Protesting is fundamental to the Canadian identity, but hate cannot be tolerated,.Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement..“The right to peaceful protest is core to our Canadian identity,” said Ford, who referred to the Freedom Convoy 2022 protest in Ottawa which has been accused by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of fostering hate acts ..“However, I was deeply disturbed to see some people desecrating our most sacred monuments and waving swastikas and other symbols of hatred and intolerance,” Ford said..“It has no place in Ontario or Canada. Not now. Never.”.“Those are not our people,” the Freedom Convoy 2022 organizers said.in a press conference., explaining the protesters supporting their cause had nothing to do with the disrespect to the Unknown Soldier memorial..“Now we are fighting two fights. One against the Trudeau government, and one against smears on the movement,” said Benjamin Ditcher, truck driver and convoy organizer..The protest is a nationwide protest against government COVID-19 mandates..“All Ontarians are united in their desire to leave this pandemic behind and return to the life we knew before COVID-19,” Ford said as restrictions in Ontario start to ease this week..Ewa Sudyk is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.esudyk@westernstandardonline.com
