As the Ottawa police chief ponders the deployment of the Canadian military to remove protestors and is concerned that more protest groups are likely to arrive in support of the existing convoy, city officials in Quebec have deployed a proactive strategy – block the streets with city trucks.

A Radio Canada journalist in Quebec shares the following picture:

Quebec City officials have moved municipal trucks into place to block the streets from protest trucks.  Yes Alice, Canadian officials are blocking the streets with trucks in order to stop trucks from blocking the streets.  Brilliant!

Meanwhile, as many of the locals join in celebration and merriment with the protest groups, some of the more leftist Ottawans are now protesting at the police department for not removing the protestors.  They accuse the Freedom protestors of “running amok.”

(Via CBC) – […] Rhys McGaw, a downtown resident, and others gathered for a second night on Wednesday to object to what they view as inaction by police.  “In my neighbourhood, on my street, down the street, in the stores of Centretown or Lowertown — that’s where people are just running amok,” McGaw said.” (more)

Despite earlier requests by city officials for the Canadian military to get involved, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says -from his secret bunker- that’s “not in the cards.”  Trudeau also doubled down on his position that he will not negotiate with the Freedom Convoy protestors.

However, the prime minister did affirm that RCMP officials will be present in Ottawa to provide safe space emotional counseling for residents experiencing trauma and psychological violence committed by the scruffy and unmasked working-class horde now occupying Parliament Hill.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the JoeBama Administration and Presidency.

“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.”

“But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.”

~ Mike Vanderboegh

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

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The border crossing between Coutts, Alberta (CA) and Sweet Grass, Montana (USA) continues to be closed despite truckers opening a lane in either direction as a show of good faith.  The dynamics in this regional part of the larger Freedom Convoy protests are very interesting.  The Alberta protests are in support of the larger trucker protest taking place in Ottawa.

Last night, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney (the Robert the Bruce character in the province), disparaged the truckers in the protest group and claimed, without evidence, that violence was taking place in the confrontation between RCMP and the Truckers.  It was all lies.

Just like Justin Trudeau makes stuff up for media stenographers to draw an alternate framework of reality, so too did Jason Kenney have the same motive. The painfully political Kenney, a visible elitist and detached politician, was playing his controlled opposition role and attacking the Freedom Truckers.

Just to give appropriate understanding for how detached these conservatives in Canada are from the people they claim to represent, Jason Kenney’s political worm traits were on full display during his prepared remarks on Tuesday.  However, 24 hours later, as soon as his brother in controlled opposition Erin O’Toole was removed from political power, suddenly Premier Kenney has a change of heart and proclaims his allegiance to the Truckers, saying, “I’m on your side.”  The slime oozes from this guy.

Despite all that, the truckers remained focused -reinforced their ranks- and engaged in conversation with the rural Ministers of Alberta’s Legislative Assembly (MLA’s).  The MLA’s are apparently slightly less slimy creatures akin to political clan leaders in the province.

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President Donald Trump sits down for an extensive interview with Rob Schmitt from Newsmax.  The conversation covers a variety of current topics from foreign policy, Ukraine, Russia to the state of the U.S. economy, oil prices and the border crisis.

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Several days ago CTH presented the following meme/metaphor, because history has a tendency to rhyme:

Those who recognize and appreciate history will note that whenever hardline leftism is confronted anywhere in history, there always comes an inflection point when the ruling state police have to make a decision.

When the Chinese communists decided it was time to rid themselves of the dissident protests in Tiananmen Square, the local military encircled the student and academic activists in an effort to protect them (pictured above).  However, the ruling Chinese officials were not happy, and sent for the Mongolian army divisions, those without familial connections in the movement, to do the dirty work.  The rest of history you likely know.

In Ottawa, Canada, again another exhibition of confronting hardline totalitarian leftists, the voices of those within the Freedom Convoy movement are similarly not going to be deterred.  The protestors want the government COVID dictates removed, they want vaccine passport rules dropped, they want mandated vaccinations and forced medical procedures stopped, and they want their freedom back.

