Thuggish threats to Trudeau's safety also threaten our politics and democracy

[applegrove]

Thuggish threats to Trudeau’s safety also threaten our politics and democracy

By MICHAEL HARRIS      MAY 30, 2022

For those who remember the last election campaign, Trudeau was dogged by ignorant, abusive mobs, including one that hurled not just insults and obscenities, but stones at the PM. Sorry. Fuck off is not a political statement. It is abuse. And it is also the death knell of politics as we know it.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured at Yom HaShoah commemoration event at the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa on April 28, 2022, had to cancel public appearance last week in British Columbia. The RCMP decided that it would not be safe for the prime minister to make a public appearance at a Liberal fundraiser because an anti-Trudeau crowd gathered outside, complete with truckers driving in a loop around the venue, might become an anti-Trudeau mob. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia


https://www.hilltimes.com/2022/05/30/thuggish-threats-to-trudeaus-safety-also-threaten-our-politics-and-democracy/363881

"SNIP......

HALIFAX—If there was an early warning system for threats to our politics and democracy, it would be pulsing red after Canada’s prime minister had to cancel a public appearance last week in British Columbia.

The RCMP decided that it would not be safe for Justin Trudeau to make a public appearance at a Liberal fundraiser because an anti-Trudeau crowd gathered outside, complete with truckers driving in a loop around the venue, might become an anti-Trudeau mob.

Once again, a pack of hooligans masqueraded as protesters, just as members of the Freedom Convoy did in their recent occupation of Ottawa. Their belligerent presence in the nation’s capital paralyzed the city and forced the evacuation of the PM and his family for several days.

Their goal was to occupy and take over, not to protest. Real protesters make their point; these thugs try to stop whomever they don’t like from making theirs. That is the exact point where democracy turns into a bikers’ New Year’s Eve party.

....SNIP"

[applegrove]

1. I called the Truck Convoy at the time GOP grooming of Canadians to mirror

MAGA. Astroturf. Canadians coddled just perfectly to a boil. I don't like being right. Doesn't work as easily here as we have health care and better union participation than the US. But a certain percent listen to us right wing podcasts. A copy of us wedge issue in Canada does not always work. We'll see if Canadians are disgusted by this and flock to Trudeau. Right wing tv failed here so they have no other choice than to make the news themselves and try to ban cbc TV if they get into power.

[2naSalit]

2. +1

[Bev54]

3. They rely primarily on social media to get their message out because they also

call the media "enemy of the people". Seems to be a lack of originalism here and yes we do have our share of stupid, luckily they are not that big, just loud and obnoxious. I am more concerned about the amount of "conservative" voters that still do not realize that they are no longer the conservative party of the past before they merged with the reform. They seem to be following further right, not even understanding where they are going.

[applegrove]

4. We re okay so long as the suburbs of Toronto, filled with people with experience

of politicians from all over the world, suss out the Conservates for the phonies they are.