punished me, after all, the grass is green?”
The lion replied, ′′You’ve known and seen the grass is green.”
The tiger asked, ′′So why do you punish me?”
The lion replied, “That has nothing to do with the question of whether the grass is blue or green. The punishment is because it is degrading for a brave, intelligent creature like you to waste time arguing with an ass, and on top of that, you came and bothered me with that question just to validate something you already knew was true!”
The biggest waste of time is arguing with the fool and fanatic who doesn’t care about truth or reality, but only the victory of his beliefs and illusions. Never waste time on discussions that make no sense. There are people who, for all the evidence presented to them, do not have the ability to understand. Others who are blinded by ego, hatred and resentment, and the only thing that they want is to be right even if they aren’t.
When IGNORANCE SCREAMS, intelligence moves on.
Just have to show the world how stupid you are, right? But please don’t stop you are the laughing stock of the true conservative world. Thanks for the entertainment.
Again, many of us are now aware of how the global ultra right wing extremism movement is using ‘anti-vaccine/anti-mandates’ to further their cause. This, including the Kenney UCP, is far different than was once more, inclusive, Lougheed-style fiscal conservatism. Judging by how voting intentions indicate that the Notley AB NDP are in majority territory, many more folks have come to this realization, which is a very good thing.
There seems to be real fears within the right wing that there is, and will be, a significant split within the right wing re: this extremism and good, fiscal conservatism. This may well lead to right wing politics in Canada being unable to govern.
Do you worry, Southern Albertan, about these recent indications in the USA and, now, Canada that fringe reactionaries are willing to bypass democratic processes to gain power? This particlarly concerns me as the police seem complicit in these events.
Yes, I do worry, and, I believe that their possible/probable infiltration into police forces should not be underestimated. I don’t trust it with a ten foot pole.
What the seniors in my world are worried about is the fact that when this pandemic is over we are going to see doctors and nurse leave this province by the bus load, leaving us in a terrible mess like the one Klein created. Only this time we won’t have Ed Stelmach wasting millions of dollars buying up foreign health care workers like he did. Doctors told us that if he hadn’t done it we would have had to shut down the health care system in Alberta. The situation was that bad.
We are told 140 doctors have left and that doesn’t include the ones who have taken early retirement and left some of our senior friends without a doctor. All because of how they have been treated by these stupid Reformers and their stupid supporters.
Add in the fact that some of our friends are being told that it’s too late to operate on their cancer and they only have a short time to live. Now these fools want to waste another $6 million on trying to replace the doctors who should never have been drive out in the first place.
While everyone seems to be blaming the police for not acting we agree with the retired RCMP officers the police are so badly out numbered you don’t dare try to act. Not only was a young officer killed four police officers committed suicide in the days after because of what they had gone through. These guys are likely on drugs and are lunatics. They certainly aren’t mentally stable.
.
that this protest will lead to insurrection and anarchy is about as likely as the stupid belief that pot will lead to heroin addiction.
it seems quite clear that you folk that are delusional and conspiracy- minded: look at yourselves, freaking out about anarchy, violence and insurrection: there are no measurable instances of that – during which we have witnessed about 2 weeks of the most peaceful protests one could imagine. seems too many do not understand or appreciate freedom, and that freedom does indeed need to be stood up for. moreover, it seems the many prefer power to reside with puppet govts, giant coprs and oligarch billionaires that are untouchable and unaccountable to the people, rather than to have that power actually reside with the people.
Pretty sure that kind of complacency led to a problem in Germany back in the early 1930’s; but believe what you will Biff.
Funny you would mention delusional, conspiratorial minds in regard to folks who are against the Convoy(s)…when so many who are “attached” to the Convoy(s) are the definition of deluded (*cough* PooAnon).
Me?
I’m for towing these folks trucks and vehicles to a Black Site and letting Elon the Whacko launch them into space (Along the same trajectory as his ego-wrapped Car).
delusional and conspiracy apply when people say the protests are violent, when they are not, and when people say the police have been infiltrated, or believe as much.
oh my – exhibiting paranoia and conspiracy theory are sophie and so ab?
Says someone who knows absolutely no one who delivers his groceries to the loading dock at Safeway.
Says someone who thinks that 10-15% of truckers represent the actual people who do that.
Well you would have 20% less on the shelves. Lock me down harder daddy. Get lost.
Mr. Nightingale, I would agree with you with the exception of your statement that this protest was hijacked. I think the proof for this is evidenced by the grand scale organization of it all right from the get go. Moreover, the source of significant funding is now known together with public support expressed by Republican office holders like Texas Attorney General Warren Paxton and Texas junior Senator Ted Cruz and others. How rather telling is this?
In acknowledging that legal protest against the actions of a government are part and parcel exercising one’s rights within a democratic system, sadly, the folks you are defending have apparently hitched themselves to this convoy without understanding they are being used as pawns. Moreover, in Alberta, they have broken the law by contravening two legislated acts of government. One is free to not be vaccinated; but, as a participant in democracy, one must also accept the responsibilities associated with a such a decision.
That our provincial government has capitulated to demands and yet the border remains blockaded should easily substantiate my claim. Seems to me that it’s about time we hear a, “Just watch me!” from Ottawa.
no one must accept state ownership over their body such that they are forced to ingest something or be disenfranchised. there is nothing decent, democratic or free about about creating exclusive and lesser classes of people.
That argument would be valid if the very “declassification” of so many hadn’t have already happened Biff.
i am unsure what you mean, sorry.
It’s hard to get rid of these damn reformers pretending they are conservatives when there are so many ignorant Albertans who are so easy to fool. Lougheed”s energy minister Bill Dickie was a brother in-law of one of my uncles and the MLAs I got to know taught me to never trust a Reformer and they were certainly right.
Brian Jean was famous for his lies as leader of the Wildrose Party and you bet he hasn’t changed. It’s why Jason Kenney was chosen over Brian Jean people knew what a liar he was and they soon found that Kenney was no different. Spreading lies and helping their rich friends steal all our oil and tax wealth is all they care about. The MLAs were right that’s exactly what they are.
John Seed: I agree with you 100%. We are now on record that Jason Kenney will be out and Brian Jean, whom I agree is farther to the right political wise, will take up the banner for the Wildrose…err UCP. My hope is that the people will not be fooled again in 2023 and give Brian Jean 4 more years. We need a correction to stabilize Alberta. In this day and age of everyone hanging on to their little black boxes surfing social media, the result is the destruction of critical thinking by the individual and is offering radical groups a platform for brainwashing far too many folks. The other issue that is destroying minds, is the constant inhaling and ingesting of marijuana. A good example of this would be biff, whom seems to live in a world of delusion and paranoia, while practicing his poor grammar skills One more note: There is a slight chance that Jason Kenney will hang on to his leadership of the UCP. This will happen if he can “fix” the vote through dirty tactics, which he has already proved he is willing to do, on more than one occasion. This is of course just my opinion and I stand corrected if proven wrong.
Nope, you don’t need to be corrected. Everything you said is bang on!