OTTAWA – GoFundMe froze more than $10 million raised by a Canadian trucker convoy, prompting outrage from conservatives and calls for an investigation from Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) who declared the truckers “heros.” But the group has already raised another $2 million from GiveSendGo in the last 36 hours with tens of thousands of dollars pouring in every minute.
The convoy is also facing a lawsuit from the city of Ottawa over disruption of services and noise even though the convoy arrived in town while Ottawa was in the grips of a provincial lockdown with all restaurants, gyms, and entertainment facilities closed.
Convoy leader Chris Barber – known throughout the convoy as “‘Big Red” – told Townall that he is named in the suit but that he “hasn’t touched his horn in over a week.” and as “been working with city police on a daily basis” trying to ensure that truckers are not emitting excessive noise in the late hours of night or early hours of the morning.
Despite fanciful tales from the federal government and lapdog media about white supremacy and violence, a carnival-like atmosphere pervades the city with people dancing and singing. They are well supplied with food, drink and diesel fuel.
Barber said he never never anticipated being a political activist nor leading brining thousands of trucks to the doorsteps of Parliament Hill except that he’s been “pissed off with the direction of my country for the past number of years … and finally I was able to put a voice to it or some sort of emotion other than anger.” He said the ”mandates at the border” tipped the scale for him.. “That was the last straw; I don’t think I could find a way past it”” Barber finds it outrageous that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could attend a Black Lives Matter rally in Ottawa and take a knee in solidarity with the group that has indicted violence while refusing to meet with representatives of convoy that has not been linked with a single violent incident or hateful act.
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“I think it just shows how out of touch he is with hard-working, blue collar Canadias. He doesn’t resonate with us. He’s never resonated with us. And this is just more evidence to show that” He says he would have seen Trudeau resign than Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole leave as Official Opposition Leader.
“We’ve tried very hard to keep this non-partisan from beginning,” he said, adding that politicians with “their mandates and their rules” have created the crisis of freedom.
Jamie Hart, the president of Canada Unity and chief fundraiser for the freedom convoy also spoke to Townhall said the idea of a national convoy started in Sault Saint Marie, ON, where he began with him helping people “who had lost their jobs, who didn’t want to get stuck with the jab.
Hart, a veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy, points to his truck which he says has been christened as “Unity 1.” It is literally covered with the signatures of thousands of people who are participating in the convoy rally. He says he served in the Second World War knowing that “the Home Guard kept our country safe. Now the Home Guard needs my help,” So I’m here to back up the Canadian people the best way I can”
“I’ve made this my hill to die on. This is my battle. We’re battling for the soul of the planet right now, not just Canada but every country on earth,” he said, insisting that “diabolical” forces are working to “take away every right and freedom that we’ve earned as a country, as citizens … and I won’t stand for it.”
Hart said Trudeau and his cabinet are “afraid” to speak to the protesters because they assumed the convoy would breakdown through infighting. “They thought the Engish would fight the
French and the Indians would fight everybody … They hoped that this would just turn into a huge riot and it hasn’t. And this is scaring the beJesus out of them. We’re peaceful … No violence whatsoever.”
As for Nazi or racist symbolism being attached to the rally, Hart said, “Somebody said there was one on our vehicle and i went around it for two-and-a-half hours and I don’t see it. I can find it anywhere,
There’s been no brawls in the streets. They said that we were defecating in the streets. We’re not. They said we desecrated the National War Memorial,” Hart noted, adding that he shoveled the snow around the monument.
“The people know what’s at stake and they’re not going to screw it up.”
Former Liberal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, who was turfed from the Trudeau cabinet for exposing corruption tweeted Sunday: Our political class—focused on seeking partisan advantage—have collectively abandoned the rule of law.
Sadly, not surprising. But do not underestimate our future’s deep challenges.
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