Canadian Forces veteran James Topp arrived at the National War Memorial early Thursday evening, ending a cross-country march to protest the COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Hundreds of people, some waving Canadian flags, lined Wellington Street and the National War Memorial to cheer on Topp as he completed the final leg of his Freedom Walk, which began in Vancouver in February.
There was a wall put up at the National War Memorial with “Thank you truck drivers” notes written during the Freedom Convoy protest in downtown Ottawa in February.
Emotional Top walked over to the Unknown Warrior’s grave and got down on one knee. The crowd chanted “Thank you” as Top hugged supporters.
And across the street, a brief appearance of counter-protesters shouting “bullshit”. He is greeted by (of course) chants of “freedom”. Their signs mark various expressions of how much they are above the residents of #OttCity. pic.twitter.com/qBb3uDzMcR
— Rachel Aiello (@rachaiello) June 30, 2022
Hundreds of people greeted Topp across the city of Ottawa during the final day of his march, including Conservative Party leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre and People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier.
Poilievre marched with Topp for two kilometers along Baseline Road shortly after 12 p.m. Poilievre spoke with Topp in College Square about the walk across Canada.
“I support freedom of choice; I always have and I believe people should have the ability to make up their own minds about these issues,” Poilievre told Topp. “We must be free Canadians who can decide what to put in our bodies, decide what to think, decide who we are as people and restore the freedom that brought so many millions of immigrants to this country in the first place.”
Poilieve spoke briefly with CTV News Ottawa’s Jeremie Charron while walking with Topp.
“I think he stands for freedom of choice. People should have the freedom to make their own decisions with their own bodies and so I think he’s been going all over the country and so I thought I’d give him a shout out and give him a listen and see if he has any thoughts to share with me,” Poiliev said. The MP added that Topp told him he didn’t want to disrupt the capital during Canada Day.
Conservative Party leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre marches with Canadian veteran James Topp as Canada’s March for Freedom marchers arrive in Ottawa. (Jeremy Sharon/CTV News Ottawa)
According to the Canada Marches website, Top is marching for three reasons: protesting the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates, supporting Canadians who have been denied access to jobs and services or who have lost income because of the mandate, and on behalf of those , who were pressured to take the vaccine.
“We rise to serve Canadians with integrity, respect and compassion, for the purpose of uniting our people.” We do this with the intention of ensuring that our government upholds the laws that support the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” the Canada Marches website says.
Speaking on Parliament Hill last week, Topp said a number of groups formed by the Freedom Convoy had come together to protest the federal government.
“What I would like to see with the creation of C3 – the Coalition of Canadian Citizens is for us to have further conversations about the way forward, the way forward, what we see Canada to be and what it will become,” Topp said.
Topp, a 28-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, was charged by the Department of National Defense after he publicly spoke out against federal vaccine requirements while in uniform. Topp was charged with two counts of disorderly conduct.
The top arrived as police stepped up security in the parliamentary precinct and downtown Ottawa in preparation for possible Canada Day protests. Officers in cruisers, bicycles and on foot patrolled a motor vehicle control zone designed to stop vehicles taking part in protest rallies from driving near Parliament Hill.
Freedom groups plan to hold a series of events and protests in Ottawa for Canada Day.
The groups Police on Guard for Thee, Veterans 4 Freedom and Freedom Fighters Canada are planning a “Freedom Family Picnic” at Strathcona Park on Friday. Top has to speak at the picnic.
According to the “Live from the Shack” Twitter account and the Freedom Fighters Canada website, other events planned for Canada Day include a “March for Freedom” starting on Parliament Hill at 3:30 p.m., and speeches, live music and DJs on Parliament Hill from 5 to 8 p.m
Premier Doug Ford is urging anyone attending the protests in Ottawa to obey the law.
“Folks, be careful this weekend, you’re going to Ottawa, be careful. It’s Canada Day, we’re Canadians, just everybody have a good, safe time, be healthy and be safe and spend time with your families,” Ford said.
MAXIME BERNIER CONGRATULATIONS TOP
Bernier greeted Topp at Bells Corners and plans to ride the final leg of the journey with the veteran.
In a media release, Bernier said he would also press Poilievre to clarify his position on the COVID mandates.
“He remained silent for two years, like all other Conservative MPs,” Bernier said in a statement. “He was monitoring the elections and checking which way the wind was blowing while I was holding rallies across the country and getting arrested. And then, when it was safe, he decided it was time to jump into a carefully staged photo shoot during the convoy. He should stop lying about it.”
With files from The Canadian Press
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