Putting the Run on Trolls

Standing up to Harassment at the Russian Embassy

Yesterday, I showed up to support a daily protest for Ukraine happening outside the Russian Embassy in Ottawa. The protesters are the best of our nation – salt of the earth, decent, good Canadians. Every day, they stand peacefully outside the fence strung with barbed wire.

That's right—barbed wire.

When I arrived, I was struck by the menacing nature of the place. The protesters shared that the embassy security guards like to wave MAGA hats and ridicule the people with taunts that Trump will stick it to us.

While I was talking to someone by the gate—maybe even the lovely woman who had brought muffins for her fellow protesters—an official in a car tried to force me out of his way when I didn't move fast enough for his large vehicle.

Another creepy dude came from a side door, dressed like a janitor and smoking a cigarette. He trolled as close as he could to listen in on my conversations with the local people.

Mr. KGB, indeed.

To keep the "peace," the Ottawa Police sent Derek as their "liaison" officer because they heard I was there. He acted very affable—until a gang of notorious local trolls showed up.

Officer Derek told my assistant that these guys were just "a few local journalists" and that they had come to interview me.

And with that, Ottawa Police bid farewell and left me in the hands of a hate gang.

Anyone who has lived through the extremist "convoy" occupation of Ottawa will recognize our friend Derek's willingness to turn the keys of the city over to the menace.

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Pitchfork Politics

Suddenly, a warm and friendly gathering turned very, very ugly. I was surrounded by dudes in baseball caps and sunglasses.

I have written a great deal about how the politics of threat and intimidation have become a tool in the arsenal of the MAGA MAPLE gang. Call it pitchfork politics—the collusion of conspiracy and threat weaponized to target politicians who don't play along with the rage/hate machine.

I spent years in public life without once fearing for my safety. Since 2020, I’ve lost count of the death threats.

And the threats are not just against me as an elected official.

When I called out MAPLE MAGA kingpin Pierre Poilievre for not disassociating himself from an endorsement by Alex Jones, trolls immediately began posting online threats—with photographs of my daughters along with their addresses.

But my family isn't the only family that has been targeted.

I know many good, elected representatives who have stepped away from the federal, provincial and municipal levels because the intimidation and threats worn them down.

But this isn’t just about politicians—it’s about the kind of democracy we want to protect.

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No More Intimidation

I mention all of this as an explanation of why I chose to respond in a less-than-parliamentary manner when this crew swarmed me with their Putin propaganda.

I am done with the intimidation.

I am done with groups of men who crash peaceful events to intimidate. It reeks of fascist street tactics.

Unlike Pierre Poilievre and his MAGA MAPLE gang, I don't cozy up to to rage trolls, and I don't bring them coffee and Timbits.

The collusion of MAGA, conspiracy and Putin propaganda is a serious threat to democracy, and if my language was more Northern Ontario mining barroom than House of Commons, so be it - it was time to put the run on them.

And here’s the thing, I found out yesterday that these so-called tough guys sure get panicky when someone stands up to them.

Canada has a long history of taking on extremism. We don't bend, and we don't give them any ground. And we sure as hell won’t start now.

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