What does Canada’s yellow vest movement stand for? It depends who you ask. According to the Star Edmonton, the protesters are angry that pipeline projects, which would allow Alberta to sell more oil to foreign buyers, have stalled. They are also opposed to the carbon tax. Illegal immigration is another major concern, exacerbated by Canada’s signing of the UN Migration Pact. Basically, the yellow vests want two things: a better economic climate for the oil industry, and a reliable immigration screening process. They are critical of the Trudeau government for failing to grow the oil industry, and putting the safety of Canadians at risk.
Outside of the mainstream media, the yellow vest movement has been accused of harbouring racism and threatening violence. I have personally seen examples of both behaviours on the group’s Facebook page. It is no surprise that a group this size would have trouble settling on a common message, and though the extreme views are alarming, they are clearly in the minority. Regardless, the yellow vests have a nasty image problem that hurts their credibility.
It is a real shame that a few bigots are diverting attention away from the real issues brought forth by the yellow vests. The economy and immigration are topics that deserve to be discussed. The expression of anger towards government policies should be encouraged in any democratic society. By flexing their political muscles, the people are holding their elected government accountable by trying to influence the country to elect a different government this October. They do not want broken promises and unpopular decisions to be swept under the rug. Make no mistake, this is an Anti-Liberal, Pro-Conservative demonstration. The goal is to turn public opinion against Justin Trudeau, and to garner support for Andrew Scheer. If you don’t believe me, ask a friend to invite you to the yellow vest Facebook page and see for yourself.
No matter what party you support, it is important to consider the the reasonable positions of the yellow vests, or any movement for that matter, and equally important to disregard the hate speech of the vocal minority. Andrew Scheer would be a fool not to appeal to the yellow vest voters, and he is no doubt paying close attention to what they want. The demonstrations offer a preview of what might become part of the Conservative platform in the upcoming election, and more importantly, highlight the key issues that divide Canadians across the country. The yellow vests have the power to influence who wins the next federal election, don’t let a few racists convince you otherwise.
