Freedom Trucker Convoy: From Canada to USA to all across the world

reclaimthenet.org

Trudeau faces "unprecedented" inquiry into using emergency powers against civil liberties protesters

A committee will look into the unsettling behavior.
reclaimthenet.org reclaimthenet.org

On Monday, a joint committee of Canada’s Parliament officially launched an inquiry into the Trudeau government’s actions against the Freedom Convoy civil liberties protesters.

The “unprecedented” inquiry will look into allegations that the Trudeau government violated protesters’ Charter rights when they arrested and detained them without charge, as well as the extreme actions of freezing bank accounts of protesters.

“The responsibilities of this committee are very, very serious. We all recognize that,” said Conservative MP Glen Motz – as reported by Blacklocks.

The committee is made up of several Liberal Party and Conservative Party appointees, as well as an appointee selected by the New Democrats.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has already spoken publicly about the issue. In his testimony, Trudeau denied any wrongdoing on the part of his government and insisted that all decisions were made in accordance with the law. He also defended his decision to deploy police forces against the protesters, arguing that it was necessary to maintain public order.

Opposition parties have been critical of Trudeau’s response to the protests and have accused him of using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators.

Much of the investigation will look at Trudeau’s attempt at justification for invoking the Emergencies Act.

The Emergencies Act is a piece of legislation that was passed in 1988. It gives the federal government emergency powers in times of crisis. This can include things like freezing bank accounts, deploying the national police force, and other measures.

Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act to give himself these unprecedented powers. The RCMP were deployed to remove protesters, and some bank accounts were frozen without a court order.

There has been much criticism of Trudeau’s use of the Emergencies Act in this case. Many feel that it is an abuse of power, and that it should only be used in cases of true emergency, not to shut down speech.

In another separate committee, MPs were warned by Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald that the unprecedented decision to invoke the Emergencies Act had had broad-spectrum consequences.

“Minister Marc Miller called me I believe the day before. There had been talk for a number of days about the act being invoked. The day before he actually called me and said this was going to be happening,” Archibald said.

“I am concerned and did express that concern very immediately with Minister Miller when he called me that I was concerned about the long-term implications of this.”

As a former activist who had been involved in many protests, Archibald understood the threat to free speech.

“My concern is the act is a tool and the tool itself can actually name and can actually place labels upon people,” Archibald said.

“The implications of the Emergencies Act are far and wide and that is why I am standing before you. I am a former activist myself, and I have been involved in civil actions and charged.”
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I'm sure the Canadian crowd here, at least, has heard about the deal struck between the Liberals and the NDP two days ago? The deal is basically the Liberals help pass some of the NDP policies (that would never have been passed otherwise) into law and the NDP keep the Liberals in power for the next three years. It tells you that JT is well aware that his lordship might not have made it to the next election. From RT:

Trudeau strikes deal to remain in power​

A backroom deal allows the minority government to remain in power through 2025

23 Mar, 2022 18:01

Canadian Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has negotiated an agreement with the left-leaning opposition New Democratic Party to maintain power through 2025, despite the widespread unpopularity of his government.

The leader announced a “supply-and-confidence” pact with the NDP on Tuesday, telling reporters the coalition government would bring “stability” to Canadian politics.

The agreement means Trudeau’s Liberal Party will not only remain in power for the full four-year term but that the NDP will back its positions on budgets and confidence votes. Together, the two parties have 184 votes in the 338-seat House of Commons – 14 more than the majority they need – and will permit the coalition to remain in power for the full term.

Issues said to be on the table included a dental care program for low income families, combating climate change, and ending public financing of the fossil fuel industry.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh insisted his party was “not going to let the Liberal government off the hook.”

However, the opposition Conservative Party found the coalition agreement to be a “callous attempt by Trudeau to hold on to power,” with interim leader Candice Bergen saying “Canadians did not vote for an NDP government” and calling the result “little more than backdoor socialism.” Yves-Francois Blanchet of the Bloc Quebecois had a similar opinion, calling the agreement a “false majority.”

