Paul Wells makes many of the assumptions of his class about: what is fatuously called "The Science"™; about the divine right of the elites in what we call a democracy to disregard the concerns of large segments of society (and judging them as some kind of inferior mob not worthy of any consideration); and about the right of nominally democratic governments to exert draconian, authoritarian controls on the population they nominally represent, regardless of citizen's legal rights and legislative and constitutional limits on the authority of government.
Nowhere in Mr. Wells' observations is the critical issue that the Trudeau government STEADFASTLY REFUSED to enter into ANY DISCUSSION WHATSOEVER- in Parliament, or out, or consultation with ANY objectors regardless of their expertise, on the efficacy of lockdowns and "Vaccine Passports" ™ and THE FAULTY m-RNA drugs themselves, even though the protestors offered to set up meetings with HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND CREDENTIALLED DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS. Trudeau FORCED his will on all of Canada without EVER listening to the concerns of the protestors, THEIR MILLIONS OF SUPPORTERS NATION WIDE, or medical or civil society groups (such as the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms), who appealed to him, repeatedly, for an audience, prior to and during the Ottawa demonstrations.
No mention was made by Mr. Wells of the extraordinary assault on freedom of expression, association and dissent of scores of people from across Canada (whom he called a "fringe radical group)" by seizing their funds and bank accounts - setting a precedent that we can be certain will now rear its ugly head throughout the West, and which has eroded confidence in the Canadian banking system around the world by other neo-lib regimes, and changed the perception of commentators internationally about the once well respected Canadian democracy, who now cite Canada as a text book example of what it looks like when democracies are dying.
And finally, even now that we KNOW that the m-RNA gene therapy drugs that are falsely called "vaccines" neither prevent infection nor transmission; now that we KNOW BEYOND ANY DOUBT, despite Mr. Trudeau ignoring this Science (no ™) that natural immunity does BOTH OF THESE THINGS, and that there are rising concerns around the world about shocking increases in: all cause mortality, still births, infertility, (not to mention dramatically rising rates of myocarditis and pericarditis in the young) in nations with high rates of forced dosing with the m-RNA drugs. SO, as to Science (no ™) as opposed to "the Science ™ (officially promoted and VERY OFTEN false narratives), Mr. Wells will hear none of it. "I'm all for the vaccines", he says; "that's my story, and I'm sticking with it." Of course he is - it is exactly what we expect of him. (I'd suggest, Mr. Wells, "journalist" that you take a look at "the science" on the m-RNA injectables, by which I mean international, peer reviewed scientific studies and papers. To clarify, by "science" I do not mean public relations statements from Pfizer Corporation, a company with a horrific PUBLIC record of convictions for fraud, bribery, deceit and contempt for the well being of the people it tries to FORCE to buy its drugs, in collusion with the politicians, doctors and bureaucrats it pays for (not making this up - the court records exist - why don't you look them up some time).
Well, Mr. Wells, here is something to consider from someone from the "anti-vax, conspiracy theorizing mob" (who is coincidentally a political scientist): We don't trust people like you in main stream media, whom we regard as entitled, paid stenographers of the back room elites represented by Mr. Trudeau, big pharma, the US deep state, and the oligarchs who own them all, any farther than we can throw you, and that we see you as agents, and thus collaborators, of a Western oligarchic movement to destroy our civil, human and "democratic" ™ rights in a deliberate forced march into TOTALITARIANISM - which is now marching straight at us, helped along by Mr. Trudeau's gross misuse of the Emergencies Act.
Just WoW!! Can't agree more. So disappointed to hear this intelligent buffoon speak his clever nonsense. Stenographer indeed!! Anyways you said it all!!
Unfortunately this interview equivocates between two major issues, the COVID pandemic and the Freedom Convoy bringing clarity to neither. It shys away from the increasing authoritarianism of this government and the anti-democratic values emerging in all Western societies.
After all is said and written there is the undeniable fact the federal government's reaction to the Freedom Convoy was slovenly and hostile where mediation should have been the first priority.
I have friends who grew up in Romania, Chile, Argentina, Soviet Poland and Latvia who all say the same thing: “This is how it starts; I came to Canada thinking I was getting away from this sort of thing.”
