Kaczorowski: The dark side of populism is at work in the truck protest – Ottawa Citizen

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I fear that for far too many of those occupying the streets of downtown Ottawa, it was never about vaccines.

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What happens when the rules and accepted norms of a democratic society are threatened by those who violently reject the safeguards of order and stability? The events of the last several days in downtown Ottawa have provided a disturbing glimpse into such a world, a place where mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

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What allegedly began as a protest against cross-border vaccination requirements quickly descended into a shrill and incoherent exercise in public disorder, fuelled by a toxic stew of abusive language and often violent, anti-social behaviour. Some of the leaders tactics bordered on the fantastical, notably the manifesto calling on the Governor General and the Senate to override the democratically elected House of Commons.

Those behind the siege clearly lack even a basic awareness of parliamentary responsible government, likewise the division of federal-provincial powers. The fact that the vast majority of vaccine-related mandates fall under provincial responsibility appears to have escaped them. Then again, those responsible for such heinous acts as desecrating monuments to our war dead and threatening staff at a homeless shelter are unlikely to care about the nuances of the Constitution. Their use of our national flag and the Charter of Rights as props to justify their actions is an insult to the values that underlie both of those symbols. Intimidating citizens living and working in the downtown area makes a mockery of the protesters alleged concern with freedom.

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The tactics of the protesters are also part and parcel of a growing and disturbing phenomenon which has come to characterize populism. We like to think of populism as an expression of public will. But populism is a two-sided coin. The dark side of populism is demonstrated by authoritarian tactics aimed at subverting democratic institutions and the rule of law. It is hardly surprising, for example, to hear that Donald Trump has been cheering on the Ottawa siege. This is, after all, the man who sat and watched as his supporters sought to violently overthrow the results of a democratic election. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, another self-described populist, had no hesitation in seeking to demonize Parliament during the Brexit debate. Coercive tactics, including violence, are regular features of populist political movements in France, Italy, Hungary and elsewhere.

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Certainly one of the most distressing aspects of recent events in Ottawa is the descent of the Conservative Party, now engaged in a time-honoured tradition of in-fighting. Deposed party leader Erin OToole has no one to blame but himself. He shamelessly courted the right wing of his party while running for leader, then swiftly tacked to the centre during the 2021 federal election, leaving both hard-liners and moderates bewildered and doubtful of his convictions. His position on vaccinations proved wildly out of step with public opinion, geared more towards pacifying the anti-vaccine elements within his own party; likewise his flaccid response to the tactics of the protesters.

The strongest condemnation, however, should be reserved for those MPs, including Ottawa-area MP Pierre Polievre, who make excuses for this occupation because they imagine it serves their own narrow political ends, with no thought for the consequences of this implicit endorsement of mob action. It is particularly shocking that someone like Saskatchewan MP Andrew Scheer has cheered on the siege. This is a man who was once Speaker of the House of Commons, and as such custodian of the rules and conventions which are the foundation of our parliamentary system of responsible government. That such a person could cheer on lawlessness is a stain on democratic society. Other Conservative MPs who spent their time taking selfies with participants in this occupation have shown a shocking and contemptuous lack of civic responsibility.

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I fear that for far too many of those occupying the streets of downtown Ottawa, it was never about vaccines. In the 2008 filmThe Dark Knight, Batman struggles to understand the motives behind The Jokers violent crime spree. Neither money nor power seem to be the reason behind it all. It appears to be nothing more than chaos for its own sake. Batmans wise counsellor, Alfred, supplies the answer:

Some men arent looking for anything logical, like money. They cant be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to see the world burn.

Michael Kaczorowski lives in Ottawa and is a retired senior policy adviser with the federal government.

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Kaczorowski: The dark side of populism is at work in the truck protest - Ottawa Citizen