{"id":450674,"date":"2022-05-21T17:51:01","date_gmt":"2022-05-21T14:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/how-canada-went-from-liberal-democracy-to-authoritarian-state\/"},"modified":"2022-05-21T17:51:01","modified_gmt":"2022-05-21T14:51:01","slug":"how-canada-went-from-liberal-democracy-to-authoritarian-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-canada-went-from-liberal-democracy-to-authoritarian-state\/","title":{"rendered":"#How Canada went from liberal democracy to authoritarian state"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3bf701c65ca\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3bf701c65ca\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-canada-went-from-liberal-democracy-to-authoritarian-state\/#%E2%80%9CHow_Canada_went_from_liberal_democracy_to_authoritarian_state%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;How Canada went from liberal democracy to authoritarian state&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CHow_Canada_went_from_liberal_democracy_to_authoritarian_state%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;How Canada went from liberal democracy to authoritarian state&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Two decades ago, when I was 4 years old, my parents immigrated to Canada from India in search of greater freedoms, autonomy and economic opportunities. They\u2019re core Canadian values \u2014 enshrined in our <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/content\/dam\/ircc\/migration\/ircc\/english\/celebrate\/pdf\/national_anthem_e.pdf\">national anthem<\/a>, which gloriously heralds \u201cThe True North strong and free.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, the past two years have seen a near complete erosion of the foundational liberal values that have attracted millions of immigrants like myself to this country.<\/p>\n<p>Under the once-righteous guise of COVID safety and online protections, the Canadian government has taken its power to extreme levels once only imaginable \u2014 let alone permissible \u2014 in a dissent-stifling authoritarian state.<\/p>\n<p>The control has extended to nearly every element of Canadian society, but nowhere more so than in our everyday personal lives. Take my own case contending with Canada\u2019s COVID bureaucracy a few months back.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I was returning to Canada from the US when multiple Air Canada employees refused to let me on the plane. Although I had a negative COVID test, the government was suddenly requiring even returning citizens to be vaccinated (unvaccinated foreigners were already barred from entering).\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/toronto-airport-screening.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Canada's Covid travel restrictions remain among the world's most stringent. Even within the country, proof of vaccination is still required for domestic air travel.\" class=\"wp-image-22333748\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/toronto-airport-screening.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/toronto-airport-screening.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/toronto-airport-screening.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Canada\u2019s COVID <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a> restrictions remain among the world\u2019s most stringent. Even within the country, proof of vaccination is still required for domestic air travel.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">REUTERS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Since the most documented adverse effect associated with COVID vaccination \u2014 heart inflammation \u2014 is<strong> <\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.acc.org\/Latest-in-Cardiology\/Journal-Scans\/2022\/04\/22\/19\/17\/SARS-CoV2-Vaccination-and-Myocarditis\">concentrated in young men ages 15 \u2013 25<\/a><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cidrap.umn.edu\/news-perspective\/2022\/04\/risk-myocarditis-after-covid-vaccine-low-highest-young-men\">,<\/a> I chose not to get vaccinated. I am 21 years old, have already recovered from COVID and have no co-morbidities. I\u2019m at low risk from serious COVID illness, which is why I remain unvaccinated. But this can make air travel difficult \u2014 especially in Canada.<\/p>\n<p>Minutes before my boarding gate was closed, a sympathetic Air Canada staffer \u201cbegged\u201d his manager to let me board the plane. \u201cI just gave you a massive favor. No one else would do this,\u201d he said as I finally made my way down the jetway.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In the Canada of Justin Trudeau\u2019s making, you must now go to extreme measures simply to be allowed to return to your own nation. And for what?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/canada-trucker-protest.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"A protester lies down in front of police as they advance to end a protest in opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Ottawa.\" class=\"wp-image-22339889\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/canada-trucker-protest.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/canada-trucker-protest.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/canada-trucker-protest.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>After trying to dismiss the truckers as a \u201cfringe minority\u201d of \u201cswastika wavers,\u201d Trudeau suspended the insurance of the truckers\u2019 vehicles.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>COVID is just the beginning of the Canadian madness. The internationally recognized <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/outsidevoices.substack.com\/p\/letter-from-a-young-canadian-authoritarianism?s=r\">trucker protests<\/a> earlier this year were the most flagrant display of political control ever witnessed within the ranks of the Canadian government. After trying to dismiss the truckers as a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxbusiness.com\/lifestyle\/musk-mocks-trudeau-mandate-protests-fringe-minority\"> \u201cfringe minority\u201d<\/a> of \u201cswastika wavers,\u201d Trudeau manufactured a National Emergency in order to justify truly outrageous tactics. Not only did he suspend the insurance of the truckers\u2019 vehicles, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2022\/02\/28\/trucker-crypto-crackdown-in-canada-fuels-gop-backlash-in-u-s-00011401\">he regulated the cryptocurrency transfers<\/a> and froze the bank accounts of folks simply donating to the trucker cause.<\/p>\n<p>In my own small British Columbia town, Chilliwack (about an hour and a half from Vancouver), a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fmarkstrahl%2Fstatus%2F1495472037438967808%3Fs%3D20%26t%3DlUj4iJZgJI6WqGK6QWUDHw&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7Ce79b2b8892ed448a144e08d9f5ac21da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637810941945548388%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=nz1XQTEsdNKltIVnvdj1U4tpT80Y97bjweC4SM8m4vE%3D&amp;reserved=0\">single mother<\/a> earning minimum wage who donated $50 to the Truckers Convoy allegedly had her bank account frozen.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/canadian-money.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Even as Canada's national debt hit the trillion-dollar mark for the first time ever last year, the government is paying $600,000 to \u201conline influencers\u201d to promote vaccines on social media.