Recap of Day 20 of the Truckers For Freedom Convoy

Harrison Faulkner
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Recap of Day 20 of the Truckers For Freedom Convoy

On Day 20 of the Truckers for Freedom Convoy, Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency in Ontario, a Superior Court judge ordered all trucks blocking the Ambassador Bridge to clear out by 7pm and demonstrators in Ottawa got ready for another weekend of protests. 

In a press conference today with senior members of his cabinet, Doug Ford declared a state of emergency in Ontario. He characterized the ongoing protest in Ottawa as an “illegal siege” of the city. 

Ford announced that penalties for those that block “international border crossings, 400 series highways, airports, ports, bridges and railways” would be “severe,” with offenders facing fines of up to $100,000 or up to 1 year imprisonment. 

Speaking about the ongoing situation in the nation’s capital, the Premier said, “we’re now two weeks into the siege of the City of Ottawa. I call it a siege because that’s what it is – it’s an illegal occupation. This is no longer a protest. With a protest, you peacefully make your point and go back home.”  

Ford went on to urge protesters in Ottawa and at the Ambassador Bridge to “please go home.” 

Speaking at a press conference later in the day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau endorsed Doug Ford’s move, characterizing it as a “responsible” decision.

“I want to make something very clear,” Trudeau said. “If you joined the protests because you’re tired of COVID, you need to understand that you’re breaking laws.” 

“The consequences are becoming more and more severe. You don’t want to end up losing your licence or end up with a criminal record.”

“Everything is on the table,” Trudeau continued. “This unlawful activity has to end, and it will end.” 

“Of course, I can’t say too much more now as to exactly when or how this ends because unfortunately we are concerned about violence.”

Watch more of Trudeau’s remarks below.

After Ford announced the State of Emergency, an Ontario Superior Court judge granted an injunction banning the ongoing blockade at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor. The decision declared the blockade “illegal” and gave protestors until 7pm to move their trucks.

In his decision, Ontario Superior Court Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz said, “(t)he activities that are the subject of this injunction, the freedom that those want directly results in the denial of freedom to others in society, the direct denial of their freedom to work, the direct denial of their freedom to cross and to move goods and services across the bridge.”

In response to the judge’s ruling, Global News reported that demonstrators held a vote to decide whether or not to break the injunction and remain at the bridge. 

To nobody’s surprise –  and as similarly reported at the Coutts border blockade – the truckers voted to hold the line.

On the American side of the cross-border bridge, a White House official confirmed yesterday that US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas were urging the Canadian government “to use federal powers to resolve this situation at our joint border.”

Furthermore, a US Department of Homeland Security “internal-use only” memo warned officials that a “cost-to-coast” trucker convoy could start on Sunday in California, potentially disrupting several key events in the US cultural calendar including the Super Bowl and President Biden’s State of the Union Address. 

The Biden administration confirmed that they were “surging additional staff” to the Super Bowl just in case a trucker convoy disrupts the event. 

In Ottawa, the trucks on Wellington Street remained despite the rhetoric still being leveled at them by provincial and federal leaders. 

Footage posted to social media today showed the crowd on Wellington setting up a giant stage and video screen.  

Earlier in the day, a group of veterans were seen hugging and greeting one another outside the Parliament Buildings.

As more protestors get set to assemble once again in Ottawa this weekend, True North’s Andrew Lawton will be on the ground to document the events.

The GiveSendGo set up by the Truckers for Freedom Convoy organizers had reached USD $8,997,133 by the time this article was published.

Pierre Poilievre calls for Trudeau to drop COVID-19 restrictions 

Jonathan Bradley
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Pierre Poilievre calls for Trudeau to drop COVID-19 restrictions 

Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MP and CPC leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre has demanded Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remove COVID-19 measures and let Canadians resume control of their own lives. 

“Listen to the experts, prime minister,” said Poilievre in a letter on Thursday. “By following the science, you can allow people to get their lives back.” 

Poilievre accused Trudeau of dividing Canadians and telling them to fear their neighbours, actions he said have led to the protests against COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa and across Canada. 

Jurisdictions around the world, Poilievre pointed out, are getting back to normal. He added that it is time for “all of Canada, not just a few select provinces, to end the use of vaccine passports and other COVID restrictions.” 

Poilievre accused Trudeau of imposing the vaccine mandate for truck drivers crossing the Canada-US border as “a wedge issue to again divide Canadians and disparage a minority for your own political gain.” He added that the vaccine mandate would lead to “shortages and worsening inflation- particularly at grocery stores- by shutting down the very truckers who deliver our goods.”

The federal restrictions, Poilievre continued, have “nothing to do with health and everything to do with political theatre.” He called for the federal government to take three steps “to restore freedom and protect health.” 

Poilievre said that the first step is to eliminate all federal vaccine mandates. He declared that unvaccinated public servants should be welcomed back and compensated for the earnings lost since they were suspended without pay, while the vaccine mandate for truckers crossing the Canada-US border should be scrapped. 

The second step, said Poilievre, is to encourage an end to provincial mandates. He recommended Trudeau convene a meeting with premiers within one week “to forge a voluntary consensus among them on clear and short timelines to lift all restrictions and end vaccine passports and mandates.” 

He said the third step is to state that there will be no tax on unvaccinated Canadians. 

Poilievre said that Trudeau should not allow his anger towards the truckers “to stand in the way of doing the right thing.” 

“Prime minister, the power trip is over,” he said. “Give people back control of their lives.” 

Poilievre also launched a petition Wednesday calling for restrictions to be repealed. 

He declared his campaign for the Conservative leadership last week, announcing “I’m running for prime minister to give you back control of your life.”

National Defence says military not involved in Ottawa convoy protests

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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National Defence says military not involved in Ottawa convoy protests

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has said it has no plans to intervene in the ongoing Ottawa trucker convoy protests that are entering their third week of demonstrations. 

Ottawa Police chief Peter Sloly said he was looking at possible “military aid to civil power” on Wednesday, prompting military officials to shut down any speculation that they might assist in dispersing protestors. 

“The Canadian Armed Forces are not involved in law enforcement in this situation, and there are no plans for such CAF involvement,” said a spokesperson for defence minister Anita Anand. 

Last week, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson called on a massive force of federal and provincial law enforcement to crack down on the peaceful protest, requesting nearly 2,000 additional officers for the endeavour.

Ottawa politicians including local councillor and chair of the police services board Diane Deans have branded the trucker convoy “treason” and an “insurrection” in an ongoing attempt to demonize the freedom movement. 

“We all need to work together. This is not something this country has ever seen before,” said Deans on Tuesday. “I understand Mark Carney referred to it as sedition today. I think that’s exactly what it is. This is treason. This is way bigger. This is a group of well-polished professional people that are trying to overthrow the government.”

Columnists in the legacy media have also called for the military to move on the demonstrators, which include families and children. 

Toronto Star columnist Susan Delacourt tweeted that it was “dispiriting to a lot of residents” in Ottawa that the government ruled out moving in the army. 

In an op-ed published in the Globe and Mail, Andrew Cohen compared the Ottawa protests to the 1970 October Crisis and encouraged the prime minister to send in soldiers.

“If facing them down means mobilizing the military, as aid to the civil power, he should do it, much as he is reluctant to be the second Trudeau to call in the army,” wrote Cohen. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also ruled out using the military to intervene in Ottawa. 

The Freedom Convoy entered its 20th day on Friday.

New poll shows half of Canadians sympathize with trucker convoy

Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
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A new Ipsos poll shows growing support for the trucker convoy and freedom protestors. 

The survey, which was commissioned by Global News, found that 46% of respondents said that the grievances expressed by the protestors are “legitimate and worthy” of sympathy. 

When asked exclusively of 18 to 34 year-olds, support shot up to 61%. 

“It’s not that people are tired. They’re very frustrated. And what’s happened is that this protest has become a lightning rod for that frustration,” Ipsos CEO Darrell Bricker told Global News. 

“Canada has one of the highest levels of vaccination, so Canadians have listened and complied…yet we’re still stuck. They feel they’ve done whatever it is that they were asked to do and they feel that we still haven’t gotten back on track.”

