LETTER

LETTRE

The "Freedom Convoy" continues ....

 I have been watching what has unfolded at our borders and in our streets over the past few months with horror. And living in Ottawa, I’ve had a front-row seat.
    The ‘Freedom Convoy’ has shown that the right-wing movement is mobilizing and organizing in Canada. What started as a fringe movement with a niche purpose became a home for many—white supremacists, pro-oil activists, the extreme right—and it grew to dominate news cycles and capture political attention. And now, even though COVID restrictions are lifting across the country and the public turns its attention elsewhere, the ideas and people that birthed the ‘Freedom Convoy’ aren't going away. In fact, they are getting stronger.
    It is up to progressives across Canada—people who believe in democracy, social justice, equality, and care for their neighbours—to push back against the rising right. The next battleground is the Ontario election.
    But this is not just about one province.  The white supremacists and extreme right actors will be in full swing wherever they see an opportunity to spread their ideology. Their next opportunity to polarize and radicalize will be over the next 3 months in Ontario. Fighting them off in Ontario will set a precedent and send the architects of the Convoy scrambling.
    The “Freedom Convoy’ may be running out of fuel, but the wheels are already in motion. Right-wing organizers continue to build infrastructure, people power, and momentum. We need to push back, and  set a narrative for the rest of Canada. This is an opportunity to send a clear message that social democratic values alone can defeat the far right.
Devon Crick, The Broadbent Institute
Ottawa