\" class=\"wp-image-22333767\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/canadian-money.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/canadian-money.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/canadian-money.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Even as Canada\u2019s national debt hit the trillion-dollar mark for the first time ever last year, the government is paying $600,000 to \u201conline influencers\u201d to promote vaccines on <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social media<\/a>.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But the crackdowns on truckers were just the tip of the iceberg.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I know a bank worker in my city who was fired for not getting vaccinated, despite working remotely. A food truck delivery driver in my city met the same fate. If any of this was about \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a>,\u201d prior infection or regular COVID testing would have been a factor here, but they weren\u2019t. Get the jab or get out.<\/p>\n<p>Trudeau, who once <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thepostmillennial.com\/flashback-trudeau-confessed-he-cant-do-simple-math-or-calculations\">professed<\/a> to being cognitively unable to do basic math, has plunged the country into over <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/torontosun.com\/news\/local-news\/canadas-national-debt-1-1-trillion-growing-by-nearly-400-million-daily\">$1 trillion<\/a> in national debt for the first time in history. Everyday, that number surges by an additional $400 million. Canada is now at risk for stagflation: both economic stagnation and high inflation, as families are unable to meet their bills.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/muslim-death-ontario.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Trudeau has proposed a new &quot;online harm&quot; bill aimed at cracking down on hate speech against minorities; the National Council of Canadian Muslims fears the law could harm Muslims.\" class=\"wp-image-22333776\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/muslim-death-ontario.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/muslim-death-ontario.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/muslim-death-ontario.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Trudeau has proposed a new \u201conline harm\u201d bill aimed at cracking down on hate speech against minorities; the National Council of Canadian Muslims fears the law could harm Muslims.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Anadolu Agency via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Meanwhile, the government has devoted <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ctvnews.ca\/politics\/feds-spent-more-than-600k-hiring-influencers-in-2021-1.5842024\">$600,000<\/a> to paying \u201conline influencers\u201d to promote vaccines (as if the most vulnerable, geriatric populations are spending time on TikTok).<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Trudeau\u2019s government has proposed the \u201conline harms\u201d bill C-36, designed to crack down on hate speech against ethnic and sexual minorities. If passed, the bill would allow citizens to report on others who they fear may post something hateful, leading to possible fines, online surveillance and electronic monitoring. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/justin-trudeau.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Justin Trudeau has gone so far as to freeze the bank accounts of citizens who donated to the trucker cause. \" class=\"wp-image-22333794\" width=\"618\" height=\"411\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/justin-trudeau.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1233 1236w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/justin-trudeau.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=925 927w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/justin-trudeau.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=618 618w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/justin-trudeau.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=308 309w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/justin-trudeau.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 618px) 100vw, 618px\"\/><figcaption>Justin Trudeau has gone so far as to freeze the bank accounts of citizens who donated to the trucker cause. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Unsurprisingly, the bill has sparked <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/8780880\/canada-bill-c-36-indigenous-lgbtq-rights\/\">criticism<\/a> \u2014 and not just from right-wing activists. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nationalpost.com\/news\/politics\/liberals-proposed-online-harms-bill-slammed-in-secret-submissions-from-tech-companies-telecoms\">Twitter<\/a> has spoken out, claiming the bill could be used to silence political opposition; meanwhile, in a private letter to the Canadian government, the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nccm.ca\/\">National Council of Canadian Muslims<\/a> has warned that these measures could \u201cinadvertently result in one of the most significant assaults on marginalized and racialized communities in years.\u201d They believe requiring social media companies to report \u201cterrorist content\u201d on their platforms to law enforcement could disproportionally target Canadian Muslims.<\/p>\n<p>More than 15 years after arriving in Canada to secure a more open and rewarding life, I must now consider the possibility that my civil rights might have been more secure back in India. Once a vibrant, liberal democracy, Canada is now becoming an authoritarian state.<\/p>\n<p><em>Rav<em>\u00a0Arora specializes in topics of race, civil liberties, and spirituality. Follow him on Twitter<\/em>\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Ravarora1\"><em>@Ravarora1<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<em>and on Substack at\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ravarora.substack.com\/\">ravarora.substack.com<\/a><\/em><\/em>\n                        <\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/05\/21\/how-canada-went-from-liberal-democracy-to-authoritarian-state\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;How Canada went from liberal democracy to authoritarian state&#8221; Two decades ago, when I was 4 years old, my parents immigrated to Canada from India in search of greater freedoms, autonomy and economic opportunities. They\u2019re core Canadian values \u2014 enshrined in our national anthem, which gloriously heralds \u201cThe True North strong and free.\u201d However, the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":450675,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/05\/justin-trudeau-canada-1.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[129494,22974,82862,67816,71045,10401],"class_list":["post-450674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-5-21-22","tag-canada","tag-covid-vaccine","tag-justin-trudeau","tag-truckers","tag-twitter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/450674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=450674"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/450674\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/450675"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=450674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=450674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=450674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}