What a difference a few days and some emergency powers make
The end of an occupation, a brutal attack, and that isn't a reference to Putin - February 16-23 was extra shocking
Just like that the Ottawa occupation ended, the Emergency Measures Act was revoked and in international news, some asshole decided to target an entire population, putting them at extreme risk.
Also, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin declared war and invaded Ukraine.
But first to Texas where Governor Greg Abbott directed Family and Protective Services to investigate gender-affirming health care among youths, calling it “child abuse.” This is tantamount to announcing state-sponsored conversion therapy – insisting government knows better than parents what’s best for their children and banning them from getting critical care in accordance with their gender identity.
The White House has condemned Abbott’s decision but it’s unclear whether the federal government can or will do anything about it.
"Conservative officials in Texas and other states across the country should stop inserting themselves into health care decisions that create needless tension between pediatricians and their patients. And no parent should face the agony of a politician standing in the way of accessing life-saving care for their child."
White House spokesperson
This is going to end up in the courts for sure, but with the partisan justice system in the U.S., I’m not hopeful people can count on them to do the right thing.
Social media has sprung into action and fundraising has begun to help families with transgender children leave the state. The Governor is creating an environment where refugees from political persecution have to flee their homes. In the United States.
This is a human rights tragedy unfolding on this continuent that is traumatizing transgender people everywhere. Canada should take action to condemn this as soon as possible.
Meanwhile in Europe
As for Putin, it’s too soon really to have much to say that hasn’t already been said. Historian Diana Butler Bass wrote an excellent essay on one aspect of this invasion that is not often discussed by the pundits, the role of religion and historical grievances within Christian Orthodoxy that may be feeding into the decision to invade.
"Putin wants the weight of tradition on his side and St Vladimir validates both his religious and political aspirations. There should be no doubt that Putin sees himself as a kind of Vladimir the Great II a candidate for sainthood restoring the soul of Holy Mother Russia."
Diana Butler Bass
Proceed cautiously on social media relating to Russia, my friends. Consider the source before retweeting, ask yourselves whether you are exploiting what could be come a massive humanitarian crisis and remember that scenes of war could be triggering to veterans suffering from PTSD.
We don’t need to see retweeted images or video of rocket fire, explosions or devastation to know that this war is cruel and unjustified.
It has been quite the week.
Breaker, breaker 1-9 – who’s behind what went down in Ottawa
According to the Canada Unity website, one of the participating organizations in the convoy, known as "Operation Bearhug 2.0," is Action4Canada - which believes Trudeau and other elected officials should be imprisoned for life for "treason" for restrictions they put in place.
Action4Canada is fully supporting the convoy, including publishing routes for the truckers and linking to the fundraising sites.
“When this House of Covid falls, and it is falling, it will not be good enough to just pick up the pieces and start rebuilding. There needs to be justice and accountability. Everyone who participated in the egregious crimes against the citizens of this nation and attempted to infiltrate and overthrow our democracy must pay for their crimes.
Every Premier, every MP, MLA/MPP, Mayor, City Councillor, School Superintendent and Trustee who was served a Notice of Liability and advised of the wrongdoing they were involved in and yet knowingly and willingly participated anyways, MUST be held to account.”
Action4Canada website
Among the campaigns by Action4Canada is hatred against the LGBTQ2S+ community. They also campaign against "political, radical, Islam" saying "no matter what country moderate, or progressive, Muslims enter…the Radicals always follow." And they have the power, money, and intent to bring the destruction. Their goal is world domination…one nation at a time."
So, yes. This is why people are accurately describing the convoy as racist.
The resistance to COVID measures is a massive web of domain names and fundraising efforts. There are multiple non-profit organizations set up to receive funds for various aspects of the freedom from restrictions movement. There are also many storefronts selling merchandise.
The convoy organizers created a federal non-profit organization on Jan. 31, 2022, named “2022 Human Rights and Freedoms” with seven directors:
Chad Eros, of Moose Jaw, SK
Miranda Gasinor, of Airdrie, AB
Sean Tiessen, of Airdrie, AB
Tamara Lich, of Airdrie, AB
Chris Barber, of Airdrie, AB
Chris Garrah, of Mallorytown, ON
Benjamin Dichter, of Airdrie, AB
A non-profit is not the same as a registered charity. It cannot issue tax receipts, for example.
Action4Canada is asking for donations to their general fund via e-transfer. They are registered as a not-for-profit corporation in Canada with three directors: Valerie Thomas, Mariah Elsie Fehr and Tanya Gaw, all with BC addresses.
