Rebel News Podcast - March 26, 2022


DAVID MENZIES | Fake flags at the Freedom Convoy; Calgary Cops Shut Down Protest


Episode Stats

Length

39 minutes

Words per Minute

155.0317

Word Count

6,059

Sentence Count

403

Misogynist Sentences

6

Hate Speech Sentences

7


Summary

Alexa Bonjour investigates the whereabouts of the Nazi flag that was spotted near Parliament Hill on the first day of the Freedom Convoy. And what exactly was the deal with that Nazi flag being displayed in our nation s capital?


Transcript

00:00:00.000 Welcome to Rebel Roundup, ladies and gentlemen, and the rest of you, in which we look back
00:00:19.080 at some of the very best commentaries of the week by your favorite Rebels.
00:00:22.720 I'm your host, David Menzies.
00:00:25.820 Say, folks, remember that swastika flag that was spotted near Parliament Hill on the first
00:00:31.720 Saturday of the Freedom Convoy?
00:00:33.880 Well, what exactly was the deal with that Nazi regalia being displayed in our nation's capital?
00:00:40.620 Alexa Lavoie did a little investigating.
00:00:43.360 You don't want to miss what she has to say.
00:00:45.800 By the way, do you have this crazy idea in your head, folks, that Canadians have the right
00:00:52.220 to peacefully protest?
00:00:53.880 Well, not in the opinion of the mayor of Calgary, of course, and her henchmen who make up the
00:00:59.680 rank and file of the Calgary Police Service.
00:01:02.460 They actually tried to shut down a peaceful protest in Cowtown last Saturday.
00:01:08.380 Sid Fazard has all the shocking details.
00:01:11.660 And finally, letters.
00:01:12.720 We get your letters.
00:01:13.560 We get them every minute of every day.
00:01:15.440 And I'll share some of your responses regarding our story on a mother and her three-year-old
00:01:21.240 daughter who were kicked out of a North Bay, Ontario cinema and threatened with trespassing
00:01:28.940 charges for incorrectly eating popcorn.
00:01:33.320 Holy horror show.
00:01:35.460 Those are your Rebels.
00:01:36.440 Now, let's round them up.
00:01:47.240 So I'm currently the other side of the river.
00:01:51.700 As you can see, it's still locked.
00:01:54.520 We are now two weeks after the convoy have been dismantled.
00:02:01.380 But we talk about the Nazi flag who have been shown on the picture on the other side.
00:02:07.040 And the only way that the picture has possibly been taken is on this step just right there or on the
00:02:16.960 other step there where the angle is the perfect angle to take the picture there or probably a little
00:02:23.960 bit down there.
00:02:25.340 The only thing is like this place was locked and this door was locked by the police as well.
00:02:34.640 So, oh, someone was allowed to take the picture in this area and down there.
00:02:44.020 It was prohibited to enter here.
00:02:47.960 So my question is, who were there?
00:02:53.700 How did they enter here?
00:02:57.040 And for which purpose they were there in the same time that the Nazi flag was showing on the
00:03:02.900 other side?
00:03:04.640 At the perfect moment where nobody else saw the Nazi flag or close to the Parliament Hill
00:03:12.820 and on Wellington Street.
00:03:14.400 Only that time, perfect moment, and afterwards, these people have went away and we never saw this flag again.
00:03:26.920 So my question is, who?
00:03:29.280 And the picture I've been taken by one freelancer that I've been shown on the Internet is not being taken by him, but he said that he was sending by someone to him during the night.
00:03:42.800 And it was Justin Ling, the one who had published the picture, but he was sent by someone else.
00:03:50.500 So you can see me right now, I'm here where the picture I've been taken, just here and as well here.
00:03:58.520 And you can see that the angle is not working because now Guillaume Roy, my camera person, is on the bridge right now, taking me and it's not the same angle.
00:04:13.400 So my question is, if the person wanted to take the picture, it's all down, I will show you the picture on the screen right now.
00:04:25.880 But it's all down there, on the street, or all up there, but I'm pretty sure that the person was on the street.
00:04:36.840 The stair was closed, the access was closed, and these people were coming from a park where another picture had been taken.
00:04:47.520 And afterwards, after walking through the stair, we never saw the flag again.
00:04:54.580 So do they just pass there to show the flag and they came back into the Fairmont Hotel?
00:05:03.000 Who was this person?
00:05:04.920 It was actually some individual, the same one, who had been seen on the park and as well here and disappeared after with a Nazi flag.
00:05:17.140 But never been shown where the Freedom Convoy was.
00:05:21.220 So I'm standing where the second picture was taken and as I say, it's the park next to the hotel.
00:05:28.900 You can see the Hotel Chateau Laurier just right there at my right.
