Pierre Poilievre says he supports “all Canadians who are peacefully defending their rights” amid reports that a second protest of the so-called convoy in Ottawa is planned.
In a statement Tuesday, Poilievre denied claims that the alleged Conservative leader would welcome the possible protest planned for Canada Day in Ottawa.
But he called the vaccine warrants “unjust and unscientific harassment” and said he encouraged “everyone to continue protesting against government attacks on our freedoms.”
“So I support all Canadians who are peacefully defending their rights in protesting the revenge of the Liberal government’s vaccine,” Poilievre said in a statement to Global News.
The Poilievre campaign added that they had not spoken to any organizers of a possible rally on Parliament Hill on 1 July.
The convoy’s protests paralyzed downtown Ottawa for weeks in February, prompting what police have called an “occupation” of the federal capital. Parallel protests erupted at border crossings in Windsor, Ontario, and Coutts, Alta, among other points along the Canadian-United States border.
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Read more: Most truckers are vaccinated, says Trudeau, as the “Freedom Convoy” heads to Ottawa
The protests led the Liberal government to take the unprecedented step of invoking the Emergency Act and granting extraordinary powers to the police to clean up the protests. The Liberal government is currently facing intense scrutiny over this decision, including the suggestion by Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino that the decision to invoke the emergency powers was made with the advice of the police.
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Several of the organizers of the initial protests are now facing charges for their role in supporting what was considered an illegal protest.
On the surface, protesters claimed to be opposed to vaccine warrants imposed on truckers transporting goods between Canada and the United States.
In fact, truck associations said most of their drivers were vaccinated and those who were not had been reassigned to routes in Canada.
The protests turned into opposition to a variety of grievances, with the most extreme ones demanding that the Liberal government lift all mandates and resign.
Jean Charest, Poilievre’s rival for leadership, suggested that Carleton MPs’ support for the protests should be disqualifying for a person who wants to lead Canada. But during debates over party leadership, Poilievre argued with MP Leslyn Lewis over which candidate gave the most support to the convoy, suggesting that support is an asset rather than a responsibility in the race.
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A Twitter account purporting to be the organizers of a Canada Day convoy protest on Parliament Hill suggested on Tuesday that they had spoken to the Poilievre campaign and that the leadership candidate had planned to meet with them at the rally. a claim that Poilievre’s campaign flatly denied on Tuesday.
The account posted its first post on June 18th. He has published generic support for a convoy protest in Ottawa for July 1, as well as amplified right-wing media personalities who claim to support his goals.
An email was not immediately returned to account operators on Tuesday afternoon.
2:51 Freeland says Ottawa convoy was a “dying” time for Canadians, government Freeland says Ottawa convoy was a “dying” time for Canadians, government – June 14, 2022
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