Linked from this page goes to another website for The Line Canada which is promoting a rally in Toronto on Feb. 26 at Queens Park. They are asking for donations via Square for something called The Line International Civil Liberties Association.
This is a not-for-profit corporation registered with its office in Toronto. The directors are listed as: George Roche, Helen Voong and Lamont Daigle, all of Ontario. Their 2021 annual corporate filings are listed as "overdue."
The Canada Unity site also has a link to "Adopt-A-Trucker" which is a web page outlining the various ways to donate, including e-transfer and six different cryptocurrency options. This just screams “grift.”
Another of the partners listed on the Canada Unity website is Stand Up Canada, a "proud allie" (sic) of Freedom Rising, a global portal to dozens for other organizations. One of the resources on the Freedom Rising site is called the "Colours of Freedom."
This is creepy stuff. They say it's not conspiracy theory, it's "conspiracy truth" and make the following claims:
Architects of “COVID fraud” have been planning it for years.
They are using COVID as a "tool for depopulation"
They work for the "globalist agenda"
They're "full-blown psychopaths and sociopaths"
According to this group, "the Canadian government now fully controls media messaging and has systematically dismantled our country’s ability to access any whistleblower information."
Another of the partners in the convoy is The Strong and Free Canada, which counts among its partners, the Alberta Jericho March. The Jericho March is the one with the tiki torches.
"But the story of Jericho is nothing to worry about. It’s only about divine massacre,” writes Thomas Lecaque, Associate Professor of History at Grand View University in Religion Dispatches.
Oh, and Strong and Free Canada sells fake masks, including fake masks for kids. These zealots have been endangering their children even before the convoy, where they were accused of using them as human shields.
Another website known as the Montana Daily Gazette is spreading some fantastical disinformation, including a claim UN troops have "occupied Ottawa," that tear gas was used on protesters (photo shows US border agents firing tear gas BTW) and is praising Jason Kenney.
The group behind the website is the Gideon Knox Group whose founder, JD Hall claims to have "coined the phrase ‘Evangelical Dark Web,’ a movement of grassroots conservatives fighting for the heart and soul of evangelicalism..."
They claim their activities "peaked the interest of a CIA Counter-Terrorism Expert at Patrick Henry College as a test-case for how to create an 'insurgency meant to combat perceived liberalism.'"
Hall's website links to this blog post which explains the typical strategy for insurgencies:
embarrass the regime in power
make it appear weak and corrupt
create (online) zones of counter-control
tempt the regime in power to over-respond in a heavy-handed and/or inept manner
over time, overwhelm the regime.
Despite claiming to be media, this group is paid to help overthrow regimes.
"The Gideon Knox Group only works for those who share our conservative Christian worldview because in order to work for you, we must believe in you."
Quote from the website
No, I'm not claiming this group was involved in Ottawa, they're likely just jumping on the bandwagon after the fact. But its methods are easy to find on the web and the strategy looks familiar.
Also spotted at the occupation, "Save Canada" toques, which are from an organization that believes the world is collapsing and they have God on their side.
Rookie protesters receive the velvet glove treatment yet scream bloody murder
Watching these Ottawa occupiers, it's clear they've never participated in or witnessed other protests. They seem to feel they are above the law or enjoy some type of extra protection from police action.
Their over-the-top reaction to a fairly restrained police response this weekend makes this pretty obvious. In the past, law enforcement has gotten aggressive much more quickly and they've used pepper spray much sooner.
NOTE: Canada’s conservatives say in the latest issue of the “Canada Strong and Free Network” (formerly known as The Manning Centre) email newsletter that “protests to COVID restrictions have been responded to by the federal government and their NDP proxies with unprecedented force and intolerance.” Which is ridiculous.
This tells me many of the people on Parliament Hill now have only been concerned about rights and freedoms since they've experienced some restrictions on themselves. They were unperturbed when it happened to others. This is another reason they aren't trusted.
They're okay with infringing on the rights of others as long as not THEIR rights and freedoms. Which fits with the entire profile of the anti-mask and anti-vaxx network, who don't want to be inconvenienced by others even if it saves lives, because they feel somehow superior (sounds about white).
If you read through their materials online, their social media and listen to their leaders, these are not people who have sympathy for marginalized Canadians. In many cases, they see themselves as blessed by God, going into a holy war between good and evil.
