Well, there goes the entire business model of the GoFundMe organization.

In a rather jaw-dropping development, the crowdfunding organization is taking the position that Canadian officials have labeled the Canadian Freedom Convoy protest as an “illegal occupation” of the city of Ottawa.  As a result, GoFundMe will not release the funds to the organizers of the protest, and will, instead, only transfer those funds to an authorized and credible charitable organization like “Black Lives Matter”.

The statement in Full:

♦ GoFundMe supports peaceful protests and we believe that was the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser when it was first created.

♦ We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity.

To ensure GoFundMe remains a trusted platform, we work with local authorities to ensure we have a detailed, factual understanding of events taking place on the ground. Following a review of relevant facts and multiple discussions with local law enforcement and city officials, this fundraiser is now in violation of our Terms of Service (Term 8, which prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment) and has been removed from the platform.

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Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly held a press conference on Friday announcing measures to combat the continued Freedom Convoy protests in the streets, and to block any additional protesting support from arriving. [Full Presser Here] In essence, the Ottawa police are going to use domestic terrorism authority against the Canadian freedom protest groups.

The outlined measures include deploying an additional 150 municipal police officers and undercover federal agents to infiltrate the protest and gather intelligence useful for the purpose of eliminating their effort.

Chief Sloly outlined that federal intelligence authorities will be “collecting financial, digital, vehicle registration, driver identification, insurance status and other related evidence that will be used in prosecution.”

The jackboots will focus on using acts of mischief, hate, harassment, intimidation and other threatening behaviors, whether real or created by Canadian intelligence operations, to target the protestors.

Additionally, a “surge and contain” strategy will be used to isolate the protest in the red zone area in front of Parliament Hill.  Ottawa police will use heavy concrete barriers as barricades, to create no-access roadways throughout the downtown core, and they will likely close highway off-ramps and bridges to stop additional support and/or protest groups from arriving.

The goal is to isolate the current protest groups, cut off their supply and support logistics and pick them off.

Further, any police officer who is caught aiding, assisting, supporting, sympathizing with or facilitating the ongoing freedom protest in the city will be removed from duty and subject to arrest.  All Ottawa police officers are to regard the protesting group as an unlawful, extremist and hate-filled mob and have a duty to comply with the instructions of the command and control structure.  WATCH:

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Earlier this afternoon, the people who organized the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa held a press conference to describe the current status of the trucker protest.  At 12:50 of the full interview below the lawyer for the group also discusses the status of the GoFundMe account, which is under review.

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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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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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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 pathetic Canadian Prime Minister continues to attach hate-filled labels against ordinary working class Canadians who are protesting for the removal of COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.

These Alinsky attacks against his own countrymen are genuinely creepy and uncomfortable to see.  Trudeau is continuing to melt down in a very public way.  Other than a very small circle around him, I doubt these statements are generating much support.

[Source Link]

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are the federal police for Canada.  As many local law enforcement communities have refused to move against their own citizens, the Canadian government is now deploying the RCMP against the Alberta trucker blockade.

The border crossing between Coutts, Alberta (CA) and Sweet Grass, Montana (USA) continues to be blocked as truckers allied against COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine passports are united.  The Alberta protests are in support of the larger trucker protest taking place in Ottawa.

Tensions are increasing as the truckers are refusing to move, but the RCMP has vowed to get rid of the blockade.  Supporters for the truckers are working through freezing temperatures to keep them supplied with food and fuel to keep the blockade in place. Even farm tractors have joined the effort.

The standoff continues as the RCMP have been reluctant to forcibly arrest the rather hardened and burly truckers.  There is also a legal defense fund established to assist the truckers against any criminal charges. [SEE HERE]

Canadian state media, aka the CBC, are trying to frame the protesting truckers as villains and violent fringe extremists.  However, after calling the essential working truckers heroes previously, the majority of the Canadian people, specifically the people in/around the Alberta province, are not buying the nonsense from the CBC as supported by the leftist government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

(Via CBC) – RCMP have approached a blockade of vehicles that has jammed traffic for days at a Canada-U.S. border crossing in Alberta after warning that those participating in the protest may be subject to arrest Tuesday afternoon.

[…] RCMP Cpl. Curtis Peters confirmed to CBC News that enforcement has begun, although it is unclear what that will entail. (more)

Rebel News has journalists embedded with the trucker blockade in Alberta and has been tweeting about the standoff.

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One of the lesser discussed BIG PICTURE stories being missed within the people’s revolt against totalitarian government under the guise of this pandemic, is the abject void of pragmatic conservative leadership in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.

As the working class Canadians rally behind their blue collar truck drivers, the invisibility of strong, opposing voices to the leftist government they are challenging is brutally obvious.

It is almost painful to watch this play out.

Where are the men of courage?  And, that question has nothing to do with gender.

I generally try to stay out of the issue of questioning representative government in other nations; however, when you see the people of Canada crying for freedom, trying desperately to take back their individual liberty, there comes a time when all the free people of the world have no more tongue to bite.

The voice of Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre is what many people point toward when identifying a “conservative‘ within the parliamentary system of Canada.  Forgive my criticisms, but if this is the strongest representative voice of middle Canada, this too is pathetic.  WATCH:

What the hell kind of high school nonsense is this?  A debate about tone, sensibilities, portrayals?  If the goal was to miss the entire moment, skip the point, talk in circles as if the media was the audience, and put on a performance focused on the totally irrelevant; then, mission accomplished.

As a patient and frustrated pragmatist would say, (deep breath) … “When you’re done with all that, can you please address the central need of the voices assembled a few meters away shouting at you?”  Good grief, and this guy is presumably ‘strong‘ compared to Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole.

There comes a time when you need to channel the raw frustration of your constituents – put them into articulate voice and focus – not pontificate about their delicate humanism in your arguments.

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