00:05:33.960 And so the people who were walking in this park went towards, on the side of Chateau Laurier and the flag disappeared.
00:05:47.200 So is it staged to just put it out their flag in this park, walking where they know that some people will see them, and after that disappear?
00:06:02.880 That is a little bit like mysterious.
00:06:05.620 Yes, a mystery indeed.
00:06:08.920 As you just saw from Alexa's investigation, myriad details regarding that infamous Nazi flag that was spotted on the first Saturday of the Freedom Convoy.
00:06:19.880 Well, they simply do not add up.
00:06:22.980 So what exactly is going on here?
00:06:26.040 And joining me now to hopefully help unravel this mystery is our super sleuth herself, Alexa Lavoie.
00:06:35.100 Bonjour, Alexa.
00:06:36.700 Bonjour, David.
00:06:38.700 Alexa, that was some great investigative journalism.
00:06:42.360 But it was also unnerving because I'm beginning to think, more so than ever before, that this whole swastika display was a scam.
00:06:52.520 What is your theory as to what really happened that day?
00:06:58.240 For sure that the man with the Confederation flag, the one that had like a really custom made, was a person that was there in purpose to do some perturbation that day.
00:07:13.840 Because first of all, it was fully masked, and we had like sunglasses, and he was acting as, I don't know, just disturbing, flying his flag everywhere around everybody, and not being part of the protest.
00:07:29.020 I had nobody with him.
00:07:30.440 And as well, a photographer, I took a picture of him all at the same place at the same moment, and he's like all photographer related to Justin Trudeau.
00:07:42.940 That's a little bit, I would say, fishy.
00:07:45.280 But for the other Nazi flag, we know that it never reached Parliament Hill, and we know that it was on the side of the Chateau Laurier, where the access on the other side was closed for the people going down to the canal to take a picture.
00:08:06.760 So who took the picture?
00:08:08.860 We don't know.
00:08:10.320 I'm still like investigating on it.
00:08:12.260 I think it will have a part two of it.
00:08:14.800 We'll see, because some people are writing to me right now, and I have more and more information to bring on this investigation.
00:08:23.680 And Alexa, when it comes to that photo, because you and Guillaume went out there, you showed how the angles were just not there to capture that kind of image.
00:08:35.900 Are you suggesting that maybe this was something that could have been Photoshopped?
00:08:40.140 I mean, those who are computer savvy, I mean, you can create any kind of image you want with the kind of software that's out there.
00:08:49.620 Is that maybe what's going on here?
00:08:52.240 No, it's not Photoshopped.
00:08:54.200 We know that it's not Photoshopped because some people saw the Confederation flag, but it was really well made, really made for this occasion, and really good quality as well.
00:09:06.240 So somebody did spend a lot of money for this flag.
00:09:10.840 And for the other Nazi flag, I talked with some people who saw it.
00:09:17.280 It was just in front of them.
00:09:18.560 So I think I'm going to interview this person that saw the Nazi flag, but it was not Photoshopped.
00:09:27.360 They were there.
00:09:29.760 Some people think that it was just for, you know, it was only on the first day.
00:09:37.820 And as we know, the first impression on every kind of protest, it's always the first day, the first couple of hours of the protest to really judge which kind of person was there.
00:09:51.360 So, of course, we saw it on the 29th of February.
00:09:58.980 No, 29th of January.
00:10:01.540 It's been a while.
00:10:03.620 And afterwards, for the three next week, no flag.
00:10:09.760 What's seen on this?
00:10:12.500 And you know what else is interesting, too, Alexa, is our friends over at True North.
00:10:17.440 They've offered, I believe it's a $6,500 reward as to the identity of the person that was bearing this flag.
00:10:25.720 Because, wow, I would love to interview that individual.
00:10:30.320 Because one of my theories as to why, and we'll never know until we get our hands on him.
00:10:37.060 But one of my theories as to why he might have been displaying the swastika, and I think it's a really dumb strategy, was basically, you know, linking the swastika to the Justin Trudeau regime, saying, you know, just like Hitler in 1930s Germany, Justin Trudeau today in Canada is equivalent to a Nazi.
00:10:58.700 Which is outrageous, which is outrageous, because last I heard, I don't think Justin is on a quest for world war or committing genocide.
00:11:06.780 But I think that might have been what he was trying to say.
00:11:12.140 Otherwise, on the flip side, maybe this was someone that was simply trying to discredit the freedom movement.
00:11:21.260 It's one or the other.
00:11:22.440 What do you think?