Support for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to not meet and negotiate with the convoy is also not strong. Only 53% of respondents said they agreed with his decision to shun them. 

“The other half of Canadians say that he should be at least giving it a try,” said Bricker.  “So the level of support behind the government in terms of the position that they’ve taken regarding these protests is not strong. It’s quite divided and fragile, and where it seems to be going is against what the government’s position is.” 

“So saying that you’re not going to negotiate…is something that’s going to be difficult to sustain over time.” 

The online poll was conducted between Feb. 8 and Feb. 9 and included a sample of 1,000 Canadians over the age of 18. A similar weighted poll would be accurate to within +/- 3.5%. 

The number of Canadians who support the convoy is up since last week. 

A poll conducted by Leger from Feb. 4 to 6 found that 44% of Canadians agreed with the trucker convoy’s frustrations.

The same percentage said that Trudeau and Canada’s premiers “share the blame for the protest in Ottawa because of their condescending attitude toward Canadians who disagree with vaccine mandates and lockdowns.”

Truckers have been protesting in Ottawa for two weeks now, and the city is expecting further demonstrations over the weekend. 

Ontario premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency on Friday over the continuing protests as well as the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge on the Detroit-Windsor border.

Bonnie Henry expands vaccine mandate to private practices

Harley Sims
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While four provinces declared this week they would be dropping vaccine mandates and other COVID restrictions in the immediate future, British Columbia announced it was expanding the forced shots to include all health care professionals in private practice.

B.C.’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Bonnie Henry said Wednesday that the province would be extending its mandatory vaccination policy to include all regulated health care professionals not yet covered, including chiropractors, dentists, midwives, acupuncturists, practitioners of Chinese medicine and many others.

“The purpose of this provincial health officer order is to protect patients from being infected with (COVID-19) by unvaccinated health professionals, as well as to minimize the number of people being hospitalized or dying because of the virus,” Henry said.

“This is going to be a serious respiratory illness that is with us for (at least) another year,” Henry said. “We’ll know more by this time next year about its patterns, and we’ll know more in the next few weeks about how we’re going to get through that.”

Under the new order, all health care professionals in B.C. would have to show proof of vaccination by March 24 or be deregistered by their licensing body. Henry had originally declared she was working towards expanding the mandate on Oct. 2021.

The move comes after Henry announced that B.C. would be keeping its vaccine passports in place until at least June 30.

The announcement also comes as B.C. government workers put on unpaid leave over vaccine mandates in November face termination on Feb. 24.

With provinces including Alberta, Saskatchewan, PEI and now Manitoba announcing they are dropping COVID mandates, the expansion of B.C.’s forced vaccination policy came as a surprise to some.

Henry has become well-known among Canada’s provincial health officers during the pandemic, but after impressing Canadians early-on with her level-headed perspective on managing COVID-19, she has recently supported health measures out of step with her own data and reassurances.

After declaring during a New Year’s interview that she wanted to get out of the business of public health orders, Henry was also only the second provincial health officer – after Ontario’s Dr. Kieran Moore – to admit that COVID hospitalization numbers don’t tell the whole story when it comes to the pandemic’s burden on hospitals.

Last week, B.C. released data showing that as much as 60% of current “COVID hospitalizations” are incidental – that is, people who came to hospital for other reasons than COVID, and had “no or mild respiratory symptoms or other symptoms.”

Henry also declared Wednesday that a third dose offers about 50-60% protection from infection.

“We’re all tired of this, we want it to end, but wanting it to end and not taking the right measures to get us through this are two different things,” Henry said.

True North reached out to a number of the affected colleges among B.C. Health Regulators for comment.

B.C. Dental Association (BCDA) spokesperson Cary Chan confirmed that they had not yet received the actual health order.

Despite defending the safety of dental offices in November and claiming that “BCDA knows of no transmissions of COVID-19 between dental professionals and patients in B.C. or across Canada,” spokesperson Elizabeth Robbins confirmed to True North on Feb 15. that the BCDA supports mandatory government vaccination of dentists in private practices.

