U.S. Embassy Archives • Ted Barris

Slain by symbolism

Written by Ted Barris on February 3rd, 2022February 3rd, 2022. Leave a comment

MP Michael Cooper chose to stand with the “Freedom Convoy” demonstrators, whose symbols (including the swastika on the Canadian flag) represent anything but freedom.

He thought he was standing up for rights and freedoms in Canada. And last Saturday, Michael Cooper, the MP for St. Albert-Edmonton constituency, wanted to be seen while saying so. Thousands of people blocked the streets of Ottawa with trucks and demonstrations as part of a so-called “Freedom Convoy” to protest vaccine mandates and other restrictions in response to the COVID pandemic. And Cooper chose to join the demonstrations and speak to the media, which is what all politicians do when they feel they’re on the right side of history.

“(People are) just here to send a message to the prime minister,” Cooper said as the CBC TV camera rolled.

But what the Alberta MP had not planned as part of his few seconds in the limelight was the backdrop to his statement. Fluttering in the breeze immediately behind him was an upside-down Canadian flag which was also desecrated with a swastika. (more…)

Demonstrating change

Written by Ted Barris on August 21st, 2014September 25th, 2014. Leave a comment

It began rather innocently as a group of students naively wanting change. It was the ninth year of the war in Vietnam. I was in my second year at Ryerson. The U.S. National Guard shootings of four students at Kent State had just happened. On University Avenue in Toronto, we joined others whose agendas were wide-ranging. Some wanted world anarchy. Others were Americans burning their draft notices. Most were like us, just students wanting to change things for the better. Then, things went haywire.

“The police are on horses,” somebody shouted, “and they’re coming at us.” (more…)

Occupying minds, not parks

Written by Ted Barris on November 17th, 2011November 17th, 2011. 1 Comment

On Nov. 15 city officials delivered eviction notices to the Occupy Toronto protest site in St. James Park. A judge later stayed that eviction until the weekend.

The comment was bold and brutal. The man on the other end of the phone was blunt and to the point. He pulled no punches. His voice was full of disgust.

“You’re lazy. You’re vagrants. You’re a bunch of hoodlums, drug addicts and anarchists” he said on the phone. “Get out of our park!”

(more…)