FROLITICKS

Satirical commentary on Canadian and American current political issues

Feb 27

Invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin Puts American Right-Wing Supporters in Tough Spot

by bcurry

The current military invasion by Russian troops has placed many of Vladimir Putin’s American admirers, including Donald Trump, in an awkward situation.  In the past, Trump and other Republicans praised Vladimir Putin as a strong and savvy leader.  This was in spite of the fact that Putin runs a Russian oligarchy made up of billionaires, with Putin’s personal fortune and that of his oligarch friends estimated to be in the billions.  Russia’s ultra-rich are among the biggest owners of private jets, fancy mansions and superyachts, some of which are found in the U.S.  Although the U.S. and other Western countries have imposed severe sanctions on Russia and members of Putin’s administration, the challenge is their fortunes and assets could be held through shell companies, complicating the ownership chain.  While imposing sanctions on Russian’s ultra-rich is important, getting at the money itself is complex.  So far, even as the U.S., the U.K. and other Western countries have ramped up sanctions on more than 100 Russian individuals and entities, these assets of the country’s elite — which can be worth hundreds of millions of dollars each — have avoided any direct hit.

As in Europe, many ultra-right American groups looked up to Putin as a some sort of model leader for the ‘populism’ movement.  Fox News host Tucker Carlson urged Americans to ask themselves what they had against Putin, echoing the Kremlin as he denigrated Ukraine as not a democracy but a puppet of the West and the United States.  Former President Donald Trump defended his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, causing a number of top Republicans to distance themselves from his position.  What makes matters worst is that Putin’s regime has already imprisoned thousands of Russian protesters against the invasion.  So much for populism!  If the Russian military aggression continues longer than expected, there will be even greater unrest back in Russia, particularly as Russian military and Ukrainian civilian casualties rise.  Most observers believe that an inability of the Russian military to overthrown the current Ukrainian government in under two weeks will cause further enormous stress on Putin’s rule.

The negative toll on Russia’s economy as a result of Western sanctions and other economic penalties has already resulted in a massive slump in Russian stocks, considered to be the third-worst in the history of stock markets.  The Russian ruble has taken a major hit which will increase the costs of imported goods in Russia and contribute to the already post-pandemic economic downturn.  Any resulting reduction in the export of Russian oil and gas will have an impact on American and European energy markets, again contributing to the current hyperinflation world-wide.  Moreover, the war in Ukraine threatens the world’s economic recovery.

For many of his long-time admirers — from those in the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, and Brazil — it is something of an awkward spot.  The longer Putin’s aggression continues, the more populist movements around the world will be forced to be on the defensive over their past and present support for Vladimir Putin.  With every day, it is clearly becoming ever more uncomfortable to try to defend Putin’s actions, despite what Donald Trump might say.

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Feb 24

Unfair Condemnation by American Mainstream Media of Canada’s Invocation of the Federal Emergencies Act

by bcurry

For the first time since its creation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act, giving the government far reaching powers, allowing the government to freeze financial accounts, press tow truck operators into service and end blockades.  As required, limited to an initial thirty day period, the invocation of the Act was subsequently debated in Parliament.  However, on February 23rd, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau withdrew the law, stating that it was no longer necessary because illegal protests that included blockades at some border crossings and the occupation in downtown Ottawa were no longer considered an emergency.  He said the federal government is confident existing laws and bylaws are now sufficient to keep people safe.  No one’s peaceful “right to protest” was ever affected, as long as no laws were being broken.

Interestingly but not surprising, mainstream media in the U.S. came down hard for the most part on the use of the Emergencies Act to deal with the border blockades and Ottawa occupation by the so-called “Freedom Convoy.”  Mainstream media is a term and abbreviation used to refer collectively to the various large mass news media that influence many people, and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought.  Major outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times and Fox News threw in their lot with the truckers — or at least, the truckers’ right to protest.  However, while the Canadian protests where not as violent against COVID-related mandates as occurred in Europe, the protesters did block the Coutts (Alberta) and Windsor-Detroit border crossings for over a week and occupied downtown of the National Capital of Ottawa for over three weeks.  The courts declared that these blockades and occupations were illegal and ordered protesters to reframe from such activities.  In order to carry out the resulting injunctions, the province of Ontario called upon the federal government to provide whatever assistance that it could.  Hence, the invocation of the Emergencies Act on February 14th.   Over two-thirds of Canadians polled approved of the Act’s invocation.