The province announced Thursday that 93.4% (4,040,218) of all eligible adults in B.C. had received their first dose, 90.9% (3,929,828) their second dose and 54.0% (2,335,461) a third dose.

Ontario declares state of emergency after freezing trucker convoy donations

Andrew Lawton
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Yesterday, the Ontario government got a court order freezing the $11 million in GiveSendGo donations people have made to the trucker convoy in place in downtown Ottawa and at a handful of border crossings. Today, Premier Doug Ford has declared a state of emergency and is threatening anyone involved in the blockades with fines of up to $100,000 or a year in jail. True North’s Andrew Lawton says the convoy’s momentum isn’t going to be stopped by this, because it’s a grassroots effort with rather basic needs – food and fuel. In this live edition of The Andrew Lawton Show, we talk about what this means for the convoy, and take your questions and comments.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ANDREW LAWTON SHOW

Manitoba dropping vaccine passports and mask mandates

Harrison Faulkner
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Manitoba dropping vaccine passports and mask mandates

Manitoba is joining Alberta, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island in dropping its vaccine passports and mask mandate.

Premier Heather Stefanson and the province’s chief medical officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced the province’s reopening plan on Friday.

On March 1st, the province intends to remove its vaccine passport program.

On March 15th, along with all public health restrictions, the province’s mask mandate will be dropped.

“I want to thank Manitobans who have made personal, professional and financial sacrifices over the past two years, and have done their part by getting vaccinated and following the fundamentals,” said Stefanson. 

“It is because of Manitobans’ collective efforts and dedication, compassion and willingness to protect one another that we are able to move forward once again to lift restrictions and allow Manitobans to get their lives back.”

The province cited stabilizing and improving COVID-19 indicators for its decision to gradually reduce restrictions.

The government also announced starting Tuesday that capacity limits for restaurants, licensed premises, entertainment venues, indoor and outdoor sporting events and casinos and gatherings at private residences would be eliminated. 

Capacity limits for outdoor public gatherings and the requirement for unvaccinated close contacts of a person who tests positive for COVID-19 would also be removed. 

However, the province plans on continuing to enforce tough measures on Manitoban children. For schools, the mask mandate remains in place, except in physical education classes. 

Since the Truckers for Freedom convoy began, a number of provinces have announced the elimination of public health measures.

Saskatchewan was the first province to announce that it would be dropping all of COVID-19 restrictions. 

Alberta followed suit by announcing that it would ditch its vaccine passport program on Wednesday and aim to lift all measures by March. 

PEI also announced on Tuesday that its plan to ease public health restrictions would include gradually dropping vaccine passports and masking through April 7.

Despite these announcements, many jurisdictions in Canada – including Ontario and the federal government – have not yet committed to an end-date for passports and masking. 

On Wednesday, British Columbia announced it was expanding its vaccine mandate to include all health care professionals in private practice, with a deadline of March 24.

How will the Trucker Convoy standoff end? (ft. Ezra Levant) 

Candice Malcolm
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How will the Trucker Convoy standoff end? (ft. Ezra Levant) 

It’s Fake News Friday on the Candice Malcolm Show, and Candice is joined by the founder of Rebel News Ezra Levant. 

Ezra has long been one of Canada’s foremost free speech advocates and one of the fiercest critics of the mainstream media (or as he calls it, the Media Party!)

Ezra and Candice talk about the structural flaws that make the media both out of touch and incapable of fairly covering the trucker convoy, PLUS, Ezra gives his prediction on how the convoy and ongoing stand-off will end, what it will mean for Canadians, and what will become of our bitter, angry and damaged Prime Minister.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CANDICE MALCOLM SHOW

Ford declares state of emergency in Ontario

Harley Sims
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Ford declares state of emergency in Ontario

Premier Doug Ford has declared a state of emergency in the province of Ontario in response to the ongoing Truckers for Freedom protests taking place in Ottawa and along the Canada-US border. 

During a press conference Friday, Ford called the protests a “siege” and “illegal occupation.”

“I call it a siege because that’s what it is. It’s an illegal occupation. This is no longer a protest,” Ford said.

“My message to those still in Ottawa [and] to those at our border crossings – please go home.”

