https://twitter.com/cosminDZS/status/1494411631001956354
Last week during a public safety committee meeting, FINTRAC's deputy director of intelligence denied that protests in Ottawa were a form of ideological extremism and said that the financial intel agency hadn't seen an uptick in suspicious transactions around the convoy.
https://twitter.com/ConsumerSOS/status/1494888505297756160
https://twitter.com/glen_mcgregor/status/1494779267300868097
Interim Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell says powers granted under Emergencies Act, plus Ontario and Ottawa states of emergency and existing law were all used today. "Without these authorities, we wouldn't have been able to do the work we are doing today."
https://twitter.com/antihateca/status/1494852252124598273
Before you cheer on trampling people w/horses or the deployment of tear gas, remember that these images are causing people to radicalize & become sympathetic to the messaging of the far right as they happen.
Remember that this is going to be propaganda for years to come.
Mission Accomplished
https://twitter.com/Justin_Ling/status/1494953402245300230
https://twitter.com/CarymaRules
To clarify, the police are executing orders under legislation that has not been approved by Parliament, the debate of which has been cancelled.
https://twitter.com/NaheedD/status/1494650217026707460
So…Zexi Li, the 21-year-old Ottawa resident leading a class-action lawsuit vs the “Freedom Convoy,” says that one of the protestors actually backed his truck onto a sidewalk in an attempt to hit her yesterday.
Zexi Li is the DEFINITION of a hero.
Who else stands with her? ✋🏾
We stand on guard for thee.
https://twitter.com/Gray_Mackenzie/status/1494930164555431939
https://twitter.com/Axe_Grrl/status/1494994954535510016
I am deeply concerned.
https://twitter.com/CarymaRules/status/1494724963969998851
Convoy/occupation supporters release their strongest weapon:
A white woman’s tears.
>So…Zexi Li, the 21-year-old Ottawa resident leading a class-action lawsuit vs the “Freedom Convoy,” says that one of the protestors actually backed his truck onto a sidewalk in an attempt to hit her yesterday.
https://twitter.com/cmckenney/status/1494626592747835394
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/class-action-complainant-alleges-trucker-threatened-her-by-backing-pickup-onto-sidewalk
Class-action complainant alleges trucker threatened her by backing pickup onto sidewalk
Zexi Li said the incident occurred at around 8 a.m. Thursday at the corner of Kent Street and Laurier Avenue.
Zexi Li, the 21-year-old Centretown resident who is the lead plaintiff in a class-action suit against the “Freedom Convoy,” says that one of the protestors backed his pickup truck onto a sidewalk in an attempt to hit or frighten her Thursday morning.
The incident occurred at around 8 a.m. at the corner of Kent Street and Laurier Avenue, as she was photographing his licence plate and jerry cans.
“They get very angry when you take their licence plates,” said Li, who has regularly documented the convoy’s participants and their activities.
And while she says her feelings regarding the protest routinely waver between fearful and angry, the renewal of the horn-blowing before 7 a.m. Thursday, in contravention of injunctions granted following motions by both her and the city, emboldened her to take to the streets.
“I’m looking for accountability,” she says. “I’m looking for anyone who’s a part of this illegal occupation. Anyone who is blocking our streets, anyone who is honking. I take pictures of the materials they are bringing, I take pictures of the setups they’re having.
“Because I don’t think any of these people should be able to slip through the cracks.”
Li added that she was on the sidewalk when she took the pictures, and so was surprised when the truck backed onto the sidewalk towards her.
“Normally, of course, there are no cars (on the sidewalk), but here in lawless Ottawa, anything can happen.”
Li adds that following the incident, she approached the truck to take a photo of the driver, whereupon he began opening and closing his door against an adjacent truck, to try to keep her away.
Meanwhile, when police arrived to take her statement, one protestor repeatedly told them that they were illegally blocking the intersection, while another, perhaps unaware that Li had shot video of the truck moving back to the road from the sidewalk, said that the pickup truck hadn’t moved in over an hour.