Would like to have heard a discussion of the freezing of bank accounts which some think is the most egregious, and damaging in the long term, result of the Emergencies response. Also would have liked to hear PW's views on the doxing of donators by media. Bit of a pass there on the police violence in clearing the protestors, cheered on by politicians and a polarized public. Wells' lack of knowledge of the science discourse was disappointing but not surprising. Appreciated the discussion. Tara is always excellent - thanks.
So disappointed in Paul Wells. His whole take seems to be that truckers were anti-vaxxers who were wrong but should not be vilified. While I agree they should not be vilified, I do wonder under which rock Paul Wells has been living. None of the extant literature on the pandemic supports his views that the "science" that led to lockdowns and vaccine mandates was right. Masks - ineffective. Lockdowns - terrible costs, with almost no benefits. Vaccines - Effective? Look at Japan's current death rate from Covid. Safe? The jury is still out on that. Couldn't even listen to the end of the interview.
Paul Wells seems not to appreciate the level of justifiable outrage that still exists. Also, Justice can’t claim attorney client privilege because the government is not the client; they are only the clients’ representatives. Furthermore, a summer weekend at Wasaga Beach is louder, more chaotic, and more dangerous than the ‘occupation’ of Ottawa last year.
In the UK there has been a huge leak of WhatsApp messages between ministers during the pandemic. This is shedding a totally new light on how decisions were made (or not). I expect if the same happened in Canada the conclusions of the Commission might be very different.
Geez, the two (2) Canadian journalist's Substacks I pay for are on the same podcast. Perhaps I should buy a lottery ticket. Actually, I feel a Steven Wright joke coming on - like the one about the instant coffee in the microwave.
It's a good podcast by the by. It usually is, which is why I pay for it. Light snow today; more tomorrow, but I'm glad it's March (and no, not because of the 3rd season of The Madalorian!)
Good interview. I am glad to hear viewpoints that are different than mine. I disagree that the "science on masking changed", there never was evidence that masks provided significant protection. The thing that changed was politics, not science. Same with vaccines, by the time Canada got vaccination going (much later than other countries) the science was clear: the vaccines were never going to eradicate covid 19. We were sold a lie, albeit with the assumption it would save lives, but it was still a lie. Most people don't like being lied to.
Paul Wells makes many of the assumptions of his class about: what is fatuously called "The Science"™; about the divine right of the elites in what we call a democracy to disregard the concerns of large segments of society (and judging them as some kind of inferior mob not worthy of any consideration); and about the right of nominally democratic governments to exert draconian, authoritarian controls on the population they nominally represent, regardless of citizen's legal rights and legislative and constitutional limits on the authority of government.
Nowhere in Mr. Wells' observations is the critical issue that the Trudeau government STEADFASTLY REFUSED to enter into ANY DISCUSSION WHATSOEVER- in Parliament, or out, or consultation with ANY objectors regardless of their expertise, on the efficacy of lockdowns and "Vaccine Passports" ™ and THE FAULTY m-RNA drugs themselves, even though the protestors offered to set up meetings with HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND CREDENTIALLED DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS. Trudeau FORCED his will on all of Canada without EVER listening to the concerns of the protestors, THEIR MILLIONS OF SUPPORTERS NATION WIDE, or medical or civil society groups (such as the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms), who appealed to him, repeatedly, for an audience, prior to and during the Ottawa demonstrations.
No mention was made by Mr. Wells of the extraordinary assault on freedom of expression, association and dissent of scores of people from across Canada (whom he called a "fringe radical group)" by seizing their funds and bank accounts - setting a precedent that we can be certain will now rear its ugly head throughout the West, and which has eroded confidence in the Canadian banking system around the world by other neo-lib regimes, and changed the perception of commentators internationally about the once well respected Canadian democracy, who now cite Canada as a text book example of what it looks like when democracies are dying.
And finally, even now that we KNOW that the m-RNA gene therapy drugs that are falsely called "vaccines" neither prevent infection nor transmission; now that we KNOW BEYOND ANY DOUBT, despite Mr. Trudeau ignoring this Science (no ™) that natural immunity does BOTH OF THESE THINGS, and that there are rising concerns around the world about shocking increases in: all cause mortality, still births, infertility, (not to mention dramatically rising rates of myocarditis and pericarditis in the young) in nations with high rates of forced dosing with the m-RNA drugs. SO, as to Science (no ™) as opposed to "the Science ™ (officially promoted and VERY OFTEN false narratives), Mr. Wells will hear none of it. "I'm all for the vaccines", he says; "that's my story, and I'm sticking with it." Of course he is - it is exactly what we expect of him. (I'd suggest, Mr. Wells, "journalist" that you take a look at "the science" on the m-RNA injectables, by which I mean international, peer reviewed scientific studies and papers. To clarify, by "science" I do not mean public relations statements from Pfizer Corporation, a company with a horrific PUBLIC record of convictions for fraud, bribery, deceit and contempt for the well being of the people it tries to FORCE to buy its drugs, in collusion with the politicians, doctors and bureaucrats it pays for (not making this up - the court records exist - why don't you look them up some time).
