Canada Day 2022 is approaching and celebrations in Ottawa may be tarnished by unwelcome participants.

After Ottawa residents were harassed for many weeks this winter by the “Freedom” Convoy occupiers, many of us cringe when we see someone with a large Canadian Flag draped over their shoulders, or flags fluttering from the back of pickup trucks parked on our residential streets.

Those people disrupted traffic, disrespected the national war memorial and infested downtown residential streets with their noisy, smelly trucks and menacing behaviour. Their financial backers and some western Conservative supporters tried to disrupt democracy and overthrow our fairly elected government while using the vaccine mandates as their focus for complaints.

They used offensive language and visual props encouraging personal attacks on our Prime Minister. They welcomed members of the right-wing Christian and white supremist fringe. They harassed politicians and doctors. They taunted residents who wore protective masks while walking on the streets. They used their own children as shields to thwart arrests and removals.

It was an occupation that was planned with military precision. It makes one think that there is a darker influence that still lurks in the background.

Thankfully, the OPS and reinforcements removed the protesters in a peaceful, methodical manner.

Those occupiers are back in our fair city with plans to attend Canada Day celebrations and stick around all summer. What are they protesting now? Vaccine mandates have been lifted.

Local residents and politicians are not pleased with the antics of these unwelcome visitors with their menacing behaviour, anti-science rants, immature posters and flags. People of the Ottawa region are still recovering from massive storm damage and hydro outages. We don’t need this bullshit.

I haven’t been downtown for many years to celebrate in the hot sun or rain with thousands of other people. The COVID-19 pandemic distancing recommendations and Freedumb Convoy have sealed the deal on my personal preference for quiet, clean celebrations closer to home.

In the news

Convoy removal: https://globalnews.ca/news/8630153/live-coverage-ottawa-police-freedom-convoy-feb-18/

Vaccine mandates lifted: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/06/20/vaccine-mandates-canada-travel-pandemic/

Backgrounder: https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/news/2022/06/backgrounder-government-of-canada-suspends-mandatory-vaccination-for-federal-employees.html

Ottawa will be ready: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/canada-day-downtown-convoy-protest-fears-1.6497837

That weasly, opportunist politician: https://globalnews.ca/news/8936478/pierre-poilievre-encourages-protests-canada-day-rally-reports/

Local law enforcement plans for Canada Day: https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/news-and-community/canada-day-2022.aspx

Our national anthem – Official lyrics of “O Canada”

English version

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

French version

Ô Canada! Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,
Il sait porter la croix!

Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.

Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/anthems-canada.html

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Wishing my fellow Canadians a happy, meaningful and respectful Canada Day.

Thanks for dropping by. Don’t overstay your welcome.

T