“The claims that they’re not causing harm just disgust me,” Li said. “I’ve had enough, and even if there is no criminal charge because he did not hit me – because I moved out of the way — I want that on record that he tried to do this. I want his name to be registered in the system as someone who potentially could commit a criminal offense.
“I can’t stand these people justifying all of these actions that are harming others because they feel that their rights have been infringed on. That doesn’t give them the right to infringe on other people’s rights.”
https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/meehan-ottawa-mayor-jim-watsons-world-is-the-very-worst-of-politics
Meehan: Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson’s world is the very worst of politics
Someone had to take the political fall for what was happening with the protest downtown. Targeting the Ottawa Police Services Board, chaired by Watson's political rival Diane Deans, was just too much to resist.
You can always tell when dictators are at risk of losing power and control. They begin to squeeze their underlings, becoming paranoid, distrustful and even more tyrannical, all in an attempt to burnish their image and stay in power. This is what we are witnessing at Ottawa city hall.
Public displays of dirty politics are not something we saw under Mayor Jim Watson’s previous terms of council — at least not overtly — but after a decade in power, the mayor seems to be finding it harder to control council.
Every dictator has a loyal group of followers. At city hall, we call them the “Watson Club.” These are elected councillors who, for one reason or another, have decided to further the political machinations of the mayor, before the needs of their residents.
As someone who will never be a career politician, I always thought that elected representatives would be people who could come together and put the best interests of their residents ahead of their political self-interests. I do still believe that, but unfortunately many of my council colleagues have forgotten who they are supposed to be loyal to.
There is plenty of blame to go around about the handling of the illegal occupation in downtown Ottawa. However, the cheap political stunt that played out at city council Feb. 16 was something you never would have believed possible in a well-functioning democracy.
In the middle of the crisis, while we were still reeling from the resignation of the former chief of police, political theatre at its worst played out. On the instruction of the mayor, and executed by Coun. Scott Moffatt, a plan was set in motion to remove Coun. Diane Deans, a mayoral candidate and constant critic of the mayor, and myself from the Ottawa Police Services Board There is little doubt Watson had had the knives out for some time.
Someone had to take the political fall for what was happening downtown and the OPSB, chaired by Watson’s political rival, was just too much for him to resist. When chair Deans informed the mayor that the board had unanimously chosen an outside expert to lead the Ottawa Police Service in a temporary capacity to assist Interim Chief Steve Bell, Watson leaked it to the media before any announcement could be made, in an attempt to elicit outrage. Never mind that the police services board was doing its duty under the Police Services Act and that the provincial Solicitor General’s Office not only approved our actions as being responsible in a crisis, but helped us find and vet candidates.
Moffatt — who is not a member of the police services board — tried to hide behind the political cover of lauding Coun. Rawlson King as a leader and steadfast advocate for Ottawa’s marginalized communities, and declaring that King’s involvement on the police services board was critical. These things are true, and King is a true leader on council.
Thankfully, King also has moral integrity, which Watson and Moffatt cannot begin to comprehend. King resigned from the police services board on principle. This is the kind of leadership we need.
In the end, chair Deans, who did everything she could to put the needs of Ottawa first, was ousted, and I and two of my board colleagues resigned. I can tell you our board did everything we could under the current Police Services Act to help police respond to the occupation.
Now there’s a new police services board that will be chaired by a Watson pick who is experienced at carrying out the directions of a would-be dictator — whose goal is the protection his tarnished legacy.
This is the very worst of politics.
now that the trucks are gone
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/more-contagious-ba-2-sub-variant-spreading-in-canada-complicating-opening-plans
More contagious BA.2 sub-variant spreading in Canada, complicating opening plans
“Our multi-scale investigations suggest that the risk of BA.2 for global health is potentially higher than BA.1."
The highly contagious Omicron sub-variant known as BA.2 is gaining a foothold in Canada just as provinces begin removing pandemic restrictions, according to newly released data.
The spread of BA.2, which is believed to be 1.4 times as contagious as the already highly transmissible BA.1 Omicron sub-variant, could complicate reopening plans now underway, or announced, in most provinces.
