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An Ottawa-based group with suspected ties to the "Freedom Convoy" says it was threatened with eviction Wednesday and is ready to take its cause to court in an attempt to set up headquarters in the country's capital.
The United People of Canada, or TUPOC, moved in to a deconsecrated church in downtown Ottawa this summer as part of a conditional offer to buy the space.
The heritage building is now draped with large red banners featuring the group's logo: a tree with thirteen maple leaves meant to symbolize the provinces and territories.
The group calls the building an "embassy," and describes itself as a "diverse, intergenerational fraternal organization."
TUPOC board member William Komer said members called police Wednesday evening after the landlord's agent showed up and unsuccessfully attempted to kick them out of the building.
A second attempt by a bailiff to change the locks on the church was made Thursday but again he was rebuffed and police called.
"We're still lawfully occupying the building, from our perspective that speaks for itself," Komer said in an interview Thursday. "Our perspective is we're victim of discrimination."
The landlord accused the group of falling behind on $10,000 worth of rent, making changes to a heritage building without a permit and failing to show proof of insurance.
Police said they were called to keep the peace during a dispute between a landlord and a tenant of the building.
The attempted eviction follows weeks of conflict between members of the group and their neighbours. Local residents have protested TUPOC's continued presence in the community and see it as an opportunity for convoy supporters to set up a permanent outpost in Ottawa.
The church is just a few minutes walk from the parliamentary district, and is not far from where big rigs and other trucks clogged streets for three weeks last winter to protest COVID-19 restrictions and the Trudeau government.
The group claims to have no connection to the protest, though several members of the board have ties to the "Freedom Convoy" movement.
Komer said the group has posted private security around the building and is prepared to take legal action if police don't take "appropriate action" to investigate the eviction and other allegations of vandalism and illegal protest against their group.
Diane Nolan, who also sits on the board, spoke about the group's mission in the community in a 20-minute Facebook video Thursday, though the precise objectives of the group remain unclear.
She also spoke repeatedly about the convoy protest.
"The whole world needs to know that event transformed hearts and minds, because guess where we are right now? We're in an uprising," she said in the video.
"We need to start talking about gathering, a bigger gathering. It's not about a convoy. It's about an uprising."
The group's website also promotes community conversation sessions about the convoy, sponsored by a website that offers "community-based research" about injuries related to COVID-19 vaccines.
When news of the eviction attempt spread online, several known convoy participants announced they would lend support to the group and travel to Ottawa. Tyson "Freedom George" Billings, who pleaded guilty in June to counselling mischief during the winter protest, also encouraged fellow supporters to head to the church to prevent the eviction.
The group's future in the church space remains unclear now that the owner has attempted to evict them. Though The United People of Canada put in a conditional officer on the building, an active real-estate listing for the building is currently posted online.
Several community groups have circulated a petition to halt the sale of the building to TUPOC, arguing the organization "does not have the community’s best interests in mind."
Komer said the group's lawyers are in discussion, and are considering an Ontario Human Rights complaint against the landlord.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2022.
Comments
This group seems to be very well funded. So did the so called Freedom Convoy. Perhaps someone should investigate the source of their funding, and tell the rest of us who is funneling money to these groups.
Maybe the funnel dried up which is the reason for non-payment of rent.
I suppose this will end up in front of a judge very soon. Aside from neighbours’ well-warranted issues with whomever they (appear) to have proof of mischievous intent, it seems TUPOC’s offer was ever only conditional—that is, the seller may and has indeed changed its mind mind about TUPOC’s “conditional offer” on the property, that it had and still has evidence that a) rent wasn’t paid, b) heritage by-laws have been broken, and c) insurance risk has not not been underwritten by TUPOC as agreed with the property owner.
I suppose the judge might entertain any excuses TUPOC would make for breaching these important items, but it does not own the property and evidently has damaged it—damages that the judge would undoubtedly find TUPOC liable for. But even if TUPOC promised to repair said damage, there are the other valid issues to contend with.
It revolves around the fact that TUPOC only ever was, and remains a tenant—one apparently in arrears and in breach of its contract with the property owner. Thus, the question is, minimally whether the owner has a right to evict TUPOC, its tenant.
Against this, TUPOC will probably try to convince the judge that the case is more than breach of contract (and, as the judge will doubtlessly allow neighbours and the city to intervene in the case, if it ever happens, the issue of mischief and malice will be duly heard and considered in jurisprudence) and thence argue that lofty principles of rights and freedoms are at stake. Surely they are not: TUPOC is not being prevented from pursuing whatever it is it thinks it’s