The day before Canada Day, Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poillewright walked down an Ottawa street with a crowd of red-and-white adorned supporters following behind. Next to him, helping to lead the crowd of protesters pushing for a final end to vaccination orders, was a man in a bright vest named James Top.
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Poilievre and Topp are heard chatting about the veteran’s morning routine, citing Topp’s recent march across Canada in protest of COVID-19 vaccine orders. One topic they did not appear to be talking about, based on the circulating clips, was Topp appearing on far-right leader Jeremy Mackenzie’s podcast for much more than an hour a month ago. The story goes on under the ad Mackenzie made headlines in February when he was arrested on a firearms charge.
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However, he also took part in a controversial January show on YouTube, in which he argued that the so-called Freedom Escort could “overthrow the government” as its hosts said they “think we need to get on the gallows to get there”. Parliament.” “I want to be there. I want to see this happen,” Mackenzie seems to say on the show. 2:52 Ottawa prepares for Canada Day Ottawa prepares for Canada Day During his appearance on Mackenzie’s show, Top is heard saying that Mackenzie’s show and the like “kept him … confused.” The story goes on under the ad When Global News asked for comment on his decision to parade on Topp, despite his support for broadcasters such as Mackenzie, Poilievre’s campaign sent a brief statement. “The campaign has never said we will not meet with Topp or anyone else. “We encouraged Canadians to continue to demonstrate for their freedoms,” they wrote. Trending Stories
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“On this Canada Day, Pierre Poilievre will celebrate our great country on horseback with the voters, as he and most MPs do every year.” Doubling his support for Topp, Poilievre continued to tweet a picture of his march next to the veteran. “Today I walked beside Army veteran James Top, who has traveled the country on foot for free choice,” he wrote. “Terminate all commands. Restore our freedoms. “Let people take control of their lives again.” Today I walked next to military veteran James Top, who has traveled the country on foot for free choice. Terminate all commands. Restore our freedoms. Let people regain control of their lives. pic.twitter.com/yp6XwXEE9B – Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) June 30, 2022 The story goes on under the ad An anti-hatred bell rang for Poilievre’s relationship with Topp – and the protest itself against the order. “It is deeply disturbing that a dominant politician is aligning himself with and showing support for the movement that gave birth to the so-called Freedom Convoy,” said Elizabeth Simons, deputy director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, in a statement to Global News. “While not all participants in the COVID-19 conspiracy movement or escort of the far right or hatred, showing solidarity with the movement tells the Canadian far right that they have a home in the Conservative Party. It is interpreted by these people that their views are acceptable, even encouraged “. People protesting vaccine orders – which are mostly lifted – are expected to have a significant presence in Ottawa as the capital celebrates Canada Day. Brigitte Belton is an unvaccinated truck driver who helped organize the so-called “Freedom Convoy” protest that roared the streets of Ottawa for weeks earlier this year. Speaking to Global News on Thursday, he had a message for the people he plans to protest on Friday. “I urge them to remain calm no matter what happens, no matter how out of control the Ottawa police are, because they are out of control,” he said.
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The story goes on under the ad Police are preparing for demonstrations with a series of preventive measures. From 8 a.m. East Thursday, Ottawa police impose a motor vehicle control zone on the core. This zone will remain in force until July 4 and will see police and law enforcement prohibiting parking on the streets and restricting access to the squares just around Parliament Hill. To enforce the zone, police have set up roadblocks, heavy equipment and police vehicle checkpoints to “filter out legal traffic on these roads”. Vehicles participating in any demonstrations will not be allowed to enter and Ottawa officials have already issued several tweets showing staff towing vehicles and removing structures created in the area. Belton said she wished everyone all the best for Canada Day. “Stay calm,” he said. “I just want everyone to be safe.” – With files from Amanda Connolly of Global News © 2022 Global News, part of Corus Entertainment Inc.