Into this equation and confrontation, The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and local law enforcement are also unlikely to want to bring blood and violence upon the streets.  However, the hardline leftists will not allow dissent to challenge their power. As history repeats, the local police are now opening the possibility of bringing in the military.

Yes, history is rhyming again.

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The Canadian “Freedom Convoy” of truckers, representing the voices of the forgotten working-class men and women of Canada, have achieved a resounding victory today on behalf of Middle Canada.  The conservative opposition in Canada has removed Erin O’Toole as opposition leader.  This is a great first step in Canadian politics for the working class.

Erin O’Toole was a pathetically weak voice who refused to stand boldly on behalf of the working-class protestors.

Middle Canada has risen up and said enough, it is time for the insufferable government regulations to end and normal people to regain their freedom and liberty.

Instead of accepting the role of advocacy for the constituents he proclaimed to represent, Erin O’Toole showed his alignment with the government oppressing the people.

It is often said that times of great consequence create moments that must be recognized by strong political leaders.

Not only did O’Toole fail to realize the moment and fail to capitalize on the opportunity the truckers had brought to his office, but he also openly opposed the commonsense voice of the people.  Today he was removed by a vote of 73 to 45.

One hundred eighteen of the opposition MPs were present to remove him from party leadership.  This is what representative government should look like; notwithstanding the need to look even more closely at those who voted to keep him around.

Yes, in the larger analysis, the truckers gained a massive victory today by removing a political pontificating pustule of pomposity.  Well Done!

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The business and financial wires are melting down today as ADP Payrolls, the nation’s largest private sector payroll providing service, releases data from January showing a drop of 301,000 jobs.  [ADP Raw Data Here]

The financial, economic and business pundits are completely caught off guard and using the words “shocked”, “unexpected” and “surprised,” within their analysis.  These employment numbers just don’t align with an economy growing at 6.9%, as measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).  However, for CTH readers who have carefully scrutinized the economic claims and looked at the bigger picture through the prism of kitchen table checkbook economics, these results are not a surprise.

Every sector of the employment picture on Main Street USA is hit.  The pundits, following the narrative first seeded by the White House on Monday, are pointing to Omicron as the justification inside their review.  That’s nonsense.  For the better part of seven months these same pundits first claimed Delta, then shifted to Omicron as a way to explain the structurally weak economy.  All of that is nonsense.

What we are witnessing are the outcomes of massive inflation now hitting the labor market.  A drop in demand, and a subsequent drop in the employment of goods and services, is an unavoidable outcome of inflationary pressure on wages.

Let me say it again, on a macro level, natural consumer DEMAND has dropped – we are only now starting to see it surfacing in the statistical measures.

This is why White House spokesperson Jen Psaki made that weird statement on Monday.

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Jeff Zucker abruptly resigned from CNN releasing a statement: “As part of the investigation into Chris Cuomo’s tenure at CNN, I was asked about a consensual relationship with my closest colleague, someone I have worked with for more than 20 years,” Mr. Zucker wrote. “I acknowledged the relationship evolved in recent years. I was required to disclose it when it began but I didn’t. I was wrong.”

Apparently, Jeff Zucker has been involved in a long-term relationship with a woman named Allison Gollust as she worked her way through the ranks at CNN throughout her career.

Ms. Gollust is currently CNN’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, positioning her as one of the highest-ranking leaders within the network, closely involved in major business and communications decisions.

Ms. Gollust said in another statement Wednesday she was remaining in her role at CNN: “Jeff and I have been close friends and professional partners for over 20 years,” she wrote. “Recently, our relationship changed during Covid. I regret that we didn’t disclose it at the right time. I’m incredibly proud of my time at CNN and look forward to continuing the great work we do every day.”

Essentially, what appears to have taken place is then married Jeff Zucker and then married Allison Gollust beginning a relationship many years ago, and Zucker advancing Gollust throughout her career, even to the point of her physical location living above him.   Both of them eventually divorced from their respective spouses, and yet the network, or at least the board of directors, was “unaware” of their relationship.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the JoeBama Administration and Presidency.

“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.”

“But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.”

~ Mike Vanderboegh

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

(more…)