00:11:23.320 I'm getting closer to know, like, the identity, maybe, of the person who were carrying the Nazi flag.
00:11:32.500 I don't know yet who is this person, but some people have reached out to me.
00:11:38.480 The thing is, we are a part of the population.
00:11:43.820 We don't think the same way.
00:11:45.900 We don't figure out the thing on the same way.
00:11:48.600 For some people, carrying maybe a Nazi flag for them is to show that we are under a regime as during the regime of Hitler.
00:12:02.140 As we saw during the protests of Ukraine, some people had, like, Putler for saying, like, Putin is Hitler or referencing to the regime during Hitler was there.
00:12:16.000 But for them, no problem.
00:12:19.160 But because it was a freedom convoy, oh, my God, that's really a big trouble to show, like, the same regime that was under Hitler.
00:12:28.740 But for maybe someone that was the appropriate flag and didn't think about the consequences to fly that kind of flag, too, I will know more about it in the next few weeks.
00:12:42.080 Well, I can hardly wait for that update, Alexa.
00:12:45.960 I can tell you this.
00:12:47.620 If the agenda was to discredit the freedom convoy movement, certainly it was damaging because look how many politicians, look how many members of mainstream media ran with that.
00:13:00.620 The first day of the protest, I was on the road.
00:13:02.740 I was not in Ottawa.
00:13:03.560 I was listening to radio reports of what was going on.
00:13:06.340 And the way it was being reported, Alexa, swastikas, plural, you know, it was like, you know, it was radio coverage.
00:13:17.180 So in my mind's eye, I'm going, my God, what's happening there?
00:13:20.020 Nazi flags all over Parliament Hill.
00:13:22.380 The Terry Fox statue desecrated.
00:13:25.540 And I was thinking, oh, my God, this can't be happening.
00:13:29.360 And, well, guess what?
00:13:30.580 It wasn't happening.
00:13:31.580 It was some one crank with a swastika.
00:13:35.140 The Terry Fox statue had a Canadian flag on it.
00:13:39.220 So I think if we ever get our hands on this person to interview him, I would love to hear what the rationale was.
00:13:48.920 One last question, Alexa.
00:13:51.400 It was kind of odd, don't you think, that one of the first people that got this image was Justin Ling.
00:13:58.080 He's a freelance journalist when it comes to leftist progressive kooks.
00:14:03.560 He's maybe the kookiest of all in Canada.
00:14:06.740 Isn't it interesting that he got the image so quickly?
00:14:11.360 What's your take on that?
00:14:13.320 And especially the picture I've been taking on the 29, but he received during the night and he posted during the night saying that he's come from a friend of him that was there taking the picture.
00:14:25.680 And he sent it to him, why this person who took the picture didn't post it by himself, why did he send it to him personally to post it?
00:14:36.160 And it's actually a pretty good quality picture, as we can see.
00:14:40.300 And it was taken down to the canal.
00:14:42.920 And as we know, down to the canal, the only people that probably was allowed to be there is police or maybe citizen who passed really far away because the entrance was blocked.
00:14:55.260 And I have some footage to show that this door was blocked at that time, this day.
00:15:01.800 It would be on my next report.
00:15:03.700 But who were there?
00:15:05.860 Who sent the picture to him?
00:15:07.280 And afterwards, one time he posted, and he was the only one who posted because everybody credited him when they reposted it.
00:15:16.760 It was the digital product of Jagmeet Singh who took that opportunity to say, oh, my God, this movement is racist.
00:15:28.880 And as we know, Jagmeet Singh, the NPD have taken an accord with the liberals.
00:15:35.020 So now we know that they work together.
00:15:38.060 It's amazing.
00:15:39.100 Like I said earlier, Alexa, so many details about this story just don't add up.
00:15:45.020 But I can tell you one thing.
00:15:46.100 I really smell a rat here.
00:15:48.000 So thank you for continuing to investigate this story.
00:15:52.320 I look forward to your next report, my friend.
00:15:55.180 Thank you.
00:15:56.040 Have a great day.
00:15:57.420 You too.
00:15:57.820 Have a great weekend, Alexa.
00:15:59.160 And that was Alexa Lavoie in Quebec City.
00:16:02.940 Keep it here, folks.
00:16:03.660 More of Rebel Roundup to come right after this.
00:16:06.200 Hey, guys, Sidney Fitzgerald with Rebel News here.
00:16:21.020 And you might have seen our coverage last week of the Calgary Rally for Freedom.
00:16:24.720 Now, as you can see, they have changed their location a little bit.
00:16:27.760 And I encourage you to go back to that list video and find out exactly what these guys are protesting.
00:16:32.300 But to sum it up, there are mandates and restrictions that have been lifted, which has drawn the criticism that these guys should no longer be out here protesting.