What the Act achieved was to allow all national, provincial and local police services across Canada to collaborate in the removal of illegal blockades and occupations.  Up to then, protesters, often with leadership involving fringe groups, had thumbed their noses at municipal police services.  The Act also went after the funding sources for the protesters’ illegal activities, often provided for by right-wing American sources (U.S.-based crowdfunding websites) initially through GoFundMe and later through GiveSendGo — resulting in millions of dollars worth of support.  More than half of the funding came from American sources, clearly representing foreign involvement in the domestic affairs of Canada.  None of the American mainstream media really caught on to this new phenomenon until GoFundMe froze the funding and the GiveSendGo funding website was hacked into, disclosing several large contributions originating in the U.S.  While the federal government asked Canadian financial institutions to freeze the accounts of the convoy protesters to encourage them to reframe from continuing illegal activities, it was designed to primarily target the accounts of many of the known leaders.  With discontinuation of the powers provided for under the Emergencies Act, the accounts should no longer be frozen for persons reframing from illegal activities.

Indeed, as in any democratic society, the Act was created in 1988 to ensure compliance with Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms and was to used as a last resort in the event of national emergencies.  There is little doubt that its use will be challenged by various groups and certain Conservative provincial governments in the courts.  While there appears to be no similar piece of legislation in the U.S., any suggestion that the Act’s invocation removed the democratic rights of Canadians has be overblown and misunderstood by American mainstream media.  While one can appreciate such a reaction by the so-called “alternate media”, I find the editorials in most U.S. media to be an overreach.  At no time during the Act’s implementation was the “due process” under existing laws not carried out.  Those being charged by the authorities under Canada’s Criminal Code will have their day in court, and many were released with or without bail until their appearance in court.  All the normal judicial processes were carried out under very difficult circumstances.  I would hope that most Americans would support this?

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Feb 18

Debate Over Introduction of Emergencies Act to Deal With Trucker Protests in Canada

by bcurry

During the last three weeks Canada has been faced with protests related to a trucker convoy which are against government mandated COVID-related vaccines and public health restrictions.  Although blockades at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario and at the Coutts, Alberta, border crossingwere removed by heavy police operations, the illegal occupation of the country’s capital, Ottawa, had continued.  As a result, the Cabinet of Justin Trudeau’s federal government administration invoked the Emergencies Act.  The federal Act gives the government far reaching powers, allowing the government to freeze financial accounts, press tow truck operators into service and end blockades.  While the Act immediately takes effect, there is a requirement under the Act to table the legislation in Parliament within seven days.  The measures are time-limited to 30 days, but could be extended.  The current invocation is primarily restricted to enforcement at Ottawa’s illegal occupation and at any blockades at U.S.-Canada border points.  In addition, the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, declared a state of emergency in the province to clear crucial border crossings, with vehicle licence seizures among the tools at its disposal.

Of course, there are those who believe the Emergencies Act is not needed and is an overreach.  The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has launched a suit against the federal government, claiming that its invocation is in violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  In Parliament, some opposition parties such as the Conservative Party and the Bloc Quebecois have stated their opposition to the measure, believing that it is not necessary to resolve the issues.  Meanwhile, the residents and businesses of downtown Ottawa have faced numerous serious problems because of safety concerns, forcing many businesses to be shut down during the three-week old occupation.  As a result, a class action suit against the occupation organizers has now ballooned to a $306-million claim for the disruption to lives and livelihoods from the occupation.

