As a citizen of this country, I am happy to be able to read Mr. Nelson’s opinion. A newspaper freely printed his words with no risk of being shut down or censored. This is what is known as a right to free speech.
It is patently obvious that Mr. Nelson has never had the “pleasure” of living under a dictatorial regime. If he had experienced a world like today’s Russia, he would not be so quick to accuse the duly elected Prime Minister and his deputy of ignoring civil liberties.
Until his rights have been revoked or his life threatened for the very words he wrote, he has nothing to compare to.
First, he claims that lots of Canadians cheered the trucker’s convoy but fails to mention that no authority attempted to stop it. There weren’t any tanks pointing live ammunition at them as they rumbled along the road. That would happen in today’s Russia but not in Canada.
The Emergencies Act was used, rightly or wrongly, to allow the residents of downtown Ottawa, Windsor and Coutts to exercise their rights to a peaceful life without fear. Most of the protesters were peaceful, but there were, as there are always, a few well-documented criminal and morally reprehensible acts.
Did Mr. Nelson forget Ontario’s new laws making blockades illegal? Did he forget that his own Alberta government passed a similar law? Are the premiers of those provinces also guilty of acting like Russian dictators?
The public inquiry into the use of the Emergencies Act concluded that, although justified, the act needs to be refined. The Government of Canada has agreed to review the recommendations and make the needed changes.
The court case, brought by the organizer of the so-called freedom convoy resulted in a judge opining that the use of the Emergencies Act was unreasonable and unjustified. As this is a legal opinion, the government, like all citizens, has every right to appeal. Again, a right that doesn’t exist in Russia.
The bottom line is, Mr. Nelson should remember that we all have rights that we are free to exercise until they obviously infringe on the rights of others. I am happy to be able to disagree with his position with no fear of retribution.
Regards
John Morgan
Rocky View County, AB
