52 Comments

Its great to read something from the front lines. Good work.

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Thank you for reporting on this as fairly as possible. Please stay safe.

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founding
Feb 15, 2022Liked by Line Editor

Wonderful work Jen. I was already happy to be an early subscriber . The work you two have done this month has been stellar and made me pleased and proud I made that choice. 👏👏

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The urban / rural divide is one of the most crucial divides in Canada. A lot of urban people don't seem to get this.

My hope is that we stop creating a scapegoat class. That wouldn't be good for anyone, and of course keeps us from seeing what the real problems are: we've got systemic weaknesses in a lot of our institutions: healthcare, education, and the legal system.

There have been times in the last few years when I've started wondering whether or not anything worked properly in Canada, I just had that much difficulty dealing with bad healthcare workers and a condo developer who clearly ripped off all of us who bought into his building.

It would be nice to see these deficiencies improve, but I'm not holding my breath.

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Only two people, but The Line is bringing in the first-person direct reporting from inside demonstrations that push away all journalists. Outstanding work.

Not revelatory, just the folks we expected; even we enemies have to admit they're touchingly sincere, with no media handlers whatsoever, indeed, making an effort to make journos dislike them. The confusion about whether he hated the administration or parliamentary systems, and was sure in any event of a "stolen election" (shades!), doesn't sound atypical for a group that actually wrote up a Memorandum calling for parliamentary dissolution, fiat rule, federal power illegally overcoming provincial jurisdiction (to "end tyranny", of course, how else would you end tyranny?)

I admit to a lot of LOL while youtubing Tucker's comments on Trudeau Declaring Canada a Dictatorship (Trudeau calling all those bouncy-castle kids "Terrorists", tch)....while Canada was looking at the photo of the 14 military-style rifles, the sniper rifles, the ammo pile.

I got both stories piled together in last night's news, and it's good to clarify that the weapons were found hours before the Act was read; it's very hard to look at them and say "overreaction". Those combined with the "dissolve the government" rhetoric make it a PR game/set, I'm afraid.

It'll be game/set/match if they now move the Ottawa occupiers out without hurting them. Fingers crossed.

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Feb 15, 2022Liked by Line Editor

Thank you for telling your subscribers (many of whom have not been to Southern Alberta) how it really is (a beautiful and isolated place that has its own fair share of human diversity).

I remember well the entire region. Alberta from Fort Macleod south features utterly spectacular geography, amazing animals and independent minded people. I certainly do not share the views expressed by the likes of the organizer and others you met at Coutts (the remarks about the alleged connection between Ottawa and the WEF were definitely way out in left field), but I understand their sense of alienation.

As others have remarked here, so much of Canada's population is urban these days, we don't really appreciate how difficult it can be for Canadians living in rural areas and small towns (access to health care, social supports, and even the everyday things--like supermarkets packed to the rafters with cheap and good quality items--is not always easy).

I hope that this thing is resolved peacefully; it would be a terrible tragedy if people lost their lives to bring about something (an end to mandates) that was likely to occur later this year anyway.

Jen, I would be interested in hearing more of how the Peigan and other indigenous groups in Southern Alberta viewed what happened at Coutts (I won't insult your intelligence by explaining why).

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(Banned)Feb 15, 2022Liked by Line Editor

Jen didn't add it is three very straight, very boring hours of driving, in winter. Six hours of it, total, and worth every minute, to your readers. Thanks again, Jen.

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Feb 15, 2022Liked by Line Editor

Thanks for this Jen.

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Nice, even-handed story. I think it's even written in a way that is mostly clear that interviewing some individual supporter is not the same thing as representing everyone. There's only two points I thought perhaps it could be misinterpreted.

The first was "If this goes, Ottawa goes, and if Ottawa goes, the world goes". It should be clear that this is a non sequitur and the speaker's attempt at a "hold the line" speech. But, it could be misinterpreted to suggest that this Coutts blockade is directly connected to the Ottawa protest, which it isn't according to the Ottawa protest spokesperson, Ben Dichter. (Nor is/was Windsor, ON.) Border blockades are not the mechanism of the Ottawa protest who have even worked with the police and the mayor to keep lanes open and move away from residential areas, and from the start made sure to have emergency lanes clear of trucks. If Coutts "falls" it would have no effect on the Ottawa protest.

The second is where it says, "It wasn't just about vaccines and mandates, see." That was an interpretive statement made by Jen, not a quote from the interviewee. Normally (meaning prior to the last 5-10 years), it would be clear that this was meant as the author trying to summarize the interviewee's position, notably with the added, "see". But in today's social media world I can see the out-of-context-quote-miners grabbing that and claiming that Jen interviewed the protestors in Alberta and concluded that it isn't about vaccine mandates.

Again, these aren't criticisms. It's more like my own cynicisms, having lost trust in media to even try to tell the truth, and to seek out ways of misinterpreting statements to convey an incorrect narrative. It's not about this article, but the potential for somebody else trying to misinterpret parts of this article.

As to the piece here, kudos. Well done.

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Another fine bit of reporting. Well done.

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Thanks for making the drive and for your even handed description. A snapshot in time late in this event. Glad your persuasive skills were on point 😎 and look forward as a subscriber and supporter of The Line to see what you and Matt come up with for your 'official' press pass accreditation. You should brainstorm ideas for the press passes on the next livestream. On that note, my suggestion for the new title of those fun booze and snacks aided online discussions is The LineStream. Make it so. 😎

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I grew up nearby, west of Lethbridge. Reading this makes me dismayed at the thoght the Southern Alberta l remember and loved, is vastly changed. And not for the better. What a damn mess. And no, l don't support these occupations or any of the other ones previously that get thrown out in comments nowadays.

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Thanks for this article Jen. I spent a decade working in communities all across southern Alberta and love this part of the country and its people.

So much of the reporting has portrayed these folks as mouth-breathing knuckle draggers. But far from it - they are simply people who, for reasons both real and imagined, feel their way of life is under threat.

There is a criminal element there that has been dealt with decisively. The remainder saw that their cause had been tainted and they shut it down.

The grievances and anger still remain. This isn't over yet.

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I know not all journalists are "created equal" in observation skills, good faith reporting etc. But it still boggles my mind how many decent to good observers in the pundit and journalism sphere have totally lost their minds. Jon Kay on one side and various Torstar reports on the other are animated not so much as finding whats going on, but unearthing data points and proof as to why "the other side is 100% nuts and awful and terrible and smell and all should be called out for their awfulness" etc etc

I appreciate very much the attitude and coverage you both bring in this maddening time.

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Great read - thank you. You’ve got guts!

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I love that you and Matt listen to people and report what they say, as opposed to asking them to defend themselves which is what I see watching CBC interviews.

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