00:16:39.260 However, if you ask anybody here, there are still plenty of mandates and restrictions that are impeding on their lives on a daily basis.
00:16:45.020 So they must continue to protest to make their voice heard.
00:16:47.700 But what we saw from last weekend is an added enforcement was brought on by Calgary police where they were using bicycles.
00:16:54.620 And there was two groups, the Freedom Rally group you see behind us and the counter protest group that we've seen on the streets of the Beltline.
00:17:00.300 That's a certain district of Calgary where the Freedom Rally would normally go through.
00:17:03.780 So the police enforcement was added.
00:17:06.020 And the mayor of Calgary actually put out a message against the protesters calling for more enforcement, but suggesting that she wasn't able to enforce those tactics herself.
00:17:14.580 And that was left up to the police. So what did she do?
00:17:17.580 Well, immediately after that, she or the city of Calgary applied for a injunction and has been put into action.
00:17:23.560 So there is added concern for these protesters that they might have enforcement come down on them, but they've changed up their tactics from last week.
00:17:30.520 Normally, you would see that there's a speaker microphone set up at the park a little further away from where we are right now.
00:17:35.640 But that didn't happen. And these guys, they made a little announcement at that park where they normally gather and they all decided to make their way to City Hall to protest the injunction on top of the mandates and restrictions that we're seeing.
00:17:48.460 So it's a bit of an interesting day. We're still waiting to see what's going to happen with police enforcement.
00:17:52.540 There has been no sighting of the counter protest as of yet, although it is in an opposite direction of where these guys have had to go in order to get here at City Hall.
00:18:00.320 So we're going to stay tuned. We're going to find out a little bit more from these guys, what they make of the current situation.
00:18:04.600 Again, go back to that last video to find out what they're here protesting.
00:18:07.880 We'll get a little bit of that today. And let's just go out and check to see.
00:18:11.020 We're asking freedom. Where are you?
00:18:15.700 Please don't turn your back on a snail.
00:18:19.380 Many fought and died for you.
00:18:22.780 I pray to God we never hold you.
00:18:25.640 Wow. Look at all that violence and vandalism.
00:18:29.100 Look at the carnage. Look at all that hatred on display.
00:18:33.160 Well, no. What you just viewed, of course, was the very definition of a peaceful protest.
00:18:39.820 So why did the mayor of Calgary get an injunction to try and shut it down?
00:18:45.140 Why indeed?
00:18:46.640 And joining me now for more on a protest that the authorities and law enforcement tried to kneecap is Sid Fizard.
00:18:55.760 How are you doing there, Sid?
00:18:56.880 Yeah, doing quite all right. How are you guys doing?
00:18:59.680 Doing great.
00:19:00.700 Sid, last I checked, and correct me if I'm wrong, but Canadians have the right to peaceful protest.
00:19:07.880 So why is Mayor Wokeness out in Calgary trying to shut down these demonstrations in the first place?
00:19:14.140 Well, it's political, and she's following the trend of our other politicians, especially those we saw in Ottawa, cracking down on peaceful protesters who are otherwise trying to advocate for their civil rights.
00:19:26.300 But, of course, as you know, even though Justin Trudeau likes to tout that we live in a democracy, it seems it's a one-way democracy.
00:19:33.720 It's his way or the highway, and that's what we saw in Ottawa, and that's what she's trying to do here in Calgary.
00:19:38.000 And, you know, Sid, what I can't help but notice is the fact that if this was a demonstration in the name of, say, Black Lives Matter, is law enforcement clamping down on that?
00:19:51.320 Or maybe is law enforcement being ordered to take a knee as well for BLM?
00:19:56.500 What I'm getting at is that it doesn't seem to be the protest that's the problem.
00:20:02.380 It's the ideological flavour of the protest that has some people freaking out in that city.
00:20:10.240 No, yeah, that's exactly right.
00:20:11.520 I mean, we've seen Black Lives Matter protests and other protests take place in the city and across Canada and around the world.
00:20:17.820 We've seen those protests.
00:20:18.980 And we saw this especially with, well, here in Calgary, where there's the Freedom Rally protesters and there's this counter-protest.
00:20:26.660 And, well, what did the mayor do?
00:20:28.540 Well, as soon as these counter-protests arose, these people would otherwise, I think it's fair to say, a little bit more hate in their protests, very less so lenient towards conversation and open-mindedness.