A poll conducted last month during the Freedom Convoy trucker protests against vaccination mandates for drivers who cross the border for work found just 29% of residents believed the PM had behaved “like a prime minister should” during the protest, with less than half determining he was “up to the job of being prime minister.” Just 16% said they would vote for him based on his actions in the preceding two weeks.

Trudeau’s heavy-handed response to the demonstration – freezing the bank accounts and seizing other assets of protesters – was seen as government overreach even by some who had not supported the truckers’ protest itself.

The PM has also been widely criticized for his government’s response to the pandemic, with ultra-strict border controls keeping some families apart for over two years. By last month, a survey found more than half of Canadians supported an immediate stop to all pandemic restrictions, and as the truckers camped out in Ottawa for weeks, provincial governments began quietly rolling back the measures.

Trudeau called a snap election last September in the hope of obtaining a parliamentary majority. However, he failed to secure a majority, even as he claimed the election represented a clear mandate for his party going forward.
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A long article from CTV News:

Liberals' deal with NDP will keep Trudeau minority in power for 3 more years​


Published Tuesday, March 22, 2022 8:47AM EDT

OTTAWA -- The federal Liberals and New Democrats have finalized an agreement that, if maintained, would keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government in power until the end of the current Parliament in exchange for progress on longstanding NDP priorities.

Trudeau announced on Tuesday morning that the confidence-and-supply agreement has been brokered, is effective immediately, and will remain in effect until June 2025.

“We're different political parties, we stand for different things. But where we have common goals, we cannot let our differences stand in the way of delivering what Canadians deserve. That's why we're taking this step,” said Trudeau.

“What this means is that, during this uncertain time, the government can function with predictability and stability… and get things done for Canadians,” the prime minister said, adding that it was “not an easy decision.”

The agreement will see the NDP caucus prop up the government in future confidence votes and back them on four budgets, in exchange for progress before the next election on several key policy issues that are shared Liberal-NDP priorities.

Confirming the deal on Tuesday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said that his party is “using our power to get help to people.”

“In this time, everyone I talk to, people are telling me that they need help now. And they expect politicians to deliver that help. And that's exactly what we're doing,” he said.

Called “Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement,” the two parties have agreed that over the next three years the government will:

  • Launch a new dental care program for low-income Canadians. Starting with under 12-year-olds in 2022, expanding to under 18-year-olds, seniors, and persons living with disabilities in 2023, and then full implementation by 2025, with no co-pays for anyone earning less than $70,000 annually.
  • Continue progress towards a universal national pharmacare program passing a ‘Canada Pharmacare Act’ by the end of 2023, and then tasking the National Drug Agency to develop a national formulary of essential medicines and a bulk purchasing plan by the end of 2025;
  • Advance a series of measures aimed at affordability and housing costs including a ‘Homebuyers Bill of Rights’ and an ‘Early Learning and Child Care Act’;
  • Proceed with policies and programs meant to target climate change;
  • Ensure supports for workers are implemented including supporting labour unions and starting the 10-day paid sick leave policy imminently;
  • Invest more in Indigenous reconciliation including supporting residential school survivors;
  • Improve fairness in the tax system by addressing profits made by big banks during the pandemic; and
  • Eliminate barriers to democratic participation by exploring ways to expand how people can vote such as improving mail-in balloting and potentially allowing a three-day voting period.

“All these are things that we had in our platform. All these are things that we committed to Canadians that we would work hard on and constructively on, and that's what this agreement is about. It's about fulfilling the clear mandate Canadians gave Parliament by improving the way we do politics,” Trudeau said.

The deal, worked out by party leadership, was presented to Liberal and NDP MPs for approval on Monday night. The news was well received in the Liberal caucus, according to sources. And, according to a senior NDP source, while that party’s caucus was not in unanimous support, the majority was.

Prior to his remarks, a senior NDP source told CTV News that New Democrats were willing to formally support the Liberals now for a host of reasons, including post-pandemic exhaustion and uncertainty over the war in Ukraine, and said they feel it is important to show parties can work together despite their differences.

