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“There’s no way I’m going to say that every trucker that you spoke to was negative because that is not the case. But unfortunately there were too many that were…Because if you cared for somebody you would not have put them through that turmoil.” – Brenda Knight, Co-Chair of Ottawa People’s Commission on the Convoy Occupation

“Crime was down significantly. The streets had never been cleaner. The homeless have never been better fed – well fed. And the support and love of fellow Canadians and anyone that came, regardless of religion, background, culture, beliefs…we were all there under the umbrella of freedom and that’s all that mattered. I’ve never felt more community and connection in my life!” – Kristen Nagle, nurse, participant in the Freedom Convoy

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Two years ago this week, the cavalry composed of hundreds of semi-trailer trucks and various other vehicles descended on the nation of Canada’s capital city. [1]

Forward the Light Brigade!

People ruled over by mask mandates, lock-downs, and other restrictions in life, followed now by the threat of losing your job without paid leave if you didn’t consent to a vaccine you didn’t trust, can all be major impositions on some individuals. The Freedom Convoy directed all the built-up pressure cooking in a closed and sealed pot for almost two years and then released it on the city of Ottawa. [2]

Of course, this event was not particularly welcome to all in the sixth largest city in the country. Many had to cope with unpleasant truck horns blaring and diesel fumes. People could not get around as streets were piled up with the fossil-fuel burning contraptions. What is more, many people were shaken by the appearance of these strangers from across the country who at times displayed behaviour that was troubling, or at least were rumoured to do so. [3]

Some people said they were peaceful and loving. Others claimed they were violent, far-right racists looking to topple Prime Minister Trudeau. [4]

This all led to the decision on the 14th of February to invoke a measure known as the Emergencies Act – a law passed in 1985 which authorized the temporary suspension of the rights of individuals as defined under the Canadian Bill of Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, all so as to ensure safety and security during a national emergency. The Canadian government authorized law enforcement to remove the trucks, arrest key individuals, and freeze the bank funds of several more. [5][6]

Two years later, a Federal Court judge just ruled that the Trudeau government’s invocation of the Act was an unreasonable move and was not justified by any national emergency. Many truckers and their supporters saw the ruling as a victory for them. But for many Ottawa dwellers, the torment of the Trucker-Fest 2022 still haunts them to this very day. [7][8]

On this episode of the Global Research News Hour, we devote most of our time to hearing representatives from two sides of the dispute over whether the truckers implanting themselves in the streets for weeks over-reached the patience and the tolerance of good folks of Ottawa. This is followed by the presentations of a few other people who played roles in dealing with complaints.

Brenda Knight is a Board member of the Centretown Community Centre in the heart of downtown. She is also a resident living in a condo opposite the Convoy, and is co-Chair of the Ottawa People’s Commission on the Convoy Occupation. The final reports can be found at https://www.opc-cpo.ca/#reports

Kristen Nagle was a nurse who led the group Canada Frontline Nurses and lives in London, Ontario. She participated in the Convoy gatherings pretty much from the beginning and was a named plaintiff in the Federal Court ruling on the Emergencies Act.

(Global Research News Hour Episode 420)

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The Global Research News Hour airs every Friday at 1pm CT on CKUW 95.9FM out of the University of Winnipeg. The programme is also podcast at globalresearch.ca .

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Notes:

1. https://globalnews.ca/news/8579463/protest-convoy-arrives-ottawa-multi-day-demonstration/


2. https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/articles/analysis-majority-of-canadians-disagree-with-freedom-convoy-on-vaccine-mandates-and-lockdowns/


3. https://www.opc-cpo.ca/hearings-highlights/


4. ibid


5. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-premiers-cabinet-1.6350734


6. https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/E-4.5/page-1.html


7. https://www.fct-cf.gc.ca/Content/assets/pdf/base/2024-01-23-News-Bulletin-Public-Order-Emergency.pdf


8. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/emergencies-act-ruling-reopens-emotional-debate-two-years-after-huge-protests-1.6740473