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LETTERS: Prime minister’s remarks about protesters were inappropriate

Editor:
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Editor:

Re: Show your support, March 10 editorial

I think it is appropriate to comment on this editorial inasmuch as Canadians must feel privileged to live in a free society. I think it is equally important to protect that freedom.

First, the situation in Ukraine was hardly sudden, if one believes news sources.

Our prime minister is in no way behaving in anything close to the way that Mr. Putin is and has been. However, I am reminded of my first direct contact with an elected politician. He was an MLA in the Kitchener area of Ontario, a Liberal in a province which had been Conservative at that time for over 30 years. His first comment was that his responsibility was to represent all of the constituents in his riding not just those who had voted for him.

For that reason, I thought it was inappropriate for the prime minister of Canada to label people who opposed some of his policies as “a fringe minority of misogynists and racists, with unacceptable opinions,” who apparently were neo-Nazis and neo-Confederates, when some of them actually had Canadian flags.

In a free country, opinions are free and you don’t have to be right. You can be arrested for hate speech. He also said Canadians would not be intimidated by this group, but subsequently enacted the Emergency Measures Act.

One of his security advisors subsequently reported that the convoy was intended to overthrow the government. The only violation of government action that I noticed, correct me if I am wrong, was that the Act was only ratified by the House of Commons and not the Senate, which is one of the houses of Parliament.

A number of my immediate ancestors fought in wars to protect Canada’s freedom. Please don’t take it for granted.

Bob Holden, Surrey