It has to be remembered that the Emergencies Act was created in 1988 as the modern-day replacement to the previous War Measures Act.  The infamous October Crisis refers to a chain of events that took place in Quebec in the fall of 1970 when a terrorist group known as the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) kidnapped British trade commissioner James Cross and Quebec Minister of Immigration and Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte, who was eventually murdered while in captivity.  The then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act, which was the only law available at the time to deal with national emergencies.  This led to the presence of military on Canadian streets to supplement the local police, the suspension of normal civil liberties and the authorization of arrests and detentions without charge.  Hundreds of people were arrested and charged under the Act, mostly in Quebec.  Most historians and jurists believe that that Act’s invocation was definitely an overreach, and something extraordinary that could never occur within the U.S. under its constitution.

This is why the Emergencies Act was written to ensure compliance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and provides for a number of safeguards to ensure its limited use.  The primary question revolves around just what constitutes a national emergency, and its implementation cannot be compared to what happened during the October Crisis of 1970.  A number of guidelines exist within the Act which has not been used since it was written in 1988.  The week-long closure of the Ambassador Bridge and Coutts, Alberta, border crossing definitely has a lot to do with the government’s decision, since there was a huge economic impact on U.S.-Canadian cross border trade.  Auto manufacturers in particular were forced to close down some manufacturing assembly on both sides of the border due to the negative effects on ‘just-in-time’ components.  Other large businesses also complained of the negative effects on the already stretched supply chains, beyond what were caused by the pandemic. 

There is little doubt that there are some extremist domestic and foreign elements that climbed on board the so-called “Freedom Convoy.”  These known provocateurs are using the truckers’ protest to promote their own agenda.  Time will tell what the eventual impact on ultra-right movements will be after the end of their illegal activities. Hopefully, the Emergencies Act will not become a regular go-to tool for governments in the future.

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Feb 13

How Extremist Groups Spread Misinformation And Build Support Using Social Media

by bcurry

For some time now, observers, including myself, have been warning of the growth of right-wing extremist groups in Canada, many influenced by parallel groups in the U.S.  With the prevalent use of social media, the border remains porous to the influx of misinformation and propaganda originating with these American groups.  Their content is easily accessible through social media platforms, and their ideas are amplified on websites such as 4chan and Gab.  YouTube, in particular, has been described as a breeding ground for the alt-right.  They are seeking to recruit more followers, promote conspiracy theories, use provocative and sensational actions to gain news and social media coverage and spread misinformation that supports their views.  At the outset, these groups claimed that COVID-19 was all a hoax, perpetuated by governments and big pharmaceutical companies.  Once they could no longer argue the point as COVID-related hospitalization rates stressed the health care sector and hundreds of thousands of deaths occurred, they moved on to attacking vaccination programs and other public health measures.  As a result of vaccines and other COVID-related mandates implemented in Canada and the U.S., they turned to what they now claim to have been an infringement on our liberties. 

In the case of the current protests under the guise of a so-called Freedom Convoy, groups of Canadians have attacked the governments’ COVID-related public health measures.  Initially, thought to be a reaction of a small group of truckers to U.S. and Canadian vaccine mandates at the border, the protest was easily overtaken by a radical fringe.  At the outset, the convoy was started by Canada Unity, a group that has been extremely critical of all COVID-related mandates.  One simply has to look at the supposed spokespersons for the Convoy, none of whom are truckers, and examine their tactics.  You have several leaders who have participated in past movements, such as Tamara Lich, Dave Steenburg, Patrick King and B.J. Dichter.  They are known for promoting extremist messages and civil disobedience.  The resulting protest tactics include the three-week long occupation of the Canadian capital, Ottawa, and blockades at border crossings in several provinces.  These are anything but “peaceful.”

