As some protesters leave Ottawa, others say they're in for the long haul. What happens now?

Monday, January 31, 2022

Here’s what you need to know to get the day started:

As some protesters leave Ottawa, others say they're in for the long haul. What happens now?

Organizers of the protests in Ottawa against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and public health restrictions say they're willing to stay in the capital for months, until their demands are met.

While crowds began to thin out Sunday evening, much of downtown Ottawa remained clogged by parked vehicles. A large police presence was patrolling the area.

Mayor Jim Watson said the protests have bled into residential areas, disrupting life for the city. "Quite frankly, [residents] feel they're prisoners in their own home. And so my hope is that, at some point, the police reach the conclusion that it's time to have a serious discussion about moving these people on. They can't keep blocking routes that are emergency routes, that are bus routes, that allow people to get in and out of the downtown core," he told CBC News.

The protest was initially focused on the federal government's vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers, but has expanded into a larger movement against broader public health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Police say the noisy protests have been mainly peaceful, with just one arrest by Sunday afternoon. However, the protests on Saturday featured several incidents roundly condemned as disrespectful, including protesters jumping on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and adorning a statue of Terry Fox with anti-vaccine material and an upside-down Canadian flag.

B.J. Dichter, one of the organizers behind a GoFundMe page that has amassed more than $8 million to support the protests, said the goal is to create a "logistics nightmare" for the government and force it to repeal vaccine mandates. "Right now, yeah, it's really cold, but we hang in there; the days are going to get longer and we take this block party and put it into overdrive," he said. "We're in this one for the long haul. We don't have a time limit."

Ottawa police Chief Peter Sloly said Sunday the force is working to get protesters who want to leave out of the traffic congestion. "For those who choose to remain, we'll make that assessment once we understand who is still here, what purposes and what public safety risks are associated to that."

Sloly said there would continue to be a large police presence into this morning. "And we will see what [Monday] brings and we'll do our risk assessment then," he said.

More on this issue

Olympics about to go by in a blur

(David Ramos/Getty Images)

Team Canada athletes train wearing protective face masks during a short track speed skating official training session, ahead of the Winter Olympics, at the Capital Indoor Stadium on Monday in Beijing. Follow CBC's Olympic coverage here.

In brief

The 44th edition of Parliament returns Monday after its winter break — and the Liberal government has just a few days to deliver on promises for its first 100 days in office. Those first 100 days of the government's new mandate end on Thursday, assuming the clock started ticking on Oct. 26, 2021, when cabinet ministers were sworn in. Among legislation promised but not yet introduced are bills to combat online hate; to regulate foreign web giants; and to better protect Canada's critical infrastructure, including 5G networks. Read more about the return of Parliament here.

Hundreds of GhostBed customers say instead of sweet dreams, they're having nightmares, fighting for refunds or exchanges on mattresses that sag. The Florida-based online company promises that customers can try a mattress for up to 101 days and return it "hassle-free" if not satisfied. But Peter Learn, of Kelowna, B.C., learned he would have to find a charity to take the mattress — and deliver it himself. Learn filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) — one of more than 300 filed against GhostBed in the past three years; more than half of those in the last 12 months. "The majority of the complaints cover refund and exchange issues," said Cinthya Lavin, of the Southeast Florida BBB. "The company addresses the complaints — there's a reply — but they don't resolve them." In a statement, a GhostBed spokesperson said the company takes customer service seriously but that when customers don't get the resolution they seek, they often "blame the business" and feel the company's policies "are unfair." Read the story by Erica Johnson and the Go Public team here.

Two Ontario churches' challenge of public health restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic begins Monday in St. Thomas, with their lawyers arguing the measures violate the charter's right to freedom of religion and assembly. The Church of God, in Aylmer, and the Trinity Bible Chapel, in Waterloo, were charged in the spring of 2021 for various infringements of the public health restrictions put in place to help curb the spread of the virus. Church leaders held in-person gatherings despite provincial prohibitions, getting fines and charges under the Reopening Ontario Act. Read more about the proceedings here.

Organizations and shelters that help women navigate and escape domestic violence are reporting sharp increases in use during the pandemic and long wait-lists for support. At the Women's Resource Centre in Brandon, Man., that wait-list could be as long as four dozen. Eighteen women are actively waiting to access services, according to Kim Iwasiuk, the centre's director of counselling and advocacy. But she said the centre, which assists women and families across western Manitoba, is aware of another 27 women who have asked for help, but can't be reached. "We're calling this the shadow pandemic for domestic violence and sexual assault," said Iwasiuk. "Abuse happens so often in isolation. Now it's really coming out." According to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability, 12 women were the victims of femicide in the first three weeks of 2022. "We've never seen numbers like that," said Kaitlin Geiger-Bardswich, of Women's Shelters Canada. "So that has been very concerning." Read more about the national trend in wait-lists here.

Now for some good news to kick off your Monday: It's not quite wrapped up, but Canada's men's soccer team is defeating all comers as it vies for its first World Cup berth since 1986. After defeating the U.S. 2-0 in Hamilton on Sunday, the team has won five in a row and is almost certain to battle its way to Qatar. "It's a huge win for all of us," said midfielder Jonathan Osorio. "We protected our home ground. The way we fought for each other today, on that field, in a tough game — it's amazing. It just goes to show how much of a family this team is, and how much we're willing to fight for each other." Read more about their latest victory here.

FIRST PERSON

What I've learned by drinking tea with my Chinese family during the pandemic

As I rediscover my culture through food during the pandemic, I've come to realize the secret recipe to a good meal is not any physical ingredient, writes Lucy Lu. Rather, it's the practice of how and who you enjoy it with. Read the first-person piece here.

Stay up to date on all schedules, news and medal standings from Beijing 2022, straight to your inbox with The Buzzer Newsletter. Subscribe today!

Thousands protest COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa

There were raucous protests in Ottawa this weekend as thousands of protesters converged on the capital, calling for an end to vaccine mandates and other pandemic restrictions.

The protest was loud, filling the city's centre with the sounds of honking vehicles, and disruptive: the Rideau Centre shopping mall closed early on Saturday and will remain closed into Monday as crowds of maskless protesters showed up in defiance of public health orders.

There were also some displays of disturbing imagery: swastikas and Confederate flags were spotted in the crowd, and Ottawa Police say they're investigating incidents of desecration at the National War Memorial.

Today, CBC senior parliamentary reporter Travis Dhanraj is back to break down what he heard and saw on the scene.

Listen to today's episode

Today in history: Jan. 31

1951: Four people die when the Duplessis Bridge over the St. Maurice River collapses at Trois-Rivieres, Que.

1958: The United States enters the Space Age with its first successful launch of a satellite into orbit, Explorer I.

1990: McDonald's opens its first outlet in the Soviet Union, in Moscow's Pushkin Square. Thousands line up for hours to eat in the 700-seat restaurant, the company's largest in the world.

2021: The death toll from COVID-19 in Canada passed the mark of 20,000 people. A year later, the death toll stands at more than 33,000.