The deal made for a raucous question period on Tuesday, seeing considerable heckling from the Conservative and Bloc Quebecois benches towards the Liberals and New Democrats, with interim Conservative Leader Candice Bergen consistently calling Trudeau’s government the “NDP-Liberal government.”

WHAT IT MEANS FOR PARLIAMENT​


According to one Liberal source who attended an emergency caucus meeting on the subject on Monday night, the agreement was billed to MPs as “making Parliament work."

Trudeau echoed this sentiment in his press conference, saying that Canadians sent MPs back to Ottawa following the 2021 election with a “clear mandate” to work together to deliver results.

The kinds of votes the NDP will have to support through this deal include: budget bills, estimate and supply legislation, and other motions that the Liberals deem matters of confidence. The NDP have also agreed to not move a vote of non-confidence or vote for a non-confidence motion brought by another party during this time.

The NDP have said they still plan to act like an opposition party, will keep pushing for the government to do more than what is part of this agreement, and should something happen or not, both sides are free to walk away from the agreement.

“There's going to be moments where we disagree… But we're hopeful that there are going to be opportunities outside of agreement where we can actually get more for people and we're going to continue to do that,” Singh said.

Asked whether this move weakens the New Democrats electorally, giving the Liberals the ability to potentially tout accomplishing expansions of health programs, Singh said he doesn’t overly care because, ultimately, people will be able to get their teeth fixed and afford medications.

Trudeau said Tuesday that the deal is not about compromising either party’s core beliefs, and that there will continue to be “healthy debate” between the parties. As well, the Liberals will continue to look to other caucuses in the House of Commons for support on issues that the NDP may not be supportive of, such as enhanced defence spending in response to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis.

“Every piece of legislation will continue to get the scrutiny it merits, committees will continue to do their essential work, and members of Parliament will continue representing their constituents and holding the government to account,” said the prime minister.

As part of the deal, the parties have agreed to a system of “no surprises” and will be talking frequently in order to stay on the same page. This will include enacting quarterly leaders’ meetings, regular meetings between their House leaders and whips, and monthly “take-stock” meetings from an oversight group comprised of staff and politicians.

They have also settled on the NDP backing “a limited number” of what are called programming motions, such as time allocation or closure, to help quickly pass legislation both parties support.

The deal will also see the NDP provided briefings from ministers and top bureaucrats on policy matters included in the deal, including on the budget and legislation.

CONSERVATIVES CLAIM 'COALITION'​


Given the Liberals are in a minority position, so long as this agreement is maintained it will inject years of federal stability allowing Trudeau’s cabinet to continue advancing their priorities without concern of falling on a confidence vote.

Given the last federal election was in 2021, the next scheduled vote would happen in October 2025. This deal is set to remain in effect until Parliament rises in June 2025, opening up the possibility of an early election call that summer.

Since the Liberals were first reduced to a minority in 2019, the NDP have often been the government’s main ally, voting to support their initiatives, but that support had never been formalized. Of the 338 seats, the Liberals currently hold 159, the Conservatives hold 119, the Bloc Quebecois hold 32, the NDP hold 25, the Greens hold two and there is one independent MP.

The Conservatives have slammed the deal, with Bergen telling reporters that the “coalition” will be costly for Canadians.

“That was not what Canadians voted for, just a few short months ago. They did not vote for an NDP-Liberal government that would be spending billions of dollars,” she said.

There are differences between the agreement that the Liberals and NDP have reached, and Bergen’s suggestion that Canada now has majority government run by a formal coalition.

The latter is when parties join forces to hold a larger share of seats than any other party, and typically where the cabinet includes members from both parties. Extremely rare in Canada, a coalition government has not been formed federally in modern political times.

“There are a lot of Liberals that are coming to me and saying they're very worried about the economic direction under a Justin Trudeau government. I cannot imagine this morning how they are feeling,” Bergen said, claiming Singh is now “basically” the deputy prime minister under this agreement, and vowing to hold both parties to account.