As it becomes dominant in the coming weeks, BA.2 could extend the current wave of the pandemic, increase case counts or slow the decrease in cases at a time when provinces are dropping gathering restrictions and mask mandates.
Experts say it will have an influence on case counts in Ontario, but will likely not be a complete game changer. The Omicron wave is receding, booster rates are relatively high and some 3.5 million people were infected with COVID-19 during the intense Omicron wave that began in December, meaning there is widespread immunity.
>Jean-Luc Brunel, the former model scout who's been accused of trafficking underage girls to Jeffrey #Epstein, "found dead" in his prison cell in France.
>"Without these authorities, we wouldn't have been able to do the work we are doing today."
>To clarify, the police are executing orders under legislation that has not been approved by Parliament, the debate of which has been cancelled.
>Zexi Li is the DEFINITION of a hero.
https://twitter.com/TheAgenda/status/1494835373129625607
Well before the first truck rolled into Ottawa, social media was blaring calls to action. Tonight @namshine speaks with @CarymaRules and @PhilofWrite of @sfu's Disinformation Project, about how social media was used to mobilize & amplify the protest | Producer @carrletta
I am deeply concerned.
We're waiting for the footage!
https://twitter.com/NaheedD/status/1494728942514847754
Honest question: How do the politicians who embraced, endorsed & even took photos with the convoy in Ottawa…feel about them now putting children in harm's way?
Ceaușescu vibes
pray for the idiots
ourselves among them
>One expert says the flag's use in the Ottawa protests suggests the symbol 'has matured'
https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/government-wont-elaborate-on-claims-foreign-interference-played-role-in-freedom-convoy-protests
Government won't elaborate on claims 'foreign interference' played role in Freedom Convoy protests
'That's a hell of an accusation to make,' one security consultant says. 'It's a fairly alarming accusation that what started out as a protest … is actually a threat to our sovereignty'
“We have seen strong evidence that it was the intention of those who blockaded our ports-of-entry in a largely foreign-funded, targeted and coordinated attack,” Blair said, accusing the movement of intentionally idling factories, halting trade and sabotaging our already-fragile supply chain.
“We will not let any foreign entities that seek to do harm to Canada or Canadians erode trust in our democratic institutions, or question the legitimacy of our democracy.”
>'I immediately took action': Good Samaritan shoots dog to save small child from attack in Philly
There was a weird cartoon gif maybe last night's bread that stuck out; of a cartoon dog licking the face of a giggling kid that ended with what looked like an arrow to the dog's head, it was weird and stood out
https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1494036101572575232
https://ew.com/movies/hillary-clinton-state-of-terror-movie-adaptation/
Hillary Clinton producing movie adaptation of her State of Terror thriller novel
Hell or High Water and The Eyes of Tammy Faye collaborator Gigi Pritzker's Madison Wells company will work on the project with the former secretary of state and co-author Louise Penny.
Hillary Clinton and Louise Penny are set to make their explosive blockbuster debut as producers of an upcoming movie adaptation of their novel State of Terror.
In collaboration with Hell or High Water producer Gigi Pritzker's independent media company Madison Wells (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), Clinton and Penny will serve as executive producers and consultants on the thriller, which was inspired by Secretary of State (and former presidential candidate) Clinton's intimate familiarity with the highly intense world of foreign policy.
The book follows Secretary of State Ellen Adams, who joins the presidential administration of a political adversary. She soon faces a crisis after a series of terrorist attacks threaten to disrupt the global order and assembles a task force to confront the conflict.
"I am thrilled that my production company, HiddenLight, and I will be working with Madison Wells on this project. It's particularly exciting to be collaborating with such a talented team of women and we couldn't be more excited to see this story come to life," Clinton said in a statement.
Penny added, "Just when I thought co-writing State of Terror with my amazing friend Hillary could not get more exhilarating, along comes the remarkable opportunity to work with Gigi and Rachel at Madison Wells. Talk about badass women! Together we promise to create a production that will entertain, thrill, give pause for thought and perhaps even laughter, move the viewers, and break boundaries. Onward!"
