Despite years of knowing that a serious pandemic could install itself locally or globally, in 2019 the government lacked coherent nationwide emergency plans, the ability to manufacture its own vaccines and PPE and the provinces’ healthcare systems were in tatters.
Covid is born and as it trickles into Canada the circus starts.
For the past two years, I have listened to a “mass formation psychosis” of conspiracy theories and horror stories that have failed to materialize. Protesters have protested for the freedoms I already have and social media sharks have bloodied the waters of rationality. Fringe healers and dealers, politico hacks, legal predators and soulless pray-ers have gained remunerative followings and attention, and fundraising platforms like GoFundMe take their cut from the relentless greed of opportunity seekers.
And much of it at the expense of people with largely good intentions who have been lied to, radicalized and scammed.
The truckers convoy aims to smash vaccine mandates with its plans to shut down Ottawa while their Memorandum Of Understanding (dissolving the current government) is negotiated.
While they may make a terrible mess in Ottawa and while people may get hurt in the process, the initiative will fail. The Canadian government won’t negotiate with a mob. The US government will maintain the vaccine requirements for cross-border trade.
The bigger exploiters will distance themselves from the movement when it fails and the smaller parasites will fan the sputtering flames to their advantage.
And everyone will conveniently ignore some of the possible underlying reasons for this and or simply fail to consider them in the excitement.
We have massive inequality in Canada and around the globe. In first-world countries, the fairy tale concept of trickle-down economics (the rich get rich making the poor less poor, somehow) doesn’t work. It never did. This global system chugs along because of the relentless exploitation of poor countries and natural resources.
The uber wealthy should be taxed according to their wealth, making the world a better place for those they exploit. We need tax reform.
A huge proportion of Canadians (and Americans) can’t live decently on their salaries let alone support a family. This creates enormous instability and frustration and it adds to money hoarding and corruption.
We have uneven representation. It’s still ‘white men rule’.
We have enormous corruption in plain view with no repercussions.
We have managed to disastrously impact every aspect of our planet’s ecosystem resulting in: climate change, massive species die-off, unprecedented pollution on land, sea and air et cetera…
We have no control over mis/dis information. Anyone can say anything and who cares? Political extremists like Randy Hillier and Maxime Bernier use their platforms to radicalize followers with lies and exaggerations to win their moment in the political spotlight. This attention grab has reached a level of insanity where Erin oh Tool is jumping on board for his piece of the pie and Donneee Trump Junior endorses the convoy and denounces Trudeau’s “tyranny” while his “buy patriotic merch” button hovers nearby.
The truckers involved in this convoy are just people. All kinds of viewpoints. All kinds of reasons for being involved. Same goes for those who support them. However, as a group or movement, they lack a coherent and sane message. They promised a peaceful protest and then some of their spokespeople admitted that they want to shut Ottawa down and some who are involved openly advocate for violence. Initially they were against mandates for truckers, then it became about freedom and now it’s about dissolving a democratically elected government.
Whatever your motives are as people – as a movement – I am telling you as loudly as I can:
– YOU DON’T SPEAK FOR ME.
About the Author
Oh Louise, get out there and call out there and stand up against Segregation
Well said.
While am an advocate for the right to protest, I also prefer a clear message. This protest has been hijacked by a party/parties working behind the scenes to cause chaos, to stir violence, and raise money for themselves and not for the truckers. There is no way to get that many trucks through the streets of Ottawa, there will be major problems as trucks get stuck in areas that are simply impassible for them.
I also follow the science but do not wish to see the unvaccinated treated like lepers. We are better than that. At this point in time it is highly unlikely any message will change anyone’s point of view, all it is doing is making them more firmly entrenched in their position.
We do need a better system for wealth dispersal. The one we have that punishes the poor while giving more to the wealthy is clearly not working, and is fueling a great deal of pain and anger. I find myself owing tax on a pension that gives me less than $450 a month while the wealthy owe nothing in tax. I am not the only one making less than poverty wages who finds themselves owing tax. This is only a good way to go about taxing if the result you want to achieve is increasing the anger of the people. So I heartily agree with you on tax reform.
I also completely agree with you on climate change initiatives, as a further benefit it will increase the job market.
As for corruption in plain view the lawmakers make the rules and from what I can see all sides of the political divide are guilty of it. As they say money talks way louder then the voices of those the politicians are suppose to represent.
I agree – well written. Thank you, Merci, Nia:wen ko:wa for your well articulated insight!
Louise, very good editorial, They most definitely DO NOT speak for me !
Freedom convoy.
You speak for me.
Standing up against Canadian censorship, emergency powers act, covid hysteria and big Pharma propaganda. Congrats Tamara Licht on your release, after the failed liberal no judge refused you bail. Real banana republic we have here