Scenes from Day 19 of an occupied Ottawa
Civil liberties may not be temporarily suspended by the federal government invoking the Emergencies Act, but the powers its first time application bring Justin Trudeau are considered “proof of failure” by the opposition. The act includes the right to freeze bank accounts. Concurrently, the identities of Freedom Convoy donors were leaked.
Flags and freedom and stuff
National Flag of Canada Day got a boilerplate statement from the PMO during a time when the red maple leaf is being academically contemplated as a toxic symbol due to its presence at trucker protests. And then there’s reportage on “freedom” becoming a word synonymous with the far-right, at least according to certain professors on call.
Peter Sloly has resigned as Ottawa’s chief of police. The public announcement will follow an afternoon board meeting on what’s now the 19th day of the protest. A week ago, Sloly said he had no plans to step down amidst criticism that cops hadn’t been cracking down enough.
Business is now taken care of
CBC Radio’s cancellation of Vinyl Tap last year caught host Randy Bachman by surprise: he thought he was being contacted for a contract renewal when the call came about how the show was ending after 16 years to make room for new voices. Now, it’s found a home at commercial rock stations across Canada:
Wayne and Garth mark 30 years as American multiplex icons. The anniversary journalism for Scarborough-inspired motion picture Wayne’s World was in full effect to promote a Blu-ray reissue. In the process, director Penelope Spheeris is discussing behind-the-scenes drama indicative of the Hollywood that she ultimately left behind.
Finally, going beyond a monorail
The Toronto Zoo developed a new master plan due to its attendance waning for a while. Its board has approved options that include a boutique hotel, a craft brewery and a daycare, yurts for human camping and overhead tubing for animals to walk on. When the zoo opened in 1974, all it needed was the futuristic Dominion Ride and the world’s largest McDonald’s: