4 ms·

I live in Ottawa and lived here during the convoy. Happy to answer any questions as an actual resident from anyone about my experience.

indy 2y ago
What were the general public's opinion of the protests? Also how 'dangerous' was the convoy perceived to be? Were the actions of the Government deemed to be overreach?
- nsavage 2y ago
  The protests lasted quite a long time and I think the public's opinion on it changed over time. At the beginning, most left-wing/centrist sorts of people saw it as an annoyance, but Ottawa is used to protests. Within the first week or so, people were bringing their kids to the event After the first week or so (again, going by memory here), I think the general perception of danger started increasing dramatically. Most of the kids were gone, replaced my angry men with nothing better to do. In hindsight, nothing happened during the occupation, but given the overlap with the sorts of people who own guns (remember, the border blockade in Alberta at the same time did see people with guns), I think people were legitimately scared. The police certainly were too scared to do anything! There was also a scare at the time at an apartment building in Centretown where someone tried to barricade the doors and light it on fire. This happened during the convoy, and while nothing happened and it seems it may have been unrelated mischief, we can only say that in hindsight. At the time it was very scary. There was another incident where truckers were showing up at a local school and yelling at people. I think most people supported the Trudeau government in putting an end to it with the Emergencies Act, which later was found to be unconstitutional. It was pretty popular at the time. The general perception was that the federal government was doing what the provincial government (despite what Doug Ford thinks, Ottawa is actually in Ontario!) should have done weeks ago.
  - indy 2y ago
    Thanks for replying. As a non-Canadian, your response has been more informative than the weeks I spent reading Twitter trying to figure out what was happening.
- carbine 2y ago
  As a Canadian I can say that most people I know have opinions about the protests and the government's response, but that whole affair is about 1,000th on the list of grievances we have with our current federal government. It's a strangely American abstraction to focus on this as the animating issue around Trudeau's government and does not reflect Canadian reality on the ground.
leptons 2y ago
How bad were the covid restrictions in Canada that the truckers were complaining about in 2022? By 2022 most of the world had gone back to normal business-as-usual. Why were they even protesting? As an outsider looking in, it seemed like a mix of ignorance, propaganda, and stupidity made them do it.
- BeefWellington 2y ago
  This isn't true. At the time the US required proof of vaccination at the border too: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/us-vaccine-mandate-freight-drivers-coming-canada-may-exacerbate-auto-s-rcna12649 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/us-vaccine-mandate-frei... This was implemented in October 2021 and wasn't removed AFAIK until May of 2023: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/01/the-biden-administration-will-end-covid-19-vaccination-requirements-for-federal-employees-contractors-international-travelers-head-start-educators-and-cms-certified-facilities/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases...
  - leptons 2y ago
    How are Canadians occupying Canadian cities supposed to lift US restrictions? They can't, that's how. Again, it's stupidity, ignorance, and probably some propaganda/misinformation that spurred them on.
    - guiomie 2y ago
      "How are Canadians occupying Canadian cities supposed to lift US restrictions?:" They can protest (which they did) and Justin Trudeau could have picked up the phone and call Biden and ask to remove the restriction, which at that time of the pandemic was completely useless. Instead, Justin Trudeau played politics, he figured it was much better for him to divide the population on the issue than actually work with its biggest trade partner to remove the restriction.
      - cmrdporcupine 2y ago
likeabatterycar 2y ago
What is your opinion of Kraft Dinner? Is KD unhealthy slop or delicious, and how do you feel about adding hot dogs or other toppings?
- nsavage 2y ago
  Now we're getting into the real meat of the questions. I love Kraft Dinner, in a somewhat ironic way. The best way to eat it is to add hot dog slices while cooking the pasta, then top it with ketchup. You can also have it with hot dogs and beans on the side (as my dad would call it, "beans and wieners and Kraft Dinner") It sounds disgusting, but its comfort food. Not sure if I would like it if I hadn't grown up eating it. It might be an English Canadian thing. My partner is French Canadian and thinks its disgusting.
  - cmrdporcupine 2y ago
    Interesting, had no idea they didn't do the KD in QC. Now this is a divide I did not think we had between the two solitudes. It actually is disgusting, but you and I know it's that good kind of disgusting. Now ... ketchup on KD... this i cannot let stand
    - deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]

indy 2y ago

What were the general public's opinion of the protests? Also how 'dangerous' was the convoy perceived to be? Were the actions of the Government deemed to be overreach?

