Posted on 02/14/2022 5:44:17 PM PST by lightman
OTTAWA—Freedom Convoy organizers say they will continue to protest on Parliament Hill despite the federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency.
“We are not afraid. In fact, every time the government decides to further suspend our civil liberties, our resolve strengthens and the importance of our mission becomes clearer,” organizer Tamara Lich said on Feb. 14 in anticipation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoking the Emergencies Act over the protests demanding an end to COVID-19 mandates.
“We will remain peaceful, but planted on Parliament Hill until the mandates are decisively ended. We recognize that there is a democratic process within which change occurs. We have never stepped outside of that process, nor do we intend to.”
Trudeau is the first prime minister to use the Emergencies Act. The act replaces the War Measures Act, which was last used by Trudeau’s father, then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau, in 1970 during the October Crisis when Quebec separatists kidnapped and killed Quebec cabinet minister Pierre Laporte.
The act gives the state additional powers to deal with the protests and blockades, such as providing legal tools to cut funding to protesters, as well as freezing the corporate accounts of companies whose trucks are used in any blockades and removing their insurance.
The province of Ontario and the city of Ottawa have also declared states of emergency over the protests.
The protests were initiated by truck drivers opposed to COVID-19 vaccination mandates for cross-border travel. As convoys of truckers made their to Ottawa, many supporters joined the movement, which turned into a large-scale protest against all COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. Many protesters who converged into Ottawa on Jan. 29 say they intend to stay in the capital until COVID-19 mandates are lifted.
Separately, protest convoys set up blockades at border crossings in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, and British Columbia. The blockade at the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor to Detroit, which accounts for hundreds of millions of dollars in trade between Canada and the United States, was cleared over the weekend.
“The Emergencies Act will be used to strengthen and support law enforcement agencies at all levels across the country. This is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting people’s jobs, and restoring confidence in our institutions,” Trudeau said.
“The police will be given more tools to restore order in places where public assemblies can constitute illegal and dangerous activities such as blockades and occupations as seen in Ottawa, Ambassador Bridge, and elsewhere.”
Lich said Canadians “should be surprised” that such “an extreme measure” is being used against peaceful protesters.
“We have countless vulnerable people in our crowd, including children, the elderly, and the disabled, who cannot be met with force by a genuine liberal democracy. The right to peaceful protest is sacrosanct to our nation. If that principle is abandoned, the government will reveal itself as a true tyranny and it will lose all of its credibility,” she said.
Lich said she realizes some people are opposed to the protests, but noted that a democratic society “will always have non-trivial disagreements and righteous dissidents.”
“There are many reasons for us opposing the mandates,” she said. “Some of us have been mistreated by our government, including many of our indigenous communities, who have personally experienced medical malpractice. Some of us simply want bodily autonomy and oppose the mandates on principled grounds. No matter our reasons and opinions, it is how the government responds to its citizens that determines the fate of the country.”
Addressing the prime minister, Lich said, “No matter what you do, we will hold the line.”
“There are no threats that will frighten us.”
Brian Peckford, former premier of Newfoundland who is acting as a spokesperson for the Freedom Convoy, said this is “a very, very strange moment in our history.”
“This is again government overreach. We don’t do these kinds of things in Canada. We engage in dialogue,” Peckford said.
“It’s my understanding that the government of Canada has not reached out once to the truckers since they have arrived in this capital city. I find that very hard to understand, because how can you justify going to a measure like an emergency, measures where a lot of powers can be imposed upon the citizens, when you have not even yourself taken any action to engage.”
ifinnegan wrote:
“
“There was a motion to end mandates today in Parliament it went down 185-151.”
Thanks for the info.
They have to keep at it.
That’s a number that shows it’s doable.
“
Was that vote before Turd-eau made his proclamation?
The Mrs. is wearing such a warm ensemble for the fall, although the fur was a little much for the warm day. His hat needs a better hold.
Will this end in violence? A child caught in the middle? Will that start this.
Quebec Bloc MP spokesman Yves-Fraçoi Blanchet says Emergency decree is illegal and not needed and they do not want it in Quebec.
When she’d back (by a journalist) Blanchet point blank stated there has been no civil disturbance.
In Ottawa Quebec flags are almost as plentiful as Maple Leaf flags.
Quebec really supports the convoy.
In Canada?
Only people involved in this don't have a firm grip on themselves, their actions and reality are Trudough, some bums just like him and his bought-and-paid-for Propaganda Ministry.
Any violence will be produced, directed and paid for by one or all of those sorry specimens.
Works for me.
I don’t think you’re wrong.
Face it, all of the five eyes, including us are way beyond rule of law.
“I’ve often wondered why some politician down the line has never suggested UNITING our entire Continent; USA, Canada & Mexico.”
It came up in the Bush era/ They even proposed a currency called the “Amero”. Look it up, the North American Union. There is heavy documentation of it, in their own words, in Alex Jones movie “Endgame”.
Read “Fourth Reich of the Rich” by Des Griffin — it explains in one of the chapters the globalist plan to make Canada, USA, and Mexico all one territory. Was written in 1978 and a great warning.
In a perfect world! Unfortunately, the GG is ALWAYS appointed by the governing party. A non-confidence vote would fail because anyone who DOESN’T vote with the party, is in SEVERE trouble. Also, the communists, er, New Democraptic Party will vote FOR the gubmint. Note also, that Jagmeet Singh, the Leader of the NDP, is an ALUMNI of YGL, part of Schwab’s WEF.
This is NOT about a government, in is a WELL ORGANIZED COUP BY SCHWAB AND WEF! True-dolt is just the well coiffed face of the coup.
The only thing that can work, is PRAYER!
Very good article. Very good review of recent events. The weak leaders in Canada are showing their cowardice daily and fail to understand simple politics, like the Golden Rule (open the door for someone carrying a box), the Ten Commandments (do not tell lies), and the American Way (all human rights come from the Supreme Judge).
As they say in UK:
Health and safety
Going crazy.
From WSJ some time ago.
May that be so.
This rebel alliance of peacefully protesting road warriors is the great hope of The Great White North.
What gives the people that it’s their money anyhow, it’s only on loan to u.
Stella!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.