Chrystia Freeland remains Canada’s deputy prime minister and minister of finance. No members of the NDP are joining the federal cabinet.

The Conservative party will be electing its next leader in September, and should this major dynamic shift in the domestic political landscape last, the victor would be facing their first few years in the job as leader of the Official Opposition.

Responding to Bergen’s coalition claims and suggestions the NDP are now “in charge,” Singh said: “I want to make sure it's really clear: this is not a coalition. We never intended it to be a coalition, and it's never been something that we either put forward. Frankly it wasn't offered, nor would I have accepted it.”

Commenting on the agreement, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet told reporters that he was not solicited by the Liberals to join this pact, but he had a “cordial” conversation with Trudeau before the deal was announced.

“I explained to him that he doesn't have anything more to fear from the Bloc now than before… We'll try to improve things and if they do things with which we agree, we will keep being in agreement, but we will never surrender what we are, our responsibility or the mandate that was given to us,” Blanchet said.

“I remind everybody that every citizen who voted for the NDP, did not vote for the Liberals,” he added.

While speculation continues about what this agreement will mean down the line for the political futures of Trudeau and Singh, one political science expert told CTV News Channel she doesn’t think much will be changing in the short term.

“I don't see things being that much different than what we've had over the last couple of years. The NDP could always be relied on by this government to vote in favour of their priorities, and not to vote them out. Remember, the only reason we had an election last year wasn't because of a confidence vote, it was because Justin Trudeau wanted an election, and there's nothing in this deal that prevents him from doing that again in the future,” said University of Windsor political science professor Lydia Miljan on Tuesday.
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www.rebelnews.com

Ottawa interim police chief: No weapons found during Freedom Convoy dismantling

Asked if there were weapons found inside trucks during the clearing operation, Ottawa police interim Chief Steve Bell confirmed that this was not the case.
www.rebelnews.com www.rebelnews.com

snippet:
Today, Conservative MP Dane Lloyd, at public safety and national security committee hearing, asked Ottawa police interim Chief Steve Bell if there were weapons found inside trucks during the clearing operation, as one journalist from the Toronto Star had allegedly been informed of by police sources.

After trying to weasel out of the question, Bell confirmed that this was not the case.
 
Benjamin said:
I'm sure the Canadian crowd here, at least, has heard about the deal struck between the Liberals and the NDP two days ago? The deal is basically the Liberals help pass some of the NDP policies (that would never have been passed otherwise) into law and the NDP keep the Liberals in power for the next three years. It tells you that JT is well aware that his lordship might not have made it to the next election. From RT:



A long article from CTV News:
Click to expand...

This is really just formalization of the de facto coalition government that has misruled Canada for the last year, and therefore not terribly surprising to me. Still, I can't help but be troubled by this. Since there's now no possibility of Justin losing power in the next three years, and no reason to expect he'll rescind the federal travel mandate, it will now be at least 3 years before I can enter the land of my birth and visit my family.
 
psychegram said:
This is really just formalization of the de facto coalition government that has misruled Canada for the last year, and therefore not terribly surprising to me. Still, I can't help but be troubled by this. Since there's now no possibility of Justin losing power in the next three years, and no reason to expect he'll rescind the federal travel mandate, it will now be at least 3 years before I can enter the land of my birth and visit my family.
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a little hope.... maybe... maybe....

Vaccine Mandates On their Way Out: Canada's Top Doctors

"You... have to make it relatively simple for travellers." Canada’s chief public health officer said officials are looking to change policy from "an emphasis on requirements to recommendations."
openjaw.com openjaw.com
 
Round 2! 🥊

From CTV news:

Convoy returns to the capital weeks after the end of the 'Freedom Convoy' protest​


Mar. 26, 2022

videoPlayer

ottawa.ctvnews.ca ottawa.ctvnews.ca

Five weeks after police pushed Freedom Convoy protesters out of the downtown core, they returned.

