WARNING: The story contains obscene language. Discretion is recommended.
The day before Canada Day, Conservative candidate Pierre Poalievre was walking down a street in Ottawa with a crowd of red and white ornate supporters moving behind him.
Along with him, helping to lead a crowd of protesters demanding a permanent end to vaccine mandates, was a man in a bright vest named James Top.
Read more: Here’s what you need to know as Ottawa prepares for Canada Day protests amid “prolonged trauma”
Poliever and Top can be heard chatting about the veteran’s morning routine, citing Top’s recent march across Canada in protest of COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
A topic they didn’t seem to be talking about, based on circulating videos, was Top’s appearance in a podcast by far-right leader Jeremy Mackenzie more than an hour ago.
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Mackenzie made headlines in February when he was arrested on charges of firearms. 7:06 Conservative Debate: Problems and Candidates to Watch Conservative Debate: Problems and Candidates to Watch – May 15, 2022
Read more: Man attending Ottawa protest convoy arrested on firearms charges
However, he was also part of a controversial January show on YouTube, claiming that the so-called freedom convoy could “overthrow the government”, while his co-hosts shouted that “they think we should get together on the gallows of… parliament. ”
“I want to be there. I want to see this not happen,” Mackenzie said on the show.
2:52 Ottawa prepares for Canada Day Ottawa prepares for Canada Day
During his appearance on the Mackenzie show, Top is heard saying that the Mackenzie show and the like “continue to linger.” At least there were other guys who had the same idea, which was like, OK, all these things are confused. “
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When Global News sought comment on his decision to march with Top, despite his support for television broadcasters such as Mackenzie, Poilievre’s campaign sent a brief statement.
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“The campaign has never said that we will not meet with Top or anyone else. “We have encouraged Canadians to continue to protest their freedoms,” they wrote.
“On this day in Canada, Pierre Poalievre will celebrate our great country in his ride with the electorate, as he and most MPs do every year.
Doubling his support for Top, Poilievre continued to tweet an image from his march with the veteran.
“Today I was walking with military veteran James Top, who walked the country on foot for free choice,” he wrote.
“Termination of all mandates. Restore our freedoms. Let people regain control of their lives. ”
Today I was walking with military veteran James Top, who walked the country on foot for free choice.
Terminate all terms. Restore our freedoms. Let people regain control of their lives. pic.twitter.com/yp6XwXEE9B
– Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) June 30, 2022
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An anti-hate expert has sounded the alarm about Poalievr’s relationship with Top – and the protest against the mandate itself.
“It is deeply worrying that a key politician is joining and showing support for the movement that created the so-called Freedom Convoy,” Elizabeth Simons, deputy director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, told Global News.
“Although not every participant in the COVID-19 conspiracy movement, or the convoy is far-right or hated, showing solidarity with the movement tells the Canadian far right that they have a home in the Conservative Party. These people interpret that their views are acceptable and even encouraged. ”
People protesting against vaccine mandates, which have been largely repealed, are expected to have a significant presence in Ottawa as the capital celebrates Canada Day.
Bridget Belton is an unvaccinated truck driver who helped organize the so-called Freedom Convoy protest that roared through the streets of Ottawa weeks earlier this year. Speaking to Global News on Thursday, she had a message for people planning to protest on Friday.
“I ask them to stay calm, no matter what happens, no matter how out of control the Ottawa police are because they were out of control,” she said.
Read more: “I’m very worried”: Former Tory Senate leader on Poilievre, convoys and the future of the party
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Police are preparing for the demonstrations with a number of preventive measures.
From 8 a.m. east on Thursday, Ottawa police imposed a control zone on motor vehicles in the core.
This area will remain in force until July 4, and police and bylaws will ban parking on the street and restrict access to the blocks immediately around Parliament Hill.
To enforce the area, police have set up barricades, heavy equipment and checkpoints for police vehicles to “filter out legal traffic on these streets”.
Vehicles participating in any demonstrations will not be allowed, and Ottawa bylaws have already posted several tweets showing that staff are towing vehicles and removing structures built in the area.
Belton said he wished everyone the best for Canada Day.
“Stay calm,” she said.
“I just want everyone to be safe.”
– With files from Amanda Connolly from Global News
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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