nsavage 2y ago
The protests lasted quite a long time and I think the public's opinion on it changed over time. At the beginning, most left-wing/centrist sorts of people saw it as an annoyance, but Ottawa is used to protests. Within the first week or so, people were bringing their kids to the event After the first week or so (again, going by memory here), I think the general perception of danger started increasing dramatically. Most of the kids were gone, replaced my angry men with nothing better to do. In hindsight, nothing happened during the occupation, but given the overlap with the sorts of people who own guns (remember, the border blockade in Alberta at the same time did see people with guns), I think people were legitimately scared. The police certainly were too scared to do anything! There was also a scare at the time at an apartment building in Centretown where someone tried to barricade the doors and light it on fire. This happened during the convoy, and while nothing happened and it seems it may have been unrelated mischief, we can only say that in hindsight. At the time it was very scary. There was another incident where truckers were showing up at a local school and yelling at people. I think most people supported the Trudeau government in putting an end to it with the Emergencies Act, which later was found to be unconstitutional. It was pretty popular at the time. The general perception was that the federal government was doing what the provincial government (despite what Doug Ford thinks, Ottawa is actually in Ontario!) should have done weeks ago.
- indy 2y ago
  Thanks for replying. As a non-Canadian, your response has been more informative than the weeks I spent reading Twitter trying to figure out what was happening.
carbine 2y ago
As a Canadian I can say that most people I know have opinions about the protests and the government's response, but that whole affair is about 1,000th on the list of grievances we have with our current federal government. It's a strangely American abstraction to focus on this as the animating issue around Trudeau's government and does not reflect Canadian reality on the ground.

leptons 2y ago

How bad were the covid restrictions in Canada that the truckers were complaining about in 2022? By 2022 most of the world had gone back to normal business-as-usual. Why were they even protesting? As an outsider looking in, it seemed like a mix of ignorance, propaganda, and stupidity made them do it.

BeefWellington 2y ago
This isn't true. At the time the US required proof of vaccination at the border too: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/us-vaccine-mandate-freight-drivers-coming-canada-may-exacerbate-auto-s-rcna12649 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/us-vaccine-mandate-frei... This was implemented in October 2021 and wasn't removed AFAIK until May of 2023: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/01/the-biden-administration-will-end-covid-19-vaccination-requirements-for-federal-employees-contractors-international-travelers-head-start-educators-and-cms-certified-facilities/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases...
- leptons 2y ago
  How are Canadians occupying Canadian cities supposed to lift US restrictions? They can't, that's how. Again, it's stupidity, ignorance, and probably some propaganda/misinformation that spurred them on.
  - guiomie 2y ago
    "How are Canadians occupying Canadian cities supposed to lift US restrictions?:" They can protest (which they did) and Justin Trudeau could have picked up the phone and call Biden and ask to remove the restriction, which at that time of the pandemic was completely useless. Instead, Justin Trudeau played politics, he figured it was much better for him to divide the population on the issue than actually work with its biggest trade partner to remove the restriction.
    - cmrdporcupine 2y ago

likeabatterycar 2y ago

What is your opinion of Kraft Dinner? Is KD unhealthy slop or delicious, and how do you feel about adding hot dogs or other toppings?

nsavage 2y ago
Now we're getting into the real meat of the questions. I love Kraft Dinner, in a somewhat ironic way. The best way to eat it is to add hot dog slices while cooking the pasta, then top it with ketchup. You can also have it with hot dogs and beans on the side (as my dad would call it, "beans and wieners and Kraft Dinner") It sounds disgusting, but its comfort food. Not sure if I would like it if I hadn't grown up eating it. It might be an English Canadian thing. My partner is French Canadian and thinks its disgusting.
- cmrdporcupine 2y ago
  Interesting, had no idea they didn't do the KD in QC. Now this is a divide I did not think we had between the two solitudes. It actually is disgusting, but you and I know it's that good kind of disgusting. Now ... ketchup on KD... this i cannot let stand
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]