March 2022: Canada’s month of infamy 

Tuesday 1 March 2022

Canada’s month of infamy – The occupation of Ottawa

The month of February will be remembered by generations to come as the watershed that defined Canada as a country. The occupation and insurrection in front of Canada’s Parliament and downtown Ottawa played out in living colour on TV screens to the bewildered citizens of what was previously seen as a nation of peace and tranquility. Not any more. In front of our eyes, a motley crew of demonstrators, each with their own personal agenda, seized our national capital demanding among other things, the handover of government to thugs and hooligans, desecrating our most sacred monuments, gleefully displaying the swastika and Confederate flag and other racist symbols. For three weeks, the people in authority allowed this debacle to go on; terrorizing residents and paralyzing businesses in downtown Ottawa.

From all the credible reports, the organizers and funders of this “freedom convoy” included right-wing extremists from the United States. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) is charged with protecting the integrity and sovereignty of Canada from external threats. So where were they in the middle of all this?

We, at Black Ottawa Scene, are appalled at the blatant failure by all levels of government in their handling of the insurrection and illegal occupation of downtown Ottawa by a mob masquerading as freedom protesters, culminating in the forced resignation of the recently appointed Chief Peter Sloly from the Ottawa Police Service. The trajectory of the arrival and seizure of our capital city was unrelenting, and all the pleas from Chief Sloly for help for his beleaguered police officers went unheeded. This is an unprecedented failure of leadership at the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government, and Chief Sloly became the helpless scapegoat for their ineptitude. Yes, there were speeches from Prime Minister Trudeau, Premier Doug Ford, and Mayor Jim Watson; the bewildered and utterly frustrated residents of Ottawa would certainly be forgiven for perceiving their utterances as mere photo-ops, given the snail-pace with which their actions followed their words. Not to talk of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, the Conservative Party, whose leading members, not only applauded the insurgents but posed for photographs with them!

The following from former Ottawa Police Sevices Board member, Councillor Carol Anne Meehan’s newsletter on February 18, 2022, is very telling: We did ask tough questions, and we appealed to all levels of government to get the resources and additional police, which is what former Police Chief Sloly said he needed. Both the federal and provincial governments failed to assist Ottawa fast enough, which I believe contributed to Chief Sloly’s resignation.

Ottawa’s City Council finally showed itself for what it really is, a dysfunctional, disorganized, fractious, and leaderless group, twenty-four clueless individuals with their own unscripted personal agenda, with little concern for the people they were elected to represent. It was such a pain to watch the televised Council meeting that clearly showed the morass the Council had fallen into.

To add to this torrid mix, there are now reports that some police officers are being investigated on allegations that they had made donations to these illegal protesters! And yet another report that some members of Canada’s military are being investigated for allegedly supporting the protesters! What more can one expect, as the soft underbelly of Canadian society is cruelly exposed?

Three Ottawa-based Black community organizations have come out to express their serious concerns about the events of the last three weeks. Ottawa’s Black community is grateful, for the leadership shown by the African Canadian Association of Ottawa (ACAO), 613-819 Black Hub, and Black History Ottawa (our Top Story for this edition). But the question needs to be asked: What happened to the voices of the other thirty-plus Black community organizations in the national capital? And where is/was the Federation of Black Canadians in all of this? Missing in action? We have to ensure that we take care of ourselves and each other; we cannot leave it to others, no matter how well-intentioned they may be.

The Black community is paying close attention as yet another display of systemic racism unfolds before our very eyes, as one more Black individual is sacrificed to hide the failings of the establishment. Having appointed a suitable white man to lead the Ottawa Police Service, it was only a matter of time before the help Chief Sloly had been pleading for, was placed at his disposal, so that the city, the province, and the country could go back to business as usual, where people of colour will continue to be second class citizens. If our elected political leaders have even any modicum of dignity, they should all hang their collective heads in utmost shame. Nonetheless, Ottawa’s Black community is closely monitoring the fallout from this unprecedented assault on our country’s sovereignty; we will be demanding that any incoming administration within the Ottawa Police, continue with the progressive reforms made by Chief Sloly, and that Black people, indigenous people, and other people of colour, be accorded the same dignity and respect as other Canadians.

Our message to the various political leaders is clear and unequivocal.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: You failed the people of Canada and the residents of Ottawa in your mishandling of this insurgency.

Premier Doug Ford: You failed the people of Ontario and the residents of Ottawa in your mishandling of this insurgency.

Mayor Jim Watson and Ottawa City Council: You failed the residents of Ottawa in your mishandling of this insurgency.

Conservative Party Federal Opposition: Your conduct during this crisis was disgraceful.

So next time a candidate knocks at your door to ask for your vote, be it during a municipal, provincial, or federal election, be sure to ask them hard questions about their role in the management of this month of infamy in our national capital. You owe it to yourselves and your children to get the answers you want. One way or another, Canada will no longer be the same as the country we had adopted and have come to love.

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And elsewhere

In this edition, we also bring you a number of reports on the February Black History Month celebrations. Guest columnist and hockey analyst Bob Dawson brings you a piece on racism in hockey, while psychologist Helen Ofosu advocates for mentorship programs for indigenous and Canadians of colour.

Here is the result of the February 2022 poll: Do you support the truckers who have taken over downtown Ottawa in protest against pandemic rules and restrictions? Yes, 24% No 76% Thank you to all who voted.

Here is the March 2022 poll: Do you believe that the various levels of government acted in a timely manner to put an end to the recent occupation of the city of Ottawa by demonstrators?

Peace and love to you and yours!

Godwin Ifedi Editor