Saturday afternoon, hundreds of cars travelling from Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon, Que. detoured through the downtown, honking down King Edward Avenue, Laurier Avenue and O’Connor Street, as they made their way to Vankleek Hill.

"I think the visibility will be there, it’s good for optics. They’re going to come through, let Ottawa know that we’re still here, we haven’t left, and we’re not going anywhere until these mandates lift," Jeromy O’Sullivan, one of the protest organizers said.

Ottawa police on the scene told CTV News Ottawa they estimate that roughly 300 vehicles were part of the so-called "Next Generation Convoy."
Police escorted the procession through parts of the city and say there were no incidents related to the demonstrations.

"We appreciate that this convoy was unwelcome for many residents and businesses. All legal authorities were examined or used in accordance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms," the Ottawa Police Service wrote in a tweet.

The return of the protesters, flags and horns, is an unwelcome sight for some downtown residents.

"More than anything I wish they’d just go home," Centretown resident Erica Lackey said.

Lackey says she frequently goes to Parliament Hill, where smaller protests in support of the Freedom Convoy have continued since Wellington Street reopened to pedestrians.

"If they’re not actually causing disturbances and they’re not harming people, then they can do what they want, but it’s when they start causing disturbances that’s when we have an issue," she said.

The convoy, which did not stop in Ottawa began in Quebec, picked up supporters in Drummondville and Montreal on its way to a rural headquarters just outside Vankleek Hill.

"We’re growing, we’re coming back, we’re going to build back better so to speak," O’Sullivan said.

Those supporting the procession on the ground in Ottawa say they’re still fighting for an end to COVID-19 mandates, despite most being lifted already, and plans from the provincial government to lift all remaining mandates by the end of April .

"I’m hoping that all of the mandates are dropped. Federally we still can’t travel, we don’t have the right to mobility, university still can’t go to school without being vaccinated and that’s completely wrong, they have the right to an education," convoy supporter Sarah Marckesano said.

Convoy supporters say they’re not concerned about the impact another demonstration could have on Ottawa residents or their message.

"If it gets attention then that’s what a protest does, we’re here to disrupt until our voices are heard," Marckesano added.

But those living in downtown Ottawa say another parade along Laurier Avenue is the last thing they wanted.

"At the end of the day we’ve been putting up with months of this now and we’re tired," Lackey said.
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ottawacitizen.com

Randy Hillier released with many conditions after being charged for 'Freedom Convoy' activities

Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP Randy Hillier was released from court with a long list of conditions after turning himself into Ottawa police Monday morning to…
ottawacitizen.com ottawacitizen.com

Snippets:

Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP Randy Hillier was released from court with a long list of conditions after turning himself into Ottawa police Monday morning to face nine criminal charges related to the weeks-long “Freedom Convoy” occupation of downtown streets.

About 10 hours after turning himself in at Ottawa police headquarters, puffing on a cigarette and telling reporters he was a freedom fighter being prosecuted for dissenting views, Hillier was released from the Ottawa courthouse and driven back to his home in Perth.

“He denies committing any of these offences and we’re going to vigorously fight them.”

Hillier, a visible presence during the three-week convoy protests, is now formally facing two counts of mischief, two of counselling to commit mischief, one of counselling someone to commit an indictable offence, three counts of resisting or obstructing a public or peace officer, and one of assaulting a public or peace officer.

Hillier was released on another condition that effectively bars him from entering the downtown core, except for court appearances or to consult with his lawyer, and he is forbidden from contacting a growing list of convoy participants and accused organizers — a list that now includes at least 18 names.

Anber argued with the Crown against one condition of Hillier’s release that restricts his use of social media.

Wightman said Hillier’s social media accounts were his “tool of choice to advance dangerous rhetoric,” and argued that Hillier should be barred from posting to social media any critiques of COVID-19 regulations, masking requirements or anything related to the “anti-vaccine cause”.

Anber argued that condition would prevent Hillier from performing his duties as an elected official.

“(Hillier) would be prohibited — as a member of the provincial legislature — from being able to comment on vaccine mandate policy, on mask mandate policy and on other forms of policy that touch upon those public health measures that were brought in by the Ford government,” Anber said. “Mr. Hillier was elected to perform those duties.”
 