00:20:40.600 Well, the Calgary mayor supported them without speaking to the Freedom Rally protesters whatsoever and advocating for this very small portion of individuals who are otherwise advocating against freedoms and against the overstepping of government.
00:20:56.160 You know, that's a good point, Sid.
00:20:57.420 I mean, when you look at the Antifa types, they chant things like, love Trump's hate.
00:21:03.120 But they're all about hate.
00:21:06.520 And even some elected officials, starting with the prime minister, with the trucker convoy in Ottawa, the demonization, the vilification of people standing up for freedom.
00:21:20.020 I mean, I can't believe we're living in a world, Sid, where a anti-freedom movement is the one that gets the good housekeeping seal of approval.
00:21:31.480 Well, and that's the thing, is these counter-protests, they don't want the Freedom Rally protests to occur.
00:21:36.920 But if you ask the people in the Freedom Rally, should the counter-protesters have a right to protest?
00:21:41.180 Well, they say, of course, sure.
00:21:42.980 Everybody has the right to protest, especially in a peaceful regard.
00:21:46.360 However, any protesting that is in any relation to what the government is doing and is in opposition to the government is immediately being squandered.
00:21:56.720 And, Sid, in terms of how the police behave themselves in laying down the law, what was your takeaway based on your observations?
00:22:05.920 Well, police, much like any other grouping of, what would you say, enforcement or a grouping of a collective that works under any domain,
00:22:15.380 there are good individuals and there are bad individuals.
00:22:18.580 And we saw that with the protests.
00:22:20.600 There was individuals that were otherwise trying to speak with one cop, when then the other cop would come in and grab them.
00:22:26.740 And I think it's less so a failure of the individual officers as it is the tactics that were being deployed by Calgary Police Services.
00:22:34.500 And we saw this last weekend and we saw it the weekend before, where in attempts to separate the two groups to reduce the amount of frustrations or anything that might come out of it,
00:22:46.020 they somehow managed to put both groups together.
00:22:48.560 And especially last weekend, where there was the Freedom Rally protesters and the counter-protesters both at Central Memorial Park, which is parked in downtown Calgary.
00:22:57.380 Instead of drawing a firm line between the two groups, there was an incident that occurred.
00:23:03.320 And after that incident, the police formed a sort of bubble and they ballooned their way out of the park.
00:23:08.760 So on the perimeter of the police line was a mixture of protesters and counter-protesters.
00:23:13.800 And there was no dividing line between them.
00:23:16.460 So in many ways, the Calgary Police Forces were pushing these two groups together.
00:23:21.080 What a ridiculous strategy.
00:23:24.440 I mean, I don't know anything about law enforcement or kettling and containing malcontents.
00:23:31.340 But the idea that you are pushing two groups that are kind of like the Cobras and the Mongees into a confined area.
00:23:42.240 Sid, what were they thinking?
00:23:44.900 I don't think they were thinking.
00:23:47.100 And I think that's the problem.
00:23:48.160 Now, hopefully, they'll see from the last few weekends how their tactics have been deployed and how they can better adjust those for the future.
00:23:56.480 That way, both protests can peacefully do their thing.
00:23:59.540 However, it doesn't seem like that's the mode of operation that they've been keen on so far.
00:24:03.700 And it's probably in favor of the mayor, them doing these sort of tactics.
00:24:08.260 That way, there is the publicity of, oh, there's the violence, there's this, there's the arrest.
00:24:12.240 But realistically, these arrests and anything that came of the last few weekends could have been avoided entirely.
00:24:19.260 Oh, I totally agree.
00:24:20.200 And we see it here in Toronto as well as other Canadian cities.
00:24:24.200 I mean, it is the very definition of a peaceful protest.
00:24:28.500 There's nobody creating any kind of violence and vandalism despite what the media longs for.
00:24:35.420 Looking ahead, Sid, to this Saturday coming up, is there any demonstration planned?
00:24:40.960 And if so, what do you think is going to go down?
00:24:44.040 Oh, there's certainly a demonstration planned.
00:24:45.900 I haven't seen the counter-protest posters or their promotion of their event just yet.
00:24:51.580 But in terms of the Freedom Rally, they are set to protest again.
00:24:54.440 And like last weekend where they moved to City Hall, they may be at City Hall again, not only to protest to get their freedoms back that have been affected by vaccine mandates and other restrictions the government has been imposing,
00:25:06.760 but as well as new injunction they're going to be protesting, which is why they've made this move to City Hall.
00:25:12.560 And one last question, Sid, before you leave.
