Canadian Armed Forces Veteran James Topp completed his 130 day march across Canada by arriving at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa on Thursday.."We marched over 4,300 kilometers in protest, but this is not about that anymore. This is about the completion of this March," Topp said to a crowd of hundreds on the steps of the National War Memorial.."It wasn't just me marching. It was all of you; everyone I met from Vancouver to Ottawa. You're the ones responsible for getting me here," Topp said. "I could not have done it without the encouragement and the support, in every possible way.".Topp, a 22-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, walked from B.C. to Ontario to protest vaccine mandates and COVID restrictions. He was charged back in May with two conduct infractions for speaking out against mandates while in uniform..Topp and his crew began the final leg of their march at Bell's Corner at 10:00 a.m. Nearly a hundred people gathered to send off a group of about 75 marchers..Three groups of marchers made their way west on Baseline Road, briefly stopping at the College Square Mall to rest before continuing towards the Experimental Farm..At noon, Conservative Leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre joined the march and spoke with Topp for nearly 20 minutes. Last week, Topp spoke with more than a dozen Conservative MPs, where he asked them to help heal Canada's divisions..Leader of the People's Party of Canada Maxime Bernier, who marched with Topp the entire day, sent out a press release in the morning saying he wanted to speak with Poilievre about his changing stance on COVID vaccine mandates..But Bernier later told the Western Standard he "didn’t have have a chance to catch up with him."."Pierre Poilievre acted exactly as he did during the Freedom Convoy. He came for a quick photo op and then left," Bernier said on Twitter. "Check out next week; he will claim that he marched 50km with James!".At 2:00 p.m., several hundred supporters of Topp gathered at Hog's Back Falls, where they waved flags, chanted, and sang 'O' Canada.' Many of the vehicles driving by honked their horns in support of the group.."The way we show this is a peaceful March is by being peaceful to each other," Topp told the crowd after arriving at Hog's Back Falls. "So please be respectful.".After a half an hour break, the group continued their march up Colonel By Drive towards the downtown core. By then, well over 250 people were participating in the march..Shortly after 6:00 p.m., Topp and his followers finally arrived at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to thunderous applause from a crowd of hundreds..Topp's team called for a moment of silence while the veteran placed his hand on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. But a dozen counterprotestors demonstrating nearby interrupted with chants of "bullshit!".The counterprotestors held signs that said 'Convoy go home,' 'Convoy Chuds not welcome,' and 'Centretown is tired of your shit.' None of the counterprotestors were willing to speak with the Western Standard..Topp told the crowd he believes Canadians' freedoms are being "slowly siphoned away," and said many of the people he spoke with on his march have, "lost faith in the system.".According to Topp, the answer to this problem is to "heed the call, assemble, organize yourself" and to choose non-violence.."What's easy is to be afraid. What's easy is to hate. What's easy is to insult others. But what you have to work at is letting that go, looking for something positive, and redirecting your anger into something constructive," Topp said..Topp told the audience that it was time to attempt to heal the country by reaching out an "open hand" to those they disagree with. "You may get insulted. But you will maintain your dignity because that's what Canadians do," he said.."Calm, quiet dignity and inner strength. That's what we have. That's what we share. And that's how you demonstrate to others.".Following Topp's speech, Ottawa Police arrested four people at the National War Memorial, later claiming that "an interaction with officers became confrontational and one officer was choked."