Randy Hillier, MPP, who opposed Covid measures and actively supported the Convoy in Ottawa, arrested.

Now I really feel like I'm living behind enemy lines.

Ontario MPP Randy Hillier released on bail, faces criminal charges over Ottawa convoy involvement

He's got 9 charges. Summary on the charges from the G & M article:

"Ottawa Police issued a news release on Monday saying the 64-year-old MPP from Perth, Ont., was facing a total of nine charges after officers in February received “multiple complaints about social-media posts and other activities of an individual as part of the ongoing illegal protests.”

Police said information was gathered by a task force that investigated reported incidents during the protest.

Mr. Hillier’s charges include two counts of obstructing or resisting a public officer, one count of assaulting a peace or public officer, and three counts of counselling an uncommitted indictable office, two of which are considered mischief. None of the charges have been proven in court."

One comment on this article made me smile. "The fact Hillier still smokes cigarettes tells you all you need to know. A weak yet stubborn fellow. Not one to keep up with medical science, or adhere to its basic tenets."

The rest of the comments agreed with his arrest. This is the Globe and Mail, they are right bias, oddly, but they also have a better quality of actually reporting news.

Here's the National Post article, less informative in general, but the comments are predominantly in favour of Mr. Hillier. I feel less like I'm living behind enemy lines reading the National Post.

Ontario MPP Randy Hillier faces nine charges over involvement in Ottawa convoy protest

One comment, again I enjoyed this one, "Charges based on some social media postings and or complaints. Not much to go about. A guy smacked another guy on live TV, millions could see it, and nothing happens. Except the perpetrator had been seen dancing at the party with golden statuette."

On the grounds of being behind enemy lines or not, looked up circulation comparison for the two newspapers. I can't access The Toronto Star report as I'm not subscribed. The National Post is read by more Canadians than the Globe and Mail, the Post is considered right-leaning as is the Globe and Mail, both rated high in factual reporting by Media-Bias Fact Check page (for what it's worth). ",,,,,, the combined Postmedia network draws the largest number of weekly digital readers at 6.1 million, while Torstar brings in 4.3 million. The Globe and Mail has digital readership of 4.5 million. By itself, The National Post reaches 3.2 million.

Two right leaning news outlets with such different comments on the same subject reports. Interesting.
 
Lyndi Lama said:
Now I really feel like I'm living behind enemy lines.

Ontario MPP Randy Hillier released on bail, faces criminal charges over Ottawa convoy involvement

He's got 9 charges. Summary on the charges from the G & M article:

"Ottawa Police issued a news release on Monday saying the 64-year-old MPP from Perth, Ont., was facing a total of nine charges after officers in February received “multiple complaints about social-media posts and other activities of an individual as part of the ongoing illegal protests.”

Police said information was gathered by a task force that investigated reported incidents during the protest.

Mr. Hillier’s charges include two counts of obstructing or resisting a public officer, one count of assaulting a peace or public officer, and three counts of counselling an uncommitted indictable office, two of which are considered mischief. None of the charges have been proven in court."

One comment on this article made me smile. "The fact Hillier still smokes cigarettes tells you all you need to know. A weak yet stubborn fellow. Not one to keep up with medical science, or adhere to its basic tenets."

The rest of the comments agreed with his arrest. This is the Globe and Mail, they are right bias, oddly, but they also have a better quality of actually reporting news.

Here's the National Post article, less informative in general, but the comments are predominantly in favour of Mr. Hillier. I feel less like I'm living behind enemy lines reading the National Post.

Ontario MPP Randy Hillier faces nine charges over involvement in Ottawa convoy protest

One comment, again I enjoyed this one, "Charges based on some social media postings and or complaints. Not much to go about. A guy smacked another guy on live TV, millions could see it, and nothing happens. Except the perpetrator had been seen dancing at the party with golden statuette."