By entering a state of emergency, Ford says he will convene with his cabinet to enact orders to crack down on the protesters.

Ford says it will be illegal to block the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure such as border crossings and the 400 highways. Fines for non-compliance will be up to $100,000 or up to a year in prison.

Reports Thursday said that Ford had turned down opportunities for trilateral talks with protesters for the third time, which would have seen him sit down with convoy organizers and federal and municipal counterparts to hash things out.

On Thursday, the Ontario government also secured a court order to freeze access to millions of dollars donated to the Freedom Convoy through crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo. 

In response, GiveSendGo said it would not abide by the Ontario government’s court order. 

“Canada has absolutely ZERO jurisdiction over how we manage our funds,” the Christian crowdfunding platform tweeted.

“All funds for EVERY campaign on GiveSendGo flow directly to the recipients of those campaigns, not least of which is The Freedom Convoy campaign.” 

The GiveSendGo page had raised $8.7 million US as of Friday, the Freedom Convoy’s 20th day.

Recap of Day 19 of the Truckers for Freedom Convoy

Harrison Faulkner
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Recap of Day 19 of the Truckers for Freedom Convoy

On Day 19 of the Truckers for Freedom Convoy, Doug Ford froze the convoy’s access to their GiveSendGo fundraiser while truckers at the Ambassador Bridge maintained their ongoing blockade.

On Thursday, a statement released by the Ontario premier’s office confirmed that the Attorney General had brought an application to the Ontario Superior Court “prohibiting anyone from disposing of, or otherwise dealing with, in any manner whatsoever, any and all monetary donations made through the Freedom Convoy 2022 and the Adopt-a-Trucker campaign pages on the Givesendgo online fundraising platform.”

The statement went on to confirm that the order “had been issued binding any and all parties with possession of or control of the donations.”

In response, Givesendgo publicly stated that it would ignore the Ontario government’s order. 

Posting on Twitter, the Christian crowdfunding site declared, “Know this! Canada has absolutely ZERO jurisdiction over how we manage our funds here at GiveSendGo. All funds for EVERY campaign on GiveSendGo flow directly to the recipients of those campaigns, not least of which is The Freedom Convoy campaign.”

According to CBC Queen’s Park bureau chief Mike Crawley, the Ontario government was able to get the court order because they presented evidence that the funds were being used for ‘‘offence-related property’, used or intended to be used in connection with the commission of an indictable offence.”

Free-speech social media platform Gab defended GiveSendGo’s decision to publicly flout Ontario’s court order, saying “GiveSendGo is an American company, who cares about Leaf Laws LOL”

Meanwhile, the ongoing blockade at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario has become the new focus of the coverage of Canada’s trucker protests. 

The standoff between authorities and the truckers camped out on the bridge is causing headaches on both sides of the border. 

A White House official told CNN earlier today, “We know that a number of companies and industries are seeing significant impacts from these disruptions.”

“The Department of Homeland Security, the National Security Council, Department of Transportation and the National Economic Council are working collaboratively –  including with their Canadian counterparts at all levels – to rapidly develop a set of options that match current industry demands – including alternative routes and other scenario planning,” the official said to CNN. 

Back on the Canadian side of the border, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a virtual meeting with opposition leaders, calling on all parties to denounce the blockade in Windsor. 

Trudeau said on Twitter, “This evening, I had several meetings that were focused on the illegal blockades and occupations happening across the country. They’re harming the communities they’re taking place in – and they’re hurting jobs, businesses, and our country’s economy.”

He then called on all Members of Parliament to condemn the “illegal blockades”. 

“Finally, I briefed the leaders of the opposition parties on the current situation and the latest developments. I stressed how important it is for all Members of Parliament, from every party, to denounce these illegal acts – and to call for an end to these blockades,” Trudeau tweeted.

Earlier in the day, Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen asked Trudeau several times if he would support a Conservative motion to end the mandates and meet with her party to end the blockade. 

Trudeau’s answers addressed none of the specific questions Bergen asked him.

The GiveSendGo in support of the truckers at the time this article was published had reached USD $8,582,377.

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