Freedom Convoy 2022 Press Release; Lacking Taste and Missing the Main Ingredients.

When The Seeker sent me the latest “press release” from the Freedom Convoy 2022 “Organization” (give me a break) and asked me if I would be interested in writing commentary about it I was overcome with the urge to just sleep it off.

Originally published in The Seeker on March 7, 2022

Nonetheless, I dutifully read the thing and spent a few hours trying to write observations with deep insights or at the very least, fresh perspective. I gave up and went to make supper.

While peeling onions and weeping into my curry I realized that my inability to come up with anything new and interesting was because the freedom convoy itself has nothing new to say and in fact never did.

The press release is 1,245 words of self-praise, condemnation of governmental tyranny and police brutality and hopes and dreams for the future a la “if you build it they will come”. It is supposedly endorsed by world leaders who have decried “Trudeau’s tyrannical and unjustifiable infringement on Canadians’ rights”. A quick google search for these condemning world leaders led to Trump Jr and an MP in Romania. Mind you, I suppose it depends on how and who you define as “leader”. Undoubtedly this includes a royal nod from the self-elected “Queen of Canada” Romana Didulo?

One of my problems with this group is their unwillingness to abide by language definitions that we all understand. In pitch-perfect Propaganda 101 style they endlessly repeat words like “peaceful”, “legal” and “protest” when the visible reality is anything but. What is a protest versus an occupation?  What is peaceful versus violent and from whose perspective is an action peaceful? I know Ottawa residents did not consider the occupation “peaceful”. What is legal versus illegal and who gets to define it?  I’m not a lawyer but it seems to me that occupying any nation’s capital for three weeks and attempting to paralyze a democratically elected government would not be considered lawful in any country. I could go on, but you get the point. As flawed as it may be, we abide by a set of agreed-upon definitions and laws that allow us to function as a society.

The freedom convoy came into being after God apparently communicated his wishes to Canada Unity leader Jame Bauder (@2:50 minutes in this Fifth Estate reportage) and from the start, this “movement” has lacked reasonable and well-defined goals that could be measured and met by us mere mortals.

“Every day, more Canadians and more people across the globe are joining in to voice their concerns in Ottawa, throughout our nation, and around the world.” This important-sounding statement is meaningless. For better or worse, the gradual repeal of health mandates has been in the works for several months owing little or nothing to their extravagant efforts.  Loud as they have been, they have naively equated making noise with making a statement. And this has some sad repercussions.

If you take away the extremists, the religious right-wingers, the haters and separatists, the political hopefuls (not a chance in my book), and the vacuous hangers-on, you are left with people who probably do have legitimate concerns that should be heard. In jumping on the “freedom” bandwagon they have muzzled themselves by joining a coalition of fools that are universally disparaged as being ignorant and entitled. Worse, they have ensured that their concerns will be conveniently ignored by politicians and the public who otherwise might have listened.

Most of this press release is one overblown opinion lacking identifiable facts to back up statements made.  Ultimately, it’s the gasping last breaths of a group that has accomplished nothing but is trying to keep the message alive. If only it had something to say.

Here’s my Chickpea Coconut Curry recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons of coconut or other oil
• 1 large onion sliced1 can of drained tomatoes
• Three garlic cloves minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of garam masala
• 1/2  teaspoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of madras curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1 can of regular coconut milk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste at the end

METHOD

1. Stirfry onion and garlic in the oil over medium heat until soft
2. Add diced tomatoes and spices and cook until it’s a paste. Note: you can add the reserved tomato juice or water to keep this paste from burning as it cooks
3. Add chickpeas and coconut milk
4. Cook on low for 30 minutes stirring frequently or simmer for a couple of hours
5. Add lime juice before serving
6. Serve over rice (or pasta) and garnish with cilantro if you like
7. ps.. it’s easy to double it and it freezes well

Photo credit: Cats Coming, Pexels