Next, one has to deal with the means by which such movements are funded.  This is where American web-based outlets such GoFundMe and the Christian fundraising site GiveSendGo come in.  Millions of dollars were raised by these mechanisms.  However, there is now a lot of concern about who are providing the funds, since the majority of funds (more than half) appear to have come from American sources.  It is believed that some of the largest contributors are probably associated with right-wing groups in the U.S.  Given that Canadian authorities have declared the Ottawa occupation and blockades as illegal, they are now working with the Biden administration to examine the nature of such on-line funding activities and whether they are legitimate or not.  Meanwhile, in light of the situation, Canadian authorities and financial institutions have moved to block the transfer of the funds to the Freedom Convoy organizers.  As a result, the organizers have now turned to collecting donations in cryptocurrency, which in itself creates causes for concern.

In the context of COVID alone, far-right movements have been sustained, and in some cases propelled into the mainstream, by co-opting vaccine anxiety and pandemic frustration.  Overall, there is little doubt that far-right extremists have hijacked the current agenda under the general banner of protecting civil liberties.  Unfortunately, waving Canadian and American flags and Trump and anti-Trudeau banners doesn’t really mesh with the reality that we are still in a pandemic.  Prior to the convoy protest, governments at all levels were in already in various planning stages to gradually ease restrictions, while ensuring that the health care system can handle hospitalization levels.  Today, with the Internet and social media, news travels fast.  The pictures and videos of protests in Canada have now led to similar protests in other countries, including the U.S., Australia, France and Austria.  The difficulty evident in the ability of Canadian police services to control the protests in Ottawa and at border crossings is no doubt lending encouragement to foreign elements, especially those associated with right-wing extremists.

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Feb 9

Truckers’ Protest Convoys Could Be Harbinger Of Societal Problems To Come

by bcurry

At the beginning of the global pandemic, I warned that the war against COVID-19 could prove to be a real test for societies, particularly those classified as being democratic.  After over two years of combating the disease, we are now seeing the brunt of pandemic fatigue on the general population due to its obvious economic impacts.  This has led to several anti-government protests, including the current truckers’ protests in Canada, Australia and the U.S.  However, people’s general frustration and lack of trust in governments are just the tip of the iceberg.  Even if countries may be slowly going from a pandemic to an endemic with respect to COVID, the fact of the matter is that some underlying socio-economic trends had been already set in motion.  In Western societies, the growing disparities between the haves and have-nots will no doubt lead to even more rank and file populist protests.

What is contributing to people’s disenchantment with the free market-based economies and political institutions that supposedly protect them?  Recent economic data and polls have shown us several outcomes.  The pandemic and the resulting restrictive economic measures imposed by governments have further exacerbated the gaps in incomes and increased the average person’s lack of trust in their governments.  In recent years, fewer families have been able to become full members of the middleclass.  Educational, employment and other opportunities to obtain or retain middleclass status have become fewer and fewer, especially given the increasing costs associated with a post-secondary education.  Many of the blue and white collar jobs that offered good wages in the past, whether in manufacturing or other sectors, have slowly disappeared due to new technologies, automation and informatics.

Take these factors and evident increases in the cost of living, including the lack of affordable housing and rising costs in everyday essentials, you have the basis for a lot of disengagement.  The majority of economists agree that hyperinflation is here for some time to come.  This is especially difficult for low-wage workers and small businesses.  On top of this, government subsidies which assisted businesses and workers during pandemic-related restrictions are or have disappeared.  As interest rates rise to deal with hyperinflation, there will be increasing debt loads for both individuals and governments.  The lack of affordable housing in most North American cities has now reached crisis proportions.

We have whole segments of populations facing extreme stress levels.  Everyone is talking about mental health issues, something considered taboo not that many years ago.  The growing use of marijuana, prescription and illegal drugs and alcohol has unfortunately led to growth industries which are indicative of our times.  Suicide rates are at an all time high, especially among our youth.  A study released by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in December 2014 concluded more than 230,000 Ontario adults, amounting to 2.3 percent of the province’s adult population, “seriously contemplated suicide” in 2013.  Since then, things on the mental health front have simply gotten worst.  Spurred on by the pandemic and substance abuse, the use of violence, most notably gun violence, in our communities and domestic lives has grown in the last two years.  Needless-to-say, these are grave societal issues that cannot be resolved overnight.  Are governments and communities up to the challenge?

Populist movements have grown within the U.S. and Canada in recent years, with Donald Trump leading the way.  America today has two major political parties, but the presidential election of 2016 managed to reshape the platforms and agendas of both.  In Canada, one has the People’s Party of Canada (PPC), led by Maxime Bernier, which claims to bring together “common sense, populism, classical conservatism, and libertarianism to create solutions adapted for the challenges of the 21st century.”  Bernier was the only political leader to officially address the protesting truckers and others at their demonstration in front of Parliament Hill.  In the 2021 Canadian federal election, the PPC did not win any seats, despite winning nearly 5% of the popular vote.  Time will tell whether the current truckers’ protests are a sign of things to come in both Canada and the U.S., or just one more anomaly?

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Feb 5

Trucker Convoy to Ottawa Turned Quickly from Demonstration to Occupation

by bcurry

As Ottawa enters into its ninth day of the so-called Convoy Freedom 22 demonstration, it has become obvious that it quickly transformed into an occupation of downtown Ottawa and surrounding residential areas.  This has led to accusations of illegal activities on the part of the demonstrators and charges against some of the protesters.  Members of the directly affected community have launched a class-action lawsuit in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.  It is seeking $5 million in “punitive damages” and another $4.8 million in “private nuisance” damages, citing that the continuous noise from trucks and protester harassment have caused “significant mental distress, suffering and torment.”

On top of which, the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe stopped payments to the organizers of Freedom Convoy 2022 because the protest violates its rules on violence and harassment provisions in its contractual Terms and Conditions.  Over $10 million had been raised to date, although the names of most donators have not been released by GoFundMe.  A number of donors identified themselves in comments as living abroad, in countries such as the United States, Australia, England or Poland.  However, participants in the occupation have displayed symbols of hate including the Confederate flag and swastikas while protesting.  Truckers parked in downtown Ottawa have also made residents miserable by blaring their horns at all hours and protesters have vandalized businesses and harassed residents and employees.  Due to the actions of some demonstrators, numerous businesses have been forced to remain closed during the occupation, leaving many and their workers without revenues.  Interestingly, GoFundMe also has a similar page requesting donations in support of a trucking convoy to D.C.

Tamara Lich, one of the organizers of the protest’s GoFundMe page, posted a video message on Friday evening directing supporters to a new online fundraiser hosted by GiveSendGo, a Christian fundraising site.  This site was blocked by PayPal last year after it was used to raise funds for people who attended the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in the U.S.  Lich was a former leader within the “Wexit” movement pushing for the independence of western provinces, and recently resigned from the fledgling Maverick Party to devote herself full time to the “Freedom Convoy” protest.  While she is not a trucker, she was however associated with what are considered as fringe groups such as the Canadian “Yellow Vest” protest movement.

In addition, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), a Calgary-based nonprofit law firm that has also represented other clients resisting government COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates, announced that it is representing the Freedom Convoy 2022 in Ottawa and has a team of lawyers on the ground providing legal assistance and advice.  Interestingly, on its Web site, the JCCF talks about freedom of peaceful assembly, including “… the freedom of Canadians to peaceful protest and demonstrations on public property.”  JCCF has also published a brochure entitled: “Your Body, Your Choice – The legal right to refuse vaccines and other medical treatments.”  The firm now represents several individuals who are contesting COVID-related public health measures and government restrictions.  Apparently, JCCF relies heavily on donations to support its activities.  Again, one must ask just who contributes?

All in all, Ottawa’s police chief who heads up the response to the occupation of a number of police forces, including the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police, has implemented a number of new enforcement measures.  Unfortunately, for the citizens of Ottawa, the occupation is expected to continue over the weekend, with protesters being joined by outside groups.  The question is that, in view of the fact that a number of provinces had already planned to reduce COVID-related restrictions in the near future, what do the protesters really have to gain?  The answer is simply “nothing”.  Each day they are loosing whatever support that they initially had because of their actions as occupiers.  This is no longer a peaceful assembly.  Even some members of the Conservative party, who initially appeared to support aspects of the initiative, are now calling on the organizers to end the occupation and go home.

We are a country which respects the rule of law and order as a fundamental principle of our democratic ways.  This does not include infringing on the freedoms of other law-abiding citizens!

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Feb 2

To Defeat COVID, People Must Have Trust In Their Governments

by bcurry

If there is one thing that the current truckers for freedom convoys in Canada illustrates, that as the pandemic has continued, certain frustrated factions of the population have loss their trust in governments.  This is really important in the war on COVID.   Following ten months of research, a peer-reviewed study recently published in the Lancet, a top medical journal, concluded that trust in government and strength of community engagement is critical to the public health response.  It noted that wealthy countries with more robust health systems, including the U.S. and much of Europe, struggled with tackling COVID through public health measures.  The study noted that the U.S., for example, had the second-worst standardized infection rate of any high-income country.  Starting with President Trump, the messaging has often been confusing and had hampered to work of local and public health officials in implementing vaccination programs and restriction policies.  Frequently, lack of initial public trust in governments and the health care system prevented the more effective implementation of such measures. In this case, the pandemic has furthered eroded trust in the government among certain groups.  Thus, the high rates of COVID-related cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S.

Canada is not immune to the diminishing trust level of certain groups, as evidenced by the current truckers’ protests across the country.  Unfortunately, this lack of trust on the part of these groups has opened up the door for extremist fringe groups to attach themselves to such demonstrations.  Originally, the purpose of the so-called Freedom Convoy was to protest the implementation of a vaccine mandate for truckers entering Canada from the U.S.  The same mandate applies to Canadian truckers entering the U.S.  As the protest grew in numbers, led by Canada Unity, the group behind the convoy, the protest morphed into a call for the end of all anti-COVID restrictions.  The participation of extremist fringe groups became increasingly apparent with the display of swastikas, Nazi and Confederate flags, and the yellow star of David left over from the yellow vest movement which was known for its racist conspiracy theories.  Indeed, one of the convoy’s organizers is controversial right-wing figure Patrick King, who has stated that the truckers currently occupying the capital’s downtown core will not be leaving Ottawa any time soon, and are planning to stay until all COVID-19 public health measures are eliminated.

A “memorandum of understanding,” posted on the Canada Unity website, says its coalition is opposed to all restrictions and mandates related to COVID-19, rules it deems are “unconstitutional, discriminatory and segregating.”  The memorandum’s goal, it says, is to form a committee with the Senate and Governor General to override all levels of Canadian government.  If parliamentarians refuse to join, the group says they should “resign their lawful positions of authority immediately.”  Otherwise, they propose to overthrow the current democratically elected Parliament and install an autocratic government.  Interestingly, a GoFundMe campaign was launched in support of the truckers convoy — to date raising almost $10 million Canadian.  However, questions have been raised about the destination of the money, particularly since some of the organizers have been involved in extremist politics.  In addition, it is believed that some of the donations have come from groups in the U.S.  For this reason, it appears to be incumbent on the federal government to investigate this GoFundMe campaign to ensure that the funds are allocated to assist the truckers with their expenses and not for other political causes.  GoFundMe has announced that it would begin releasing money only after the organizers of the fundraising campaign provided a distribution plan for the funds.  In the meantime, given some of the charges levelled by law enforcement as a result of illegal actions committed by protesters, the government may want to have the courts issue an injunction against the distribution of any GoFundMe funds until full disclosure of the processes is made public.  One owes this full disclosure to donors.

The public health battle against COVID has gone reasonably well in Canada with 90.9% of doses delivered to the provinces having been administered as of today.  The result appears to imply that the vast majority of Canadians still have a fair amount of trust in their governments and in the science, despite certain public health restrictions remaining in place.  It is expected that these restrictions will be slowly lifted when there are fewer new cases of the Omicron variant and the rate of hospitalizations decreases.  I am certain that this public trust is warranted under the circumstances.

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