Well, Mr. Wells, here is something to consider from someone from the "anti-vax, conspiracy theorizing mob" (who is coincidentally a political scientist): We don't trust people like you in main stream media, whom we regard as entitled, paid stenographers of the back room elites represented by Mr. Trudeau, big pharma, the US deep state, and the oligarchs who own them all, any farther than we can throw you, and that we see you as agents, and thus collaborators, of a Western oligarchic movement to destroy our civil, human and "democratic" ™ rights in a deliberate forced march into TOTALITARIANISM - which is now marching straight at us, helped along by Mr. Trudeau's gross misuse of the Emergencies Act.
Just WoW!! Can't agree more. So disappointed to hear this intelligent buffoon speak his clever nonsense. Stenographer indeed!! Anyways you said it all!!
Except that it ain't over. The war on misinformation is the very next phase. Canada is right behind Brazil as the leading edge of failed freedom.
Amen! Well said. My head hurt after that interview and you summed up my frustration well.
Unfortunately this interview equivocates between two major issues, the COVID pandemic and the Freedom Convoy bringing clarity to neither. It shys away from the increasing authoritarianism of this government and the anti-democratic values emerging in all Western societies.
After all is said and written there is the undeniable fact the federal government's reaction to the Freedom Convoy was slovenly and hostile where mediation should have been the first priority.
I have friends who grew up in Romania, Chile, Argentina, Soviet Poland and Latvia who all say the same thing: “This is how it starts; I came to Canada thinking I was getting away from this sort of thing.”
Would like to have heard a discussion of the freezing of bank accounts which some think is the most egregious, and damaging in the long term, result of the Emergencies response. Also would have liked to hear PW's views on the doxing of donators by media. Bit of a pass there on the police violence in clearing the protestors, cheered on by politicians and a polarized public. Wells' lack of knowledge of the science discourse was disappointing but not surprising. Appreciated the discussion. Tara is always excellent - thanks.
So disappointed in Paul Wells. His whole take seems to be that truckers were anti-vaxxers who were wrong but should not be vilified. While I agree they should not be vilified, I do wonder under which rock Paul Wells has been living. None of the extant literature on the pandemic supports his views that the "science" that led to lockdowns and vaccine mandates was right. Masks - ineffective. Lockdowns - terrible costs, with almost no benefits. Vaccines - Effective? Look at Japan's current death rate from Covid. Safe? The jury is still out on that. Couldn't even listen to the end of the interview.
Paul Wells seems not to appreciate the level of justifiable outrage that still exists. Also, Justice can’t claim attorney client privilege because the government is not the client; they are only the clients’ representatives. Furthermore, a summer weekend at Wasaga Beach is louder, more chaotic, and more dangerous than the ‘occupation’ of Ottawa last year.
In the UK there has been a huge leak of WhatsApp messages between ministers during the pandemic. This is shedding a totally new light on how decisions were made (or not). I expect if the same happened in Canada the conclusions of the Commission might be very different.
Geez, the two (2) Canadian journalist's Substacks I pay for are on the same podcast. Perhaps I should buy a lottery ticket. Actually, I feel a Steven Wright joke coming on - like the one about the instant coffee in the microwave.
It's a good podcast by the by. It usually is, which is why I pay for it. Light snow today; more tomorrow, but I'm glad it's March (and no, not because of the 3rd season of The Madalorian!)
Cheers.
Good interview. I am glad to hear viewpoints that are different than mine. I disagree that the "science on masking changed", there never was evidence that masks provided significant protection. The thing that changed was politics, not science. Same with vaccines, by the time Canada got vaccination going (much later than other countries) the science was clear: the vaccines were never going to eradicate covid 19. We were sold a lie, albeit with the assumption it would save lives, but it was still a lie. Most people don't like being lied to.