Today's News: The Hollow Men

This is the way the world ends 

This is the way the world ends 

This is the way the world ends 

Not with a bang but a whimper.

The insurrectionists are The Hollow Men tonight as their convoy occupation falls apart.

Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.

CTV National: Ottawa Police ticketing and towing protest vehicles on arterial routes, not Wellington yet.
Police moving in groups performing enforcement action.

— Jon Liedtke (@jonliedtke) February 16, 2022

Happening right now..Police bringing in multiple big truckloads of crowd control fencing into the Parliamentary District. Prepare for Kettling #FluTrucksKlan #FluTruxKlan #FluTruxClan #Clownvoy #OttawaOccupation #OttawaOccupied pic.twitter.com/U1rSEQzZIL

— Shawn Bethke (@bethke) February 17, 2022

Boom...
We had a bet in my office that as soon as things got tough, Pat King would skip town.
That's what bullies do.
He's heading for the hills leaving everyone else to face the cops.
Fortunately the financial costs of this debacle will follow him. https://t.co/pvm9AzdR4I

— Charlie Angus (@CharlieAngusNDP) February 17, 2022

But I expect there will be some very sad and deluded people abandoned in Ottawa to clean up the mess:

Thank you, Senator Brazeau, for speaking up on this, and the fact these people are ruining their lives to help these organisers in their nefarious cause. How hard will it be for them to find work and lead a normal life after this, if they have a criminal record and massive debt? https://t.co/3rEv8ygS8c

— Danika Dragomir (@NikaDragomira) February 17, 2022

The Conservatives were seizing on the Emergencies Act declaration for their usual Question Period freakout - when Trudeau told them the truth, they erupted.

Candice Bergen leaked email to CPC MP's "we should keep the convoy in Ottawa, it will hurt the PM' (paraphrased because I don't have it in front of me) Standing with them is exactly what she chose to do and all the back pedaling and denial can ever erase it.

— Mike Morris (@1MikeMorris) February 16, 2022

This is NOT just like the War Measures Act. There are not 15, 000 soldiers patrolling the streets. A thousand people were not immediately arrested. Habeas Corpus was not suspended.

— Duane Bratt (@DuaneBratt) February 16, 2022

I remember the War Measures Act too - I was in university at the time, and I was accused by some of my friends of being naive to trust the Liberal government with that much power. 

But I did - basically, we all did.  

They proved themselves worthy of that trust. After Trudeau got the Charter passed, the Mulroney government got rid of the War Measures Act and passed the Emergencies Act instead and nobody gave it a second thought. 

Until now. 

So yes, once again I trust the Liberal government to be responsible with the powers it is now going to be using against the insurrection.

Which, by the way, is even worse than we realized it was.

New | A convoy tried to re-occupy the Ambassador Bridge within the past 24 hours, according to Windsor's mayor.

Drew Dilkens says police intercepted the convoy.

Live presser happening here - CBC's @jennlagrassa is in the room. https://t.co/bFt8IGPdYT

— Chris Ensing (@ChrisEnsingCBC) February 16, 2022

Coutts blockaders discussed blocking airport cargo terminals: private threat assessment - National | https://t.co/bcKaDFV2Ba https://t.co/AZ7R3Nowo0

— Charles Rusnell (@charlesrusnell) February 16, 2022

4) psych torture & economic terrorism is being used.
5) organizers have setup supply chains in Ottawa and Nationally including comms messaging.
6) they want to over throw an elected government.
7) the office of the prime minister is under direct threat.
8) children are shields

— kris meloche (@krismeloche) February 16, 2022

Meanwhile, though we may all be done with Covid, it isn't actually done with us, is it?
 

Indeed. I characterize much of the current attitude as someone declaring they're done with gravity but I don't see them floating about

— stephen mills (@jogginsboy) February 16, 2022

Finally, some of the funny stuff today:

He is just saying what all of us want to scream! My heart breaks for our city and the level of hate these occupiers are inciting in our city and our country!

— Donkeyontheedge (@Donkeyontheedg1) February 17, 2022

And another Canadian Heritage Moment suggestion:

Can Ram Ranch become a Canadian Heritage Moment now?

Only in Canada could you shut down an insurrection with a gay cowboy song!#RamRanchResisitance #KluTruxKlanGoHome pic.twitter.com/Sm9ZTLP8th

— TFMJonny 🐺 ENVTuber (@tfmjonny) February 15, 2022

And Ottawa had a city council meeting today. It went about as well as you would expect, after Council found out its Police Board had fired Chief Sloly and apparently then hired a new chief without any competition:

Live shot of the current proceedings at Ottawa City Council. pic.twitter.com/fjtik8rmcK

— Cheryl Fougere (@cherylfougere) February 17, 2022

Keeping count so far, the insurrectionists have managed to get rid of 

-Conservative leader Erin O'Toole 

-Ottawa Police Chief Sloly 

-Ottawa police board chair Diane Deans plus three or four other board members.

Trudeau and Freeland and the rest of the federal Cabinet are still here.