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Eric and two of his buddies were in a small gaggle just outside the Parliament building here in Ottawa, steam pouring from their coffee cups like so many 19th century smokestacks. He’s been here since the protest started three weeks ago and he told me, “Candians are losing their democracy and [Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau is trying to turn people against us.”Michelle, her nails done in a patriotic red and white as we smoked cigarettes on Albert street tells me, “I’m a hippie. We aren’t telling anyone they can’t wear masks or get vaccinated, so why are people trying to force us?” She and her husband have made the 6-hour trek each weekend from their home in Canada near Niagara Falls. This time they brought their kids, “because this is history.”
Trucks line the downtown streets of Ottawa on the 14th day of the “Freedom Convoy.”
(Fox News Digital/Lisa Bennatan)DAVID MARCUS: CANADA TRUCKERS WANT FREEDOM, NOT A GLOBAL WORLD WHERE ELITES CONTROL THEIR LIVESThe inescapable question as one talks to the protesters is why hasn’t Trudeau talked to them? Three weeks ago he had a choice, he could have listened to their concerns, shown some degree of interest in them and in all likelihood stomped out the story. Instead, he made ridiculous claims about them being fringe racists, and stooges for American right-wingers. What he got for this choice was not just a Canadian crisis, but a global one.As conflict emerges on the streets of Paris, and the blockade of the border bridge outside of Detroit was just brought to an end, one has to ask if any of this would be happening had Trudeau simply met with these protesters when this all started. In the end, this arrogance and obstinacy from Trudeau and his government has only hardened the position of the protesters.In a tremendous self-own the CBC, a state owned and operated news outlet, ran a story on Sunday with the headline “Why the word ‘freedom’ is such a rallying cry for protesters.” A subheading reads, “The word has become common among far-right groups, experts say.” Excuse me? Can this be real? The Canadian government through its media lackeys are really running down the concept of freedom?Meanwhile, the protest seems to be having its desired effect, at least in part. On Monday, Premier of Ontario Doug Ford announced that as of March 1st a slew of restrictions will be cut back. These include limits on indoor capacity and the vaccine passport mandate to enter venues. Ford claims these reversals were not because of the trucker convoy but “in spite of it.” Maybe that is true, but it sure doesn’t look that way.So now, in a mere three weeks, the position of the Canadian government has gone from, the truckers are white supremacists, to the truckers are agents of American right-wing interests, to making major concessions. These concessions could not have been made or even discussed 21 days ago? Why not?CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTERFrom the beginning of the pandemic and its myriad state imposed restrictions the fear of many people has been that this grip on power will not be relinquished even when the medical emergency is abated. Trudeau’s response to the trucker protest can only solidify those fears. It is anathema to the very concept of democracy, and indeed, freedom, for the leader of Canada to simply refuse to listen to the legitimate concerns of her people.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPWhat has resonated across the globe from this group of Canadians demanding their rights in the freezing cold is not just their words and willpower, but the absolutely shameless response from Trudeau, who at the start of this whole thing went so far as to go into hiding. Hiding from what? What I have seen is patriotic Canadians waving their flag and singing their anthem. If that is enough to scare Justin Trudeau then maybe Canada needs a leader with a bit more courage.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DAVID MARCUS