Threats From Within and Without

                                  

 

There seems to be a growing acknowledgement that the trucker siege of Ottawa and various border crossings is not simply a home-grown movement to end Covid-19 mandates. Increasingly, it looks like both an international and a domestic effort to destabilize democracy and sow distrust of our political structures.

Judging by the impotent response of various levels of government, it seems the latter is being accomplished, although a few minutes ago Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency. What action that translates into is yet to be seen.

A number of journalistic investigations are currently ongoing, one of which Owen writes about today in his blog, citing David Climenhaga's piece in The Tyee about American influence and funding of these illegal actions. Both are well-worth your time.

While the interference of external actors is significant, there is, unfortunately, formidable domestic facilitation of what has essentially become an insurrection. Judy Trinh notes the involvement of former military and RCMP personnel:

The group Police on Guard, formed during the pandemic, has endorsed the truck convoy.

The organization says it has "boots on the ground" in Ottawa and has linked to YouTube videos of its members participating in the protest.

Furthermore, the leadership team for the protesters calling themselves the Freedom Convoy includes:  

• Daniel Bulford, a former RCMP officer who was on the prime minister's security detail. He quit last year after refusing to get the vaccine and is the convoy's head of security.

• Tom Quiggin, a former military intelligence officer who also worked with the RCMP and was considered one of the country's top counter-terrorism experts.

• Tom Marazzo, an ex-military officer who, according to his LinkedIn profile, served in the Canadian Forces for 25 years and now works as a freelance software developer. 

While all three have interesting backgrounds, Quiggin's is especially noteworthy.

During his tenure at the RCMP, Quiggin was a member of the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET), which was created to thwart terror threats following 9/11. At INSET, Quiggin worked alongside top officials at CSIS, Canada's spy agency, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and municipal police forces.

 Bulford, the former RCMP officer, seems to have a cozy relationship with the authorities:

"[Police] all know that this group is here for everybody, and I make a point of saying to other police officers, when I see them, it's like, 'Just so you know, in my mind and in my heart, we're doing this for all of you as well,'" said Bulford.

 A Twitter video posted by Trinh this morning speaks volumes. Be sure to watch the entire, incredible clip:

This spirit of fraternity is in addition to the skills that have been brought to the siege.

Michael Kempa, an associate professor of criminology at the University of Ottawa, says the convoy's policing and military expertise can be seen in the co-ordination of their activities in downtown Ottawa.

"They have this sort of military or police or at least survivalist training. Look at the sophistication of what they're setting up in terms of an encampment in downtown Ottawa," said Kempa, who studies policing across Canada.

"It looks like a military operation."

As examples, Kempa pointed to the tents and wooden structures used for kitchens that organizers have set up and the supply chain that has sprung up across the city to keep people fed, working and protesting. 

All in all, a very well-orchestrated and well-coordinated operation that did not emerge at random. If we are to retain faith in our government structures, something the insurrectionists are trying very hard to erode, it is now time to act with resolve and dispatch to end the hostage-taking of Ottawa and at our various border crossings.