00:25:14.900 I think that whoever gets arrested, whoever gets ticketed, I think they have a hell of a solid legal case in terms of their rights being unjustifiably affected in terms of the right to protest,
00:25:32.940 especially if you're just peacefully standing there chanting, holding a sign, you name it.
00:25:39.260 What are your thoughts?
00:25:41.120 No, I think you're absolutely right.
00:25:42.200 Although one interesting thing is that the Freedom Rally protesters, many might think that they're trying to rebel against the counter-protest, rebel against the mayor.
00:25:51.040 They are protesting the mayor, but they're also doing it within the legal lines that have been drawn.
00:25:57.700 So even though this injunction is impeding on their right to protest, they're still finding ways of protesting within the rules while still arguing against the rules that are being put forward.
00:26:07.360 So they're by no means trying to be vitriolic, I guess you could say, or rebellious in nature to that extent.
00:26:16.740 But they are certainly standing strong to make their voices heard.
00:26:19.400 Yeah, and I would say it's a moot point in that regard, Sid, regardless of the protest.
00:26:25.800 I mean, heck, you could protest your disdain for Brussels sprouts, for goodness sakes.
00:26:31.800 And if that offends the farmers of Brussels sprouts, too bad.
00:26:35.460 You have every legal and democratic right in which to do so.
00:26:39.540 I think it's a disgrace what's happening in Calgary, of all places.
00:26:43.640 And let's hope tomorrow the Calgary police behave themselves and there's no, you know, there's no, you know, cops out there that are hot to trot in terms of violently putting down somebody just expressing a democratic right.
00:27:01.560 Sid, thank you so much.
00:27:02.600 Great coverage as always, my friend.
00:27:05.060 Absolutely, and likewise.
00:27:06.900 Thank you.
00:27:07.460 And folks, that was Sid Fizard out in Calgary.
00:27:11.480 Keep it here.
00:27:12.280 More of Rebel Roundup to come right after this.
00:27:27.260 Recently, Melissa Robinson took her three-year-old daughter to the Galaxy Cinema in North Bay, Ontario, where she purchased tickets for Sing 2.
00:27:37.460 As well, she bought some popcorn and pops.
00:27:40.420 But a not-so-funny thing happened to Melissa and daughter as they took their seats in the completely empty theater before the movie even started.
00:27:52.700 Staffers told them that they would have to leave, staffers told them that they would have to leave or the police would be called and they might be charged with trespassing.
00:28:02.240 Indeed, while the intention was to watch a family-friendly musical, suddenly what occurred was that mother and daughter were experiencing a real-life episode of Monster Chiller Horror Theater.
00:28:18.140 Folks, just wait till you hear Melissa's unbelievable story.
00:28:25.020 And indeed, joining me now from about 45 minutes outside of North Bay is Melissa Robinson herself.
00:28:31.980 How are you doing there, Melissa?
00:28:34.440 I'm good.
00:28:35.120 Thank you for having me.
00:28:36.120 It's a pleasure.
00:28:37.300 Now, Melissa, as I said in the preamble, you took your daughter to see Sing 2, but you were soon given the bum's rush out the cinema under penalty of law.
00:28:48.500 What exactly happened?
00:28:51.880 Well, it was supposed to be this really nice mommy-daughter day.
00:28:55.800 And we went and got groceries, and then we were going to go and catch the movie Sing 2 at the Galaxy Cinema in North Bay.
00:29:04.880 And I go up to the counter, and I buy my tickets, and I buy my pop and my popcorn.
00:29:12.920 And my mask is slightly below my nose, about here, but it's still on my nose.
00:29:18.900 And they tell me that, oh, you have to have your mask covering your nose.
00:29:24.720 And so I pull up my mask, and I say, oh, isn't it going to be nice that in two weeks this whole mask mandate is over?
00:29:34.100 And yeah, usually when I tell everybody this, they're so excited.
00:29:38.520 But this person was not excited at all.
00:29:41.360 So that really should have been my first warning.
00:29:43.660 But I'm thinking, oh, this is going to be so much fun.
00:29:46.060 We're going to see a movie.
00:29:47.080 So we hop along.
00:29:48.540 My daughter is literally hopping.
00:29:50.040 And so then we hand our tickets to the woman who is, like, collecting the tickets at the counter.
00:29:56.240 Or not the counter, but, like, the podium thing.
00:29:59.540 And I hand her the tickets.
00:30:01.420 But they're kind of, like, underneath my popcorn because I'm holding popcorn, and I have pop in the other hand.
00:30:05.980 And my daughter is somewhere hopping over in this direction.
00:30:09.640 So she tells me again, oh, you have to have your mask over your nose.
00:30:14.360 And I did not even realize that it wasn't covering my nose.
00:30:17.340 I'm pretty sure it's on my nose about here.
