https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-tow...hief-1.5776591

Ottawa towing company threatened into not helping police with trucker convoy: chief

It's about bloody time, Doug Ford!

He finally declares a state of emergency for Ontario:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...ests-1.6347810

At this point, what are the actual stated goals of the people at the Ram Ranch? I know it began as a protest against cross border transportation worker vaccination requirements, but blocking the borders is new.

What have they said they want this to accomplish?

Freedom, duh.

They literally aren't capable of going past that.

Why are you here?
FREEDOM!
Ok, but what are your demands?
FREEEEDOM!!
...ok, but what are some things you want to see happen?
FFFREEEEEEDOMMMMMMM!!!!

Deplorable

What troubles me is JT's refusal to have a conversation to at least discuss a solution to all this.

We are a democracy and it's not just about the majority. It's to ensure that while majority gets to make decisions, we also want the voice of the minority to be heard and we can ensure we are making decisions by taking everyone into account.

This is no longer about vaccine or Covid or anything... but rather a fight for control and power.

JT should really resign as a PM if he isn't willing to do a PM's job.

His refusal to talk just gives me the impression that he wants this layer of control, so that society is dependent on the gov't, which is the idea of Liberals to have a big gov't presence.

But let's not forget... it's not the gov't of Canada that defines Canada, but the people of Canada that defines it. I don't think we need the gov't to tell us what to do. Canadians are better than that.

We live in a country with established institutions. While they have a right to protest, they also need to work with elected officials and other aspects of civil society to make their point and influence their desired outcomes.

If the PM were to talk to these people directly, that would legitimize their tactics which would set a precedent for future activists and disruptors.

Do peons in your company knock on the door of your CEO and demand direct dialogue?

He does not negotiate with terrorists.

You're an idiot.

There are proper channels set up to have your voice heard, per rules of a functioning democratic society. Their demands our outrageous and asinine to begin with, and sitting down with a group of idiots only sets precedence for other morons to do the same. There's a reason why every nation refuses to negotiate with terrorists, or idiots.

This is like a receptionist barricading the office door with printers because the CEO told this person they had to be at work at 8 instead of 9. Or like a toddler throwing his dinner all over the table ruining everyone else's food because you said he had to take a bath.

And by your logic, literally all Canadians except the ones who are fucking up the lives of citizens are against these idiots. So yeah, Canadians ARE better than this. I'm ashamed these mouthbreathers are just as Canadian as I am.

So, people who have different opinion than you are called terrorists now?

Funny how fast that changed from 9/11.

As a democracy, it's not a requirement to have your representative to present your ideas/opinions.

The convoy was not organized in a day. There were people voicing about ending the mandates way before that.

And what did JT do? Nothing... just ignored them completely.

You can't blame everything on the convoy. They had these demands (dropping the mandates) way before the whole convoy was assembled and another week that they reached Ottawa. And where is the gov't all along? They had plenty of time to organize for a dialogue. But nothing. What the fuck is one supposed to do when "proper channels" get ignored?

Honest and earnest question -

Did the organizers of the convoy actually attempt the "proper channels"? Do they have a list of the MPs who ignored their concerns so they can be held accountable?

You're bringing up a good point, that they may have felt they had no voice at the local level, but given that we see (now retracted) support from some MPs they can't have ALL been ignoring the concerns truckers had.

Lol ever contacted an MP? Ever petitioned an MLA?

They are all completely useless even for shit that is actually important to their constituents

trudeau on border protests: "blockades are hurting everyday families"

you mean like the last 2 years when you gave multiple industries and separate families the middle finger?

Anyone who still thinks this convoy has anything whatsoever to do with dropping mandates for truckers at this point is delusional.

we only trade hostages with china

Send weapons and armaments to Saudi Arabi, deal non stop with China, won’t even talk to his own citizens

^^ why don't you park your car on Cambie bridge to support them and fight for your freedom and see what happens :awwyeah: make sure you rev to redline and honk your horn

Anyone else think the infatuation with ONE person is a little bit unhealthy?

There’s proper channels for it. You don’t just wave your hand and say all MLA’s are useless… cuz it’s not true, and even if they’re not listening then park your truck in front of their office.

That’s how Canada’s government works. You don’t just drive to Ottawa and demand an audience with the PM because you’re mad about something. Nevermind the fact these people are in a minuscule minority of selfish fucks who only want society to work at their own convenience and have yet to show anything resembling intelligent discourse. Talk about what? Getting rid of vaccines? Stepping down as PM and letting the Cons take power?

Ridiculous.

Giving these idiots an audience would be the same mistake the internet as a whole made when it first started giving every moron with a computer the ability to obtain an audience through social media. None of these mouth breathes had a platform before and nobody has to listen to their stupidity. Look where that’s gotten us.

This is just a poorly organized and ill focused Canadian version of Jan 6 and nothing more.

The irony is the same people who question people calling out Justin have a mental breakdown over Trump or the sight of a red hat KEKW

Yeah I'd totally want to sit down with someone who drives by my office with a sign of a middle finger and my name in large letters.

I'm surprised more firms haven't found their employees at this protest and give them consequences

Exactly my point. Had they demonstrated that they TRIED to do this, their protest would have far more impact IMO. They could draw public sentiment and sympathy by saying "We've tried it your way, now we need to do it our way". Its demonstrates that there is a disconnect between the common Canadian and the political class.

Throwing up their hands and saying "Well, contacting the people we're voting probably wouldn't help so HONK HONK HONK" comes off like a temper tantrum. Now the media gets to shape the narrative about it being a bunch of people screaming to get their own way rather than being forced to admit that the system meant to listen to them wasn't there to hear what they had to say. It was the simplest thing they could have done to help their own credibility and they didn't do it.

Also, people have all but forgotten about the Wexit lady who is laughing her way to the bank. No accountability for her. Has she even made an appearance at the event? Have the truckers gotten their costs reimbursed?

Shit. I don't even disagree with folks being upset about having the livelihood impacted. Its been a hard pandemic and folks are scared about getting by. When we all shut down at the beginning of this it got really real really quick. Nobody wants a return to that. No more CERB-like programs are on the horizon and the virus is so prolific that a booster is now needed. I completely sympathize with their fears.

But they're demonstrating in a way that strips their credibility. This whole thing is disjointed and unfocused. The average person involved in the movement can't properly communicate their goals (I read something about people an end to ALL vaccines so... welcome back polio?) and the organizers' meetings that I see streamed live are led by people who look like they're in over their heads.
If you know Ottawa, they're occupying a lot of the commercial district closest to Parliament as well as the street in front of Parliament itself. Conspicuously, however, they haven't taken their frustrations to the U.S. Embassy. For a problem with policy that involves that country as well, they're sure not involving them in the great honkening.

Well, not unless you count waving confederate battle flags and holding MAGA signs for some reason.

Had the protestors contacted their local representation, I'm sure they would have been advised to leave those at home. If their rep was CPC I'm sure they would have said those "Fuck Trudeau" flags were ok.

In any case, the lessons we get from this whole thing are that getting a lot of people really angry get a few people paid really well, and that when you're no longer welcome at the soup kitchen you've harassed you can just build your own (which is frankly, pretty impressive).

When you’re the long term leader of a G7 country you might occasionally have to deal with “uncomfortable” situations