'Canadians were shocked...and disgusted': Justin Trudeau says we 'won't give in' to individuals who are violent, 'spew hatred' in Ottawa
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at a news conference on the Covid-19 situation, January 12, 2022, in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Dave Chan / AFP) (Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images) (DAVE CHAN via Getty Images)
Justin Trudeau
Elisabetta Bianchini
Mon, January 31, 2022
After confirming he and two of his children tested positive for COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the actions of the demonstrators in Ottawa.
"I have attended protests and rallies in the past when I agreed with the goals, when I supported the people expressing their concerns and their issues, Black Lives Matter is an excellent example of that, but I have also chosen to not go anywhere near protests that have expressed hateful rhetoric, violence towards fellow citizens and a disrespect, not just of science but of the frontline health workers, and quite frankly, the 90 per cent of truckers who have been doing the right thing to keep Canadians safe, to put food on our tables," Trudeau said.
"There is always a right to protest peacefully that I and others will defend fully as part of this democracy. There is not a right to incite violence, to perform acts of violence or to spew hatred."
The prime minister said that all individuals who have engaged in this behaviour over the past days "need to stop."
"To anyone who joined the convoy but is rightly uncomfortable with the symbols of hatred and division on display, join with your fellow Canadians, be courageous and speak out," Trudeau said.
"To the nearly 90 per cent of truckers across the country who have gotten vaccinated, who continue working hard to keep us fed and keep our economy moving, thank you... We have relied on you and you can rely on us to continue to stand with you and allow you to do your jobs safely."
Conservatives 'exploiting people’s fears'
Canada's prime minister also called out politicians who are "exploiting people’s fears," particularly Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, who met with truckers on Friday.
"I think all politicians need to think very carefully about who they’re supporting, about what messages they’re putting out," Trudeau said.
"We have seen over the past many, many months, Conservative politicians sharing disinformation about vaccines, encouraging conspiracy theories online and I think Erin O’Toole is going to need to reflect very carefully on how he’s walking a path that supports these people who do not represent truckers, let alone the vast majority of Canadians."
When asked specifically about individuals in Canada who have questions about COVID-19 vaccines, the prime minister stressed that vaccines are safe and effective, and are "the way to get through this pandemic."
"Yes, the concerns expressed by a few people gathering in Ottawa right now are not new, not surprising, are heard, but are a continuation of what we’ve unfortunately seen in disinformation and misinformation online, conspiracy theorists about microchips, about god knows what else that goes with the tinfoil hats," Trudeau said.
"We have been clear every step fo the way that the work our frontline health workers, the work our scientists and researchers are doing, the people at Health Canada, the people working on these vaccines all around the world, is the work that will get us trough this, get us back to the things we love."
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at a news conference on the Covid-19 situation, January 12, 2022, in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Dave Chan / AFP) (Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images) (DAVE CHAN via Getty Images)
Justin Trudeau
Elisabetta Bianchini
Mon, January 31, 2022
After confirming he and two of his children tested positive for COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the actions of the demonstrators in Ottawa.
"Over the past few days, Canadians were shocked and, frankly, disgusted by the behaviour displayed by some people protesting in our nation's capital. We are not intimidated by those who hurl insults and abuse at small business workers, and steal food from the homeless.
We won’t give in to those who fly racist flags, we won’t cave to those who engage in vandalism or dishonour the memory of our veterans... There is no place in our country for threats, violence or hatred."
PM Justin Trudeau
He confirmed that he will not meet with this convoy of protestors.
"I have attended protests and rallies in the past when I agreed with the goals, when I supported the people expressing their concerns and their issues, Black Lives Matter is an excellent example of that, but I have also chosen to not go anywhere near protests that have expressed hateful rhetoric, violence towards fellow citizens and a disrespect, not just of science but of the frontline health workers, and quite frankly, the 90 per cent of truckers who have been doing the right thing to keep Canadians safe, to put food on our tables," Trudeau said.
"There is always a right to protest peacefully that I and others will defend fully as part of this democracy. There is not a right to incite violence, to perform acts of violence or to spew hatred."
The prime minister said that all individuals who have engaged in this behaviour over the past days "need to stop."
"To anyone who joined the convoy but is rightly uncomfortable with the symbols of hatred and division on display, join with your fellow Canadians, be courageous and speak out," Trudeau said.
