The protests staged in Ottawa over the weekend that caused only minimal disruptions were a far cry from the “Freedom Convoy” demonstrations that occupied downtown streets for three weeks earlier this year.
While the initial protests saw vehicles blockading streets, the installation of a speaker’s platform and a hot tub on Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill, last weekend’s protests saw measures like security screenings to visit the Hill and making the area off-limits to vehicles.
A few hundred people marched through downtown to voice their opposition to the federal government and public health restrictions, compared to the thousands that flowed in on weekends during the winter.
Howard Ramos, chair of the department of sociology at Western University, said the context of last weekend’s protest was different, whereas during the winter there was a “perfect storm of amplification,” including Conservative MPs, people on social media and mainstream media coverage.
Ramos said the Ottawa Police Service and parliamentary security have learned from the winter demonstrations, as evidenced by the fact that vehicles were not able to get as close to Parliament as they did in the past.
He said it’s also important to note that many of the mandates from the winter have since been relaxed or removed, making it harder to get the “broad range of coalition” that happened in the winter.
Somerset Ward Coun. Catherine McKenney said in an interview that this past weekend was unique in that it was Canada Day, so the city was not just expecting the protesters but also knew there would be thousands of people enjoying the holiday.
“So the threat of any type of clash concerned me greatly, concerned my colleagues greatly,” said McKenney, who uses the pronouns they and them.
Bylaw officers issuing tickets was critical to maintaining order as well, McKenney said, given that people are not allowed to set up tents, speakers or structures without a permit.
“Bylaw’s response around those aspects was critical to ensuring that we didn’t have midnight concerts on Wellington Street, we didn’t have stages set out, we didn’t have, even, tables set up where there’s that focal point for congregating,” McKenney said.
The feedback from residents has been overall positive, but the significant amount of armed police did surprise people a bit, they said. “We’re just not used to it.”
A balance must be struck between community safety and over-policing, said McKenney, contrasting February when they were “begging” police to come into residential neighbourhoods that were “essentially lawless,” and as the movement around the convoy starts to dissipate somewhat.
Asked what Ottawa police thought they did differently this time, the service in a statement pointed to interim police chief Steve Bell’s speaking notes from June 27.
Police had been gathering intelligence, speaking with organizers and observing open source online commentary, he said, adding the service has taken “an enhanced and extended posture” that started well before Canada Day and extended “well past” to ensure it properly protected the city.
“The robust police planning, deployment and response met the challenges presented by this major event and protests,” a police spokesperson said, adding no estimates of the policing costs for the weekend are available yet.
The City of Ottawa worked closely with Ottawa police and other policing partners in the implementation of a public safety plan, which included traffic management and enforcement of all applicable city bylaws, said Kim Ayotte, the city’s general manager of emergency and protective services, in a statement.
The city also communicated with residents through various channels leading up to and during the Canada Day weekend, Ayotte said.
The response was reminiscent of the handling of the “Rolling Thunder” protest in late April, when Ottawa police called in more than 800 reinforcements from RCMP and other forces to help, including by blocking off highway exits and streets in the downtown core to prevent an encampment forming.
That event cost an estimated $2.5 to $3 million to police.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2022.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
MONTREAL – One expert says entry-level pay under the tentative deal between Air Canada and its pilots could be a stumbling block ahead of a union vote on the agreement.
Under their current contract, pilots earn far less in their first four years at the company before enjoying a big wage increase starting in year five.
The Air Line Pilots Association had been pushing to scrap the so-called “fixed rate” provision entirely.
But according to a copy of the contract summary obtained by The Canadian Press, the proposed deal announced Sunday would merely cut the four-year period of lower pay to two years.
John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University, says as many as 2,000 of Air Canada’s roughly 5,200 active pilots may earn entry-level wages following a recent hiring surge.
After the airline averted a strike this week, Gradek says the failure to ditch the pay grade restrictions could prompt pushback from rank-and-file flight crew and jeopardize the deal, which is up for a vote next month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
ROME (AP) — Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at its home World Cup in 1990, has died. He was 59.
Schillaci had been hospitalized in Palermo following treatment for colon cancer.
The Palermo Civico hospital said in a statement that Schillacci died on Wednesday morning after being admitted 11 days ago.
Schillaci scored six goals for Italy during the 1990 World Cup. He came on as a substitute during Italy’s opener against Austria, scored in a 1-0 victory, and went on to earn the Golden Boot awarded to the tournament’s top scorer. He only scored one other goal for Italy in his career.
Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina announced that a minute of silence would be held in memory of Schillaci before all games in the country for the rest of the week.
“The uncontrollable celebrations, in which his face was the symbol of shared joy, will remain forever part of Italian soccer (history),” Gravina said. “Totò was a great player, a symbol of tenacious desire and redemption. … His soccer was full of passion. And that fearless spirit made everyone appreciate him and will make him immortal.”
Schillaci also won the Golden Ball award at the 1990 World Cup as the tournament’s top player ahead of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona.
Schillaci played for Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Japanese team Jubilo Iwata during his club career.
“You made an entire nation dream during the Magical Nights of Italia ’90,” Inter said on its social media channels.
West Germany won the 1990 World Cup, beating Argentina in the final, while Italy beat England for third place with a winning penalty kick from Schillaci.
Roberto Baggio, who scored Italy’s opening goal in the third-place match, wrote on Instagram, “Ciao my dear friend.”
Having been born and raised in Palermo, the Palermo soccer team announced that it would hold a public viewing of Schillaci at its Renzo Barbera stadium ahead of the funeral, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported.
French soccer player Wissam Ben Yedder will stay free ahead of his trial on charges of sexual assault while intoxicated, one of his lawyers told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Marie Roumiantseva said Ben Yedder will remain under strict judicial supervision after a woman filed a lawsuit for sexual assault earlier this month.
The 34-year-old Ben Yedder, a prolific striker in the French league, was briefly detained then released after the alleged incident in his car on the French Riviera. Ben Yedder had been stopped by police after he first refused to do so. He was then put in a jail cell.
After he was summoned to appear in court on Oct. 15 and placed under judicial supervision, the Nice prosecutor’s office appealed the decision not to remand the player in custody. The investigative chamber of the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence did not grant this request and kept Ben Yedder under judicial supervision.
Ben Yedder attended a hearing Tuesday during which he offered to go to rehab. He has admitted he drove while under the influence of alcohol but has denied any sexual assault.
In a separate legal case last year, Ben Yedder was charged with “rape, attempted rape and sexual assault” over another alleged incident in the south of France.
Ben Yedder has been without a club since his contract with Monaco expired at the end of last season.
