GRON: Peaceful protests are essential to democracy

Now we have the blockades in Southern Alberta. The movement is catching attention around the world and people are wondering when did these Canadians finally decide to stand up for themselves??

Then I go outside my social media bubble, I see some people question the movement asking “Why are the truckers doing what they are doing?” Even more disturbing, I read a comment where a lady stated: “We are not supposed to protest a bad government, we vote them out.”

I was amazed how little people understand our democracy, our freedoms, and how our systems are intended to work when the people aren’t happy with a government that has lost touch with the people.

A peaceful protest is a vital part of democracy. Government officials often get caught up pushing their own agendas. They’re sheltered and untouched by the real world. While everyone sitting at home under restrictions collecting CERB and CRB, wondered if we were entering into Hollywood’s next zombie plague storyline, our leaders were still receiving full paycheques sitting at home. Then you have the individuals who only read or watch things that confirm what they already believe. These people refuse to listen to anything that challenges their sense of what’s right in the world. It’s too scary to think of other possibilities.

A peaceful protest forces the conversation and brings awareness of problems to the government and to the people. When people start discussing and debating issues, ideas are challenged. This is how things get changed for the better. What the truckers are doing is amazingly selfless. They’re taking time from their families and earning a living to force a conversation that needs to happen. We need to discuss losing our right to choose and the long-term effects of those rights being eroded.

Here’s the truth: Our government doesn’t care about our rights. Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms only means something when we stand up for it. We have to want it! We have to protect it! Ultimately, we have to fight for it. We have all heard “If you forget the past, you are doomed to repeat it.” A tyrannical government’s playbook isn’t top-secret. There are very close parallels to what’s happening here in Canada today and past administrations that fell into authoritarianism. It’s up to us to stop it.

If you agree with the lockdowns and your right to choose being stripped away for your own safety, you’re missing the much larger picture. What happens if our prime minister — or the next one — decides to do something opposed to what you believe? What kind of actions could be criminalized in the name of public safety? Are your homes and savings safe from an ideological regime?

If you think it will never happen, you’re not paying attention. I have heard, “That would never happen here,” but our very own prime minister spoke publicly about how the pandemic will provide an opportunity for a “reset.”

That loaded language is parroted from the World Economic Forum where the unvarnished goal of the group is to bring in some form of socialist’s paradise. Justin Trudeau addressed that group a few years ago.

So, if you believe this protest is doing nothing, consider this: the Truckers for Freedom convoy is all over the news, all over social media, everyone is talking about it, and you’re reading this. I would say it’s working perfectly. Ultimately, when enough people start asking questions the government has little choice but to change course.

I’ll be honest; I think our prime minister will ignore the Truckers for Freedom Convoy. He will continue to hide until all the big bad scary truckers are gone. Premier Jason Kenney will do nothing as well. He has his own agenda which doesn’t serve Alberta. But maybe, just maybe this movement is uniting Canadians. More will witness how our government has lost touch. Sentiment will continue to rise, and we will resist more until our voice is so strong everything changes.

We need to be thankful someone is willing to stand up for our rights! If you find the government turns on you, you will be wishing for someone to stand up for you. So, THANK YOU truckers for doing this! You may very well be saving the country that we love!! At the very least you’re uniting people when unity seemed like a thing of the past. Right now, you are the heroes the world is watching! You are an inspiration to everyone that understands what’s at stake!

Guest columnist Sheldon Gron is a community advocate in Spruce Grove Alberta