Jon Malloy talks to City News:
“As downtown Ottawa braces for the return of some protesters on the anniversary of the 2022 ‘Freedom Convoy’, the message and goals of the three week occupation of Wellington Street remains unknown. What is clear, however, is Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre tapped into the anger and frustration to his benefit, according to one Carleton political science professor.
Though the protesters expressed many different grievances – vaccines, masks, economic challenges, pandemic restrictions – their overall goals and motivations all jumbled together.
Jonathan Malloy, professor of Political Science at Carleton University, said on The Sam Laprade Show that while the spark of the protest was likely restrictions on unvaccinated truckers at the Canada-US border, there was at least one unifying motivation for everyone who made their way in front of Parliament Hill: Trudeau.
“There’s no doubt that the biggest thing motivating most people downtown was a dislike of Justin Trudeau,” said Malloy. “Although, for slightly different reasons.”
Protesting in Ottawa was certainly symbolic, being the home of the national government, but the irony for Malloy is many of the restrictions put in place like the curfews and lockdowns were set by provincial governments.”