Webb: A warning from Canada

Freedom is one country away from extinction. 

Once may be coincidence, twice is curious at a minimum, and a multiyear pattern of behavior is a plan. An emboldened leftist movement is pushing socialist governance and worse in the U.S., to our north in Canada, south in Mexico,  throughout South America and across the globe. They have allies in the Chinese Communist Party, the criminal cartels and other transnational bad actors, governmental or otherwise. 

For the reader, I want to give you a perspective from the Canadian side of the border. 

Canadian citizen and new activist Chris Garrah is the founder of the Adopt a Trucker movement for the Freedom Convoy volunteers, organized to pray every day and work peacefully with authorities during the Freedom Convoy 2022 protest in Ottawa.  I spoke with him at length about the group and the protest, and here are some of my questions and his answers:

Question: Chris, why did you start the Adopt a Trucker effort?  

Chris Garrah: Well, I was watching things for the last two years about COVID in Canada, and when they decided they were going to do a rally in Ottawa, I came up with the concept that we would greet them when they got to Ottawa because they were doing an amazing job. I thought, what can I do that every Canadian can be part of? Ordinary people were able to feed them, shower them, drive them around, give them places to wash their clothes and, most of all, pray for them and give them support.  

At any time did you encourage any illegal activity?  

CG: No. From Day One, convoy leaders and myself said we need to do this peacefully. We need to let the world know that Canadians are peaceful, but we do want people to hear our voices. We want to speak loud, but we don’t want to cause any type of violence. So we made sure that we had [emergency medical services], doctors, all the fire routes open and we had our own security. We raised funds for necessities like porta potties, the main stage, flights for lawyers to represent truckers, and provided a board room for police and emergency volunteers and more peaceful activities.  

During the protest, Garrah was named on a $306 million lawsuit indicating that he encouraged the honking of horns as a nuisance during the protest. Garrah denies having anything to do with that.  

What is the status of the lawsuit today?  

CG: They froze everyone’s assets, and they closed my account for 39 days. That’s been lifted because around $4.5 million had been frozen in escrow, and the fight will have to continue. 

Garrah and his wife, Joanne, their seven children and a grandmother recently traveled to the United States to attend their oldest daughter’s wedding. When returning home on June 8, at the Canadian border, they were asked for their COVID-19 PCR tests, whether they were vaccinated and a scan of the Canadian government’s Arrive Can smartphone application. Garrah and his wife politely asserted their right to return to Canada unhindered and protected according to their rights as stated in their passports.   

At first, they were told fines were only given to those 18 years old and over; then, after pointing out that their children were under 18 and were given tickets, they were told fines were given to those 16 years old and over. The Garrah family was fined $37,530 in Canadian currency. Garrah and his family plan on fighting the legitimacy of these COVID-19 tickets.  

How will you fight the COVID-19 tickets?  

CG: There’s a series of campaigns going on right now and we’ve launched the campaign on the Give Send Go site. We’re going to travel across Canada, from Ottawa to British Columbia,  raising awareness that there’s fines going on and people are getting tickets. We’re just getting ready to launch on July 3.  

If convicted, what would be the effect on your family?  

CG: I’m the father of seven children, sole breadwinner of the house, so it would be devastating that I would have to pay such outrageous fines to come back into my own country. I’m really hoping and praying that God will protect us and that they’ll find that these fines are unconstitutional. 

Do you see similarities in America to what you are experiencing in Canada? 

CG: When I was down in Florida, we ended up talking to a lot of people. You’ve been told the same things we are. The left is coming for you guys next. America needs to wake up. We’ve always looked up to you in Canada, and we need to unite as brothers and sisters. For 39 days I couldn’t put $1 on my mortgage or pay my hydro bill. It was horrible. If it wasn’t for the people I didn’t even know, coming to my home, giving me food and gas cards, my family wouldn’t have been able to eat. My message is, ‘Wake up. Say no to compliance. Be gentle, be kind, be loving and just say no.’

Our concerns are not limited to the United States and should not be. Freedom is what most people seek. We often refer to Canada as “the 51st state.” Our cultural alignment and affinity for each other is part of our combined history. For now, Garrah has said what Americans need to consider.  

Webb is host of “The David Webb Show” on SiriusXM Patriot 125, a Fox Nation host, Fox News contributor and a frequent television commentator. His column appears twice a month in The Hill.