Through the media, we attended two carnivals in Quebec. An organizer of the Freedom Convoy to the Nation’s Capital was delighted that the crowd gathered in front of the parliament building outnumbered those following the route leading to the Ice Palace. For him, Rambo was without a doubt the winner. Truly ?
Mr. Mayor of Quebec, you say that everything happened calmly and respectfully? In order, certainly, but as regards respect, you are very conciliatory. When we compare ourselves, we console ourselves. The demonstration in Quebec did not result in the entrenched occupation of Ottawa, which, moreover, would be infiltrated by far-right elements, nevertheless, it is worth asking whether we have only seen the tip of the iceberg on the Quebec side. The Woodstock of Liberty, the love in libertarian, that “Rambo” Gauthier promises, meeting scheduled for in two weeks if the health instructions are not all lifted, could shake the relative tranquility of deputies, residents and civil servants working from home.
What is the source of all this magma that is pouring into some capitals of the country? Who are the instigators of such noisy protest movements? What are their motives? Admittedly, pandemic fatigue is widely heard, but a majority of citizens are holding out by adapting to deconfinement. This minority of slingers is not homogeneous. If we trust the vox populi and the slogans on the placards, what is demanded is nothing less than full freedom in a rebellious absolutism and by formulating remarks that reveal not fatigue, but a bewildering degree of ignorance and contempt for the scientific experts with, as a bonus, distrust of elected officials and the media.
It is clear that a gap of incomprehension has widened between vaccinated and non-vaccinated. Some are intolerant of others. The grumbling is no longer latent. The unvaccinated have become scapegoats for the rout of our hospital system and its corollary, load shedding. Some columnists wanted them to be barred from entering supermarkets. Should we also tighten the screw to the non-vaccinated to the door of hardware stores?
The ambient cleavage does not bode well. Will the change in tone of François Legault be enough to appease the hot spirits? One thing is certain, it is a bad political calculation to respond in an electoral way to the popular discontent of each other.