On the grounds of being behind enemy lines or not, looked up circulation comparison for the two newspapers. I can't access The Toronto Star report as I'm not subscribed. The National Post is read by more Canadians than the Globe and Mail, the Post is considered right-leaning as is the Globe and Mail, both rated high in factual reporting by Media-Bias Fact Check page (for what it's worth). ",,,,,, the combined Postmedia network draws the largest number of weekly digital readers at 6.1 million, while Torstar brings in 4.3 million. The Globe and Mail has digital readership of 4.5 million. By itself, The National Post reaches 3.2 million.

Two right leaning news outlets with such different comments on the same subject reports. Interesting.
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Lyndi Lama said:
I MEANT TO DELETE MY POST AS MAAT COVERED THIS BUT I ACCIDENTALLY POSTED IT. APOLOGIES.
Click to expand...

I also got into questions of reports of circulation and then on the Globe a couple saw new posts from readers in the last few minutes that questioned the arrests and supported free speech. I might as well quote that comment here, as it contradicts what I wrote above, though the preponderance of comments on the Globe article are mostly negative.

"I'm not saying Hillier is right/correct in his views but people have a right to disagree with the government and authorities in this country. The authorities, including health authorities, are not perfect and can (and do) make mistakes. They are not infallible. People have the right to disagree with them. Those views are not 'misinformation' but a different opinion.
Let all sides give their opinions and we, the public, can decide who we agree with.
Otherwise we are restricted to only what the government decides we can see and do.
Free speech is a pillar of democracy."
 
Sputniknews:

Trucker Convoy Leaving Washington DC En Route to California After Weeks of Upping Traffic Hurdles​

Mar. 31, 2022

En route to the Golden State, participants of the "People's Convoy" are expected to take their cause to the US' West Coast as part of a larger effort to gain new supporters as the movement saw a variety of factors contribute to their dwindling numbers.

The so-called “People’s Convoy” is leaving Washington, DC, and heading to California, without accomplishing much besides adding slightly to the already congested traffic that plagues the capital region.

Maybe someone should have told them DC drivers are used to sitting in traffic.

Organizers said that the convoy will be moving to California to protest proposed vaccine bills. They hope that the move across the country will inspire more people to join the protest.

Cold weather, a lack of funding, and infighting among leaders of the group have been cited as some of the reasons why the group camping in Hagerstown has been dwindling overtime. One of the de-facto leaders, Brian Brase, left the camp last weekend, further hurting morale.

The Speedway’s season also begins this Sunday, so organizers would have to find a new place to camp if they planned to remain in the region.

By the time the convoy arrived in Washington, DC, on March 6, the vaccine mandate had already been lifted. The mask mandate was removed soon after. They did meet with some conservative lawmakers - the fully vaccinated Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) took a ride in one of their trucks - but their stated goals of repealing the pandemic emergency declaration and an investigation into the government’s COVID-19 response were left unfulfilled.

Co-organizer Mike Landis said that they plan to come back to the nation’s capital after they are done in California, but with dwindling numbers and COVID-19 restrictions being dropped in most of the country, that looks unlikely.

“So what I want to know is, what do you think about going to California?” Landis asked the crowd to cheers. “Then, once we stop [the bills in California], we will come back to finish this job.”

The protest was inspired by the “Freedom Convoy” that shut down downtown Ottawa for three weeks over regulations that required truckers to be vaccinated in order to cross the US-Canada border. In contrast, the much smaller People’s Convoy camped out in the small town of Hagerstown, MD, at the Hagerstown Speedway, and then drove an hour and a half daily in an attempt to create gridlock on the Capital Beltway, and occasionally inside DC itself.
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psychegram said:
Since there's now no possibility of Justin losing power in the next three years, and no reason to expect he'll rescind the federal travel mandate, it will now be at least 3 years before I can enter the land of my birth and visit my family.
Click to expand...
Giant comet or ice age may say different just to name a few possible black swans. People may also rise up... finally. It's possible. Sometimes it's good to broaden 'confidence intervals' when things are chaotic.
 
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