Which makes it all extremely concerning. Those trying to leverage this movement for political or financial gain may feel like they can manage it, but it's becoming clear that is unlikely. The ultimate outcome may be continued disruption across the country on an ongoing basis.
Blockages and chaos obviously make Canada a less welcome and "free" country for citizens but also for economic investment. Also, with the looming climate crisis, it looks as though our ability to effectively transition to a greener economy for future success is in danger.
Hard to ignore this honk tub convoy’s connection to oil and gas
With the need to move away from fossil fuels, this trucker convoy is an example of the resistance to expect. The trucks themselves are symbolic of a reliance on burning fuel to power our lives and embody the concept of freedom for many.
With the appearance of convoy organizer Tamara Lich in court wearing a "I ❤️ 🍁 Oil & Gas" hoodie, we are seeing signs the interests of the fossil fuel lobby are intermingled with the so-called "freedom convoy."
I’m certainly disappointed the Emergencies Act was needed, and I welcome the legal challenge by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. This was not a simple protest, it was a coordinated attack on Canada's democracy masquerading as something else.
Even worse, the emergency debate in the House of Commons last week was rife with misinformation and no fact-checking was provided. And it was being broadcast across the nation as a crisis was unfolding. It was a major communication failure at a critical time for Canada.
There was one standout moment though, thanks to NDP MP Leah Gazan:
No one is happy about the way this has unfolded. There'll be plenty of blame to go around including incitement of the convoy by Kenney, support from members of both the UPC and CPC caucuses, and a dereliction of duties by Doug Ford.
First Ottawans were held hostage by the truckers. Then they were held hostage by the police who said they needed more power in order to do something about the first hostage-taking. Both need to be investigated thoroughly including politicians who aided or abetted in either case.
The loss of trust in multiple levels of law enforcement and government will be profoundly felt by Canadians of all political stripes for a long time to come.
There can be no doubt that Canada has both a historical and ongoing problem with white supremacy. Add to that dangerous threat by Americans on our sovereignty, aided by some Canadian citizens with MAGA sympathies, and it is not going away unless we address it.
It's not going to be solved by any one person or leader. There is no hero who can save us, it's on all of us to get more involved in the process of building a better Canada. Let’s start with democratic reform, which Liberals have been unwilling to do, despite their promises.
And it’s not over, by any stretch. Action4Canada has a comprehensive listing of planned protests across the country (scroll past the outdated video).
Then, there’s this:
https://twitter.com/i/events/1496561542568898562
Once we clear the trucks, I hope we replace their callous denialism on Parliament Hill with a memorial dedicated to the 36,000 (and counting) Canadians who DIED of COVID-19. Each and every person, and their loved ones who've suffered, need to be remembered.
The honk tub convoy: Freedom! Except for the press. We'll shout them down, insult them and spit on them. Freedom! Except for the downtown Ottawa residents. We'll block their access, disrupt their community, intimidate them for wearing masks and set fire to their homes. Freedom! Except for the people who are immunocompromised or have small children who can't be vaccinated. We believe in survival of the fittest. Freedom! Except for those workers who work in agriculture, meatpacking, grocery stores and restaurants. We demand you serve us. Freedom! Except for healthcare workers who are expected to work double shifts, with inadequate PPE. We show our appreciation by protesting outside your workplace. Freedom! Except for anyone who disagrees with us, because they are lesser than, misinformed and puppets of the WEF. Freedom! Except for the majority of truckers busy trying to earn a living. We'll blockade border crossings and slow down traffic on roads to disrupt their lives. Freedom! Except for anyone who voted for Liberals. We lost a free and fair election and want it overturned by force. Canadians: That's not freedom. Sorry.
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In case you missed it, I’m focusing the newsletter now on some recurring themes and issues of personal importance – climate change, anti-racism, truth and reconciliation, wealth inequality, LGBTQ2S+ rights, harm reduction, democracy, education and the pandemic. Just a few of the lighter topics. :-)
For my paid subscribers, I’ll continue to provide insights into topics I’m researching and writing about for other venues, including my freelance work focused on energy and environmental news. An update is coming soon on the rogue bitcoin operation being investigated by the Alberta Utilities Commission right now.
Now on to a more likeable protester and some bicycle poetry
Farewell to Robert “Bicycle Bob” Silverman, a cycling advocate (and poet) who died recently at the age of 88.
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2005242947666
Other resources:
Link to the MOU proposed by James and Sandra Bauder which has now been removed from the Canada Unity website but can be found on the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20220201001209/https://canada-unity.com/mou/