"To the nearly 90 per cent of truckers across the country who have gotten vaccinated, who continue working hard to keep us fed and keep our economy moving, thank you... We have relied on you and you can rely on us to continue to stand with you and allow you to do your jobs safely."
Conservatives 'exploiting people’s fears'
Canada's prime minister also called out politicians who are "exploiting people’s fears," particularly Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, who met with truckers on Friday.
"I think all politicians need to think very carefully about who they’re supporting, about what messages they’re putting out," Trudeau said.
"We have seen over the past many, many months, Conservative politicians sharing disinformation about vaccines, encouraging conspiracy theories online and I think Erin O’Toole is going to need to reflect very carefully on how he’s walking a path that supports these people who do not represent truckers, let alone the vast majority of Canadians."
When asked specifically about individuals in Canada who have questions about COVID-19 vaccines, the prime minister stressed that vaccines are safe and effective, and are "the way to get through this pandemic."
"Yes, the concerns expressed by a few people gathering in Ottawa right now are not new, not surprising, are heard, but are a continuation of what we’ve unfortunately seen in disinformation and misinformation online, conspiracy theorists about microchips, about god knows what else that goes with the tinfoil hats," Trudeau said.
"We have been clear every step fo the way that the work our frontline health workers, the work our scientists and researchers are doing, the people at Health Canada, the people working on these vaccines all around the world, is the work that will get us trough this, get us back to the things we love."
People gather to support truck drivers on their way to Ottawa in protest of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine mandates for cross-border truck drivers, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, January 27, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio (Carlos Osorio / reuters)
Jennifer Hassan
Mon, January 31, 2022
Police in Canada said "several criminal investigations are underway" into "threatening" and "illegal" behavior that occurred over the weekend during huge protests in the capital, Ottawa, where truckers and thousands of supporters gathered to denounce coronavirus vaccine mandates and other public health measures.
While many protested peacefully, Ottawa police said they would investigate after monuments were defaced and some demonstrators displayed "threatening/illegal/intimidating behaviour to police/city workers and other individuals."
"Illegal behaviour will not be tolerated and will be fully investigated," police said.
There were reports of urination on the National War Memorial and desecration of other monuments, including the statue of Terry Fox, a Canadian athlete and cancer research activist, who died in 1981 after dedicating his life to raising funds to cure the disease.
Brad West, mayor of Port Coquitlam, the city in British Columbia where Fox was raised, tweeted that "you don't touch his statue. Ever."
Some demonstrators held signs featuring swastikas. Others angrily called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to quit, chanting in unison on Parliament Hill.
Canada's minister of defense, Anita Anand, called some of the scenes from Parliament Hill and the National War Memorial "beyond reprehensible," as footage emerged of protesters dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and screaming "freedom."
Canada's chief of the defense staff, Wayne Eyre, said he was "sickened" by scenes of people disrespecting key monuments. "Generations of Canadians have fought and died for our rights, including free speech, but not this," Eyre tweeted Saturday. "Those involved should hang their heads in shame."
A self-described "Freedom Convoy" of trucks and their supporters began arriving in Ottawa last week to protest a federal vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers, after Canada and the United States announced that truck drivers entering their respective countries must be fully vaccinated.
Footage shared to social media alongside the hashtags #TruckerConvoy2022 and #TruckersForFreedom2022 showed semis honking long into the night and crowds dancing in the street below signs that read "segregation is not Canadian" and "mandate freedom."
Ottawa's mayor, Jim Watson, said Sunday that convoy members had acted unacceptably and called on protest organizers to denounce their "outrageous actions," which he said included the harassment of city workers.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance said in a statement over the weekend that it condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the desecration of what it called "sacred sites." The organization said it had made a donation to the Terry Fox Foundation and the Soldier On program, which is run by the Canadian Armed Forces to support the recovery of members and veterans dealing with physical or mental injuries from their service.
On Sunday, Ottawa police urged people to work from home Monday and "avoid travel" downtown while officials work to "facilitate the safe departure of individuals and vehicles" from the demonstration site.
Police said they had towed vehicles blocking key roadways - while the soup kitchen Shepherds of Good Hope said staff members had been "harassed for meals" and others had been verbally assaulted during what they called an "incredibly difficult weekend."
The organization said that trucks had parked in ambulance drop-off areas for about 12 hours and that the commotion and noise caused by the protest had caused "significant anxiety and stress" among staff members and service users.
At least 33,722 people have died of covid-19 in Canada since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
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