00:30:20.060 And so I can't really pull it up because I have popcorn in this hand, pop, and then my daughter is over there.
00:30:26.440 And I'm not even really paying attention to her because I'm more focused on what my daughter is doing.
00:30:30.800 So she rips my tickets, and she tells me that I'm in room three.
00:30:35.100 So that's pretty much all I'm, like, registering at this point is just go to room three.
00:30:38.860 And then so, like, I'm, like, herding my daughter towards that direction.
00:30:43.080 So we get to the movie theater, and we sit down.
00:30:46.580 And I think, okay, great, everything's going to be fine because we're in the theater.
00:30:49.680 There's nobody here.
00:30:51.160 And I have food, so I can take my mask off, and we can start eating.
00:30:55.860 So we sit down, and I chose the seats at the very back of the theater, kind of where the balcony would be, like where the stairs are.
00:31:04.460 On top of the stairs is a balcony.
00:31:06.260 Okay.
00:31:06.620 Because I wanted to be away from other people because of how my daughter is only three, and she sometimes can do things.
00:31:14.180 And I didn't want to disturb anyone.
00:31:15.660 So we're, like, literally at the back of the theater, and we're sitting there waiting for the movie to start.
00:31:20.680 The credits haven't started yet.
00:31:22.380 And, like, not even, like, a minute or two later, two women come into the theater, and they tell me, oh, you have to have your mask on.
00:31:30.400 And I'm eating popcorn.
00:31:32.240 So I say, I'm eating popcorn.
00:31:33.700 And she says, oh, it doesn't matter.
00:31:35.120 You have to have your mask on.
00:31:37.140 So I put my mask on.
00:31:38.240 If I can just interject, how could they possibly say it doesn't matter?
00:31:43.320 If you're eating and drinking, you cannot do that with a mask on.
00:31:47.760 Or is there some kind of etiquette at that Galaxy Cinema, you know, much like Governor Newsom in California or Mayor Tory in Toronto,
00:31:55.040 who advised people to wear the mask, pull it down, insert food, pull the mask up, chew, rinse and repeat.
00:32:03.280 Was that what they were getting at, that you were breaking popcorn-eating etiquette at the cinema?
00:32:10.420 Yes, and it's interesting that you bring that up because you are the one that really flied that for me because before I wouldn't have even thought of that.
00:32:17.160 Because they did say the term active eating.
00:32:20.740 So I don't even know what that is because I don't even go out.
00:32:24.600 So what I was – so I kind of discovered this while I was kind of inventing it because I was in the theater with my mask on.
00:32:32.040 But, like, sneaking popcorn, but having my mask on in case they came back because I was also keeping a lookout just in case they did come back
00:32:39.340 because I literally didn't even know what they even wanted.
00:32:42.940 Yeah, so anyways –
00:32:45.300 And Melissa, if I can just interject again, a very, very important part of this story, I feel,
00:32:51.180 is the fact that this cinema, except for you and your daughter, was absolutely, completely empty.
00:32:59.440 So even if you were unmasked, what harm was there?
00:33:04.240 There was no one to presumably infect.
00:33:08.080 In fact, if you want to talk about any kind of potential danger, so to speak, I put that in their quotes,
00:33:15.780 it's when the manager and the other staffer come and suddenly they're in your grill reading you the riot act.
00:33:21.860 And before we get to your response on that, you were savvy enough to take out your cell phone
00:33:27.680 and record some of the interaction.
00:33:29.840 Folks, just check this out.
00:33:31.340 There is no one in the theater and you're asking me to leave because I didn't have a mask on earlier
00:33:36.240 and I have my mask on now.
00:33:37.920 I'm asking you to leave right now?
00:33:39.260 Literally, do you want to be famous?
00:33:41.020 You can either leave right now or I can come back with the police.
00:33:45.080 You call the police.
00:33:46.100 This is ridiculous.
00:33:47.020 There is no one in the theater.
00:33:48.320 Why are you harassing me?
00:33:49.940 What's your name?
00:33:50.620 We are asking you to follow our policy.
00:33:51.860 And I do not give you – I am following your policy.
00:33:54.020 I do not give you permission.
00:33:54.680 My mask is on.
00:33:56.060 Yes, I can't film you.
00:33:56.940 No, you cannot.
00:33:57.960 Yes, I can.
00:33:58.320 I'm not giving you my permission.
00:33:59.620 Yes, it doesn't matter.
00:34:00.280 I'm putting it on YouTube.
00:34:00.920 It's live streaming.
00:34:02.260 We are live streaming right now.
00:34:04.360 It is not a single consent province.
00:34:05.600 It doesn't matter.
00:34:06.560 I'm asking you to leave now.
00:34:08.280 You already did.
00:34:09.320 And now I'm coming to the possession of a villain.
00:34:11.580 I paid for this movie.