State of Terror debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list upon its release in 2021 and earned solid reviews for its thrilling narrative. A release date and further cast and crew details for the State of Terror movie have yet to be announced.
https://twitter.com/NaheedD/status/1494650885858807810
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/02/18/the-convoy-protests-have-hurt-truck-drivers.html
Convoy protests have hurt truck drivers fighting against wage theft, precarious work and misclassification
Real “freedom” for truck drivers would mean freedom from precarious work, wage theft and misclassification many face on a daily basis.
There is a shared sense of shock and anger among Canadians watching weeks of convoy protests in Ottawa. Everything from the anti-vaccine rhetoric, the constant honking and harassment causing residents to suffer, and of course, their despicable displays of racism.
Let’s be clear. While the convoy protests claim to be fighting for the freedom of truck drivers, this protest isn’t about truckers.
Real “freedom” for truck drivers would mean freedom from precarious work, wage theft and misclassification many face on a daily basis.
In fact the convoy has caused further delays for long-haul truck drivers without any additional compensation from their employers. One of us, who is a truck driver, had to drive six hours longer to get across the border due to the blockades — all without additional compensation from the employer.
So what are the actual health, economic and labour issues facing truck drivers on the roads today?
Sadly, poor working conditions are ingrained in a system designed to damage the health of many truck drivers. Because truck drivers have to drive for many hours a day, they are more likely to have underlying health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. The average age of truck drivers is 46, higher than the average age of workers in Canada with some truck drivers continuing to work in their 60s and 70s.
Due to the reasons outlined, it should be clear that truck drivers would have a higher risk of serious illness and even death from COVID. We must prioritize reducing barriers to vaccination for them, rather than promote dangerous anti-science rhetoric as the convoy has done. Truck drivers without paid sick days may find it hard to access vaccines as they have to take a day off work which can have serious financial impacts.
But vaccines alone will not be enough to protect the health and well-being of truck drivers. Other policies are urgently required.
https://insiderpaper.com/brigitte-macron-transgender-claims/
French first lady sues over trans claims
Brigitte Macron, France’s first lady, has filed a lawsuit against two women who claimed she was transgender, sparking a wave of online rumour-mongering weeks ahead of her husband’s expected re-election campaign, a legal source said Friday.
A first hearing has been set for June 15 in Paris for civil proceedings that claim a violation of privacy and fundamental personal rights, and illicit use of her image.
A lawyer for Brigitte Macron, Jean Ennochi, told AFP that she and her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, had also filed a complaint for libel, a charge that could spur prosecutors to open a criminal case.
The legal action was first reported by M6 television, which said it was co-filed by Brigitte Macron’s three children from a previous marriage as well as her brother.
In recent months messages have multiplied on social media claiming that the first lady, formerly Brigitte Trogneux, is a trans woman whose name at birth was “Jean-Michel.”
The two women targeted in the lawsuit, one a self-proclaimed spiritual medium and the other an independent journalist, posted the rumour along with pictures of the first lady and her family on YouTube in December.
The post coincided with a surge in the hashtag #JeanMichelTrogneux on Twitter and other networks.
Emmanuel Macron’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
The president’s relationship with his wife 24 years his senior, whom he met while she was a teacher and he was still a teenager, is periodically a source of media attention in France and abroad.
It is not the first time that the couple has been targeted by rumours about gender or sexual orientation: During the 2017 presidential campaign, Emmanuel Macron denied claims that he was gay.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday accused Russia of making a “blatant attempt to rewrite the rules of the international order”.
In a speech lashing out at Moscow over its troop buildup on the Ukraine border, she charged Russia, like China, with seeking to “replace the existing international rules — they prefer the rule of the strongest to the rule of law, intimidation instead of self-determination.”
https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/alec-baldwin-shooting-victim-was-wife-latham-watkins-lawyer-2021-10-22/
Alec Baldwin shooting victim was wife of Latham & Watkins lawyer
Special Counsel John Durham said information Latham & Watkins gleaned from its work with Perkins Coie could pose conflict of interest issues in the case against former Perkins Coie partner Michael Sussmann.
>Disney Witch Ursula
>Arrest Poroshenko, Freeland & Trudeau!