By

February 1, 2022

-Western Standard

 

The Canada Revenue Agency is refusing to comment on false reports it issued saying angry truckers were looting their offices, says Blacklock’s Reporter.

The report was among several that falsely claimed the Freedom Convoy had turned violent.

CRA management in a bulletin to staff claimed it had “confirmation” truckers opposed to vaccine orders began raiding office building near their headquarters. Truckers were believed to be looting offices and causing property damage, it said.

There were no such raids.

The Ottawa Police Service confirmed it had not received any reports of looting and had not arrested any trucker for mischief, property damage, assault or other Criminal Code offence.

“Police are aware many demonstrators have announced their intention to stay in place,” police said in a statement.

The Liberal MP whose riding is home to Parliament Hill on Monday told the Commons the truckers’ protest was so raucous that residents feared to leave their homes, but he provided no examples.

“My community is under siege right now,” said MP Yasir Naqvi (Ottawa Centre).

“For three days in a row residents are unable to sleep. They feel they have been harassed and intimidated and they have been yelled at. The front of their homes have been defecated and urinated on.

“Please ask the protesters to leave the residential areas of my community alone. They can make their point on Parliament Hill but let us make sure the residents who live here can live peacefully and not accept any hate.”

Reporters with The Canadian Press claimed protesters had accosted members of the public outside the Commons.

“Have any of your MPs been prevented from coming in the building, accosted, threatened, had any kind of of incidents with those in the convoy? We’ve heard of others,” a reporter asked Government House Leader Mark Holland.

“MPs I’ve spoke to have been able to access Parliament,” replied Holland, adding: “I came in this morning without any problems.”

“How long should authorities give these folks to take up the precinct as they are now?” asked a reporter.

“We’re all fed up with this,” replied Holland.

Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis (Haldimand-Norfolk, Ont.) accused critics of the Freedom Convoy of a double standard.

“We recognize the need to prevent protesters from interrupting and blocking critical care facilities like hospitals, but not railroads,” said Lewis.

VIA Rail in 2020 blamed Wet’suwet’en First Nation rail blockades in part for a $33.6 million loss in the first quarter of the year. Sympathy blockades by the Mohawk Nation saw Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller meet personally with protesters near Belleville, Ont.

“We show up at protest and take a knee but hide from 100,000 truckers and citizens who are rallying for democracy,” said MP Lewis, referring to Black Lives Matter protests on Parliament Hill.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on June 5, 2020 joined demonstrators in kneeling outside Parliament.

“I am very concerned that one of the biggest challenges facing our future will be the restoration of public confidence in institutions such as the media and government,” Lewis told the Commons.

Parliament was “is in danger of losing its capacity to deal with national issues,” she added.

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