00:34:12.740 My daughter wants to see it.
00:34:13.740 I have my mask on.
00:34:15.480 Incredible.
00:34:16.700 Remember when going to a movie was all about having a fun night out?
00:34:21.360 Well, that was before COVID, of course, and before an army of Karens decided they would
00:34:27.040 be policing the behavior of the entire populace.
00:34:31.100 And to add insult to injury, the last time I spoke with Melissa Robinson, she was still
00:34:36.260 waiting to get a refund for the money she spent on tickets.
00:34:40.400 Holy horror movie.
00:34:41.800 In any event, you had plenty to say about the egregious treatment Melissa and her daughter
00:34:48.320 received at that North Bay cinema.
00:34:51.660 Fred Penner writes,
00:34:52.720 So let me get this straight.
00:34:54.780 You will sell her the popcorn, but won't let her take the mask off to eat it.
00:35:00.460 Not to touch on the fact the theater was empty.
00:35:03.400 We are living in an upside down world.
00:35:06.240 Yeah.
00:35:06.520 And get this, Fred, despite multiple attempts to contact Cineplex corporate, nobody there
00:35:12.540 has the decency to explain their popcorn eating etiquette protocols.
00:35:18.060 What cowards.
00:35:19.200 Mark Nguyen writes,
00:35:21.480 I tried to take our family to the movies a few weeks ago.
00:35:26.040 We are all double vaccinated and have our certification from the government.
00:35:31.500 Cineplex would not let us into the theater.
00:35:34.680 They demanded that we register for the government app and the QRC code and show that to them instead
00:35:42.360 of our government issued paperwork.
00:35:44.820 They even had a computer there to do the deed.
00:35:48.520 There was no way I was going to do anything that would give the government more information
00:35:55.260 about myself and my family.
00:35:57.440 So we left, went home and downloaded the movies from Prime for $16.99.
00:36:03.680 I saved about $150 and I will never go to the theater again.
00:36:10.420 Great business practice.
00:36:12.080 Well, indeed, coming soon to a theater near you, folks, Cineplex files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
00:36:18.820 protection and talk about a self-inflicted wound.
00:36:23.160 Fook YouTube writes,
00:36:24.980 Well, indeed, the filmmakers behind the Jackass Forever franchise have nothing on the real-life
00:36:45.800 donkeys, doofuses, and asserted other jabronis working at Cineplex these days.
00:36:51.620 Richard Marr writes,
00:36:52.540 Melissa, I'm proud of you for calmly standing your ground in front of your daughter while you were being harassed by those two people.
00:37:01.260 You're an awesome mom and an awesome role model for your daughter.
00:37:05.600 There's hope for our country with people like you in it.
00:37:08.720 And I second that opinion.
00:37:12.120 Richard Charwest writes,
00:37:14.380 I've looked up Cineplex rules and it clearly states that masks must be worn unless eating or drinking.
00:37:23.140 Since she bought popcorn and pops, they were clearly eating and drinking.
00:37:30.160 Well, right you are, my friend.
00:37:31.580 Besides, how can anyone eat or drink with a bloody face diaper on in the first place?
00:37:37.120 And Adam Park writes,
00:37:39.460 It's bad enough the seats are getting smaller, the ads are getting longer,
00:37:45.120 and for non-movie-related content, there is no one policing cell phone lights flashing in your eyes.
00:37:51.100 But now you can't even eat their overpriced popcorn?
00:37:55.720 Can you say non-sustainable business model?
00:37:59.720 Indeed, you'd think after two years of lockdown misery,
00:38:04.120 the movie theaters would be welcoming as many people as possible back.
00:38:09.780 Instead, Cineplex is giving people yet another reason to invest in home theater.
00:38:16.340 Who needs to get into arguments with wild Karens when all you want to do is watch a bloody movie?
00:38:24.420 Well, that wraps up another edition of Rebel Roundup.
00:38:27.880 Thanks so much for joining us.
00:38:29.560 See you next week.
00:38:30.440 And hey, folks, never forget,
00:38:32.400 without risk, there can be no glory.
00:38:34.840 Good night.
00:38:35.280 Good night.
00:38:35.780 Good night.
00:38:38.760 Good night.
00:38:39.740 Good night.
00:38:40.060 Good night.
00:38:40.200 Good night.
00:38:40.700 Good night.
00:38:41.300 Good night.
00:38:43.000 Good night.
00:38:44.900 Good night.
00:38:45.600 Good night.
00:38:45.680 Good night.
00:38:46.620 Good night.
00:38:47.640 Good night.
00:38:47.760 Good night.
00:38:49.700 Good night.
00:38:50.720 Good night.
00:38:51.580 Good night.
00:38:51.600 Good night.
00:38:52.120 Good night.
00:38:53.040 Good night.
00:38:53.300 Good night.
00:38:54.680 Good night.
00:38:55.560 Good night.
00:38:55.600 Good night.
00:38:56.960 Good night.
00:38:57.380 Good night.
00:38:59.320 Good night.
00:39:00.140 Good night.
00:39:00.680 Good night.
00:39:01.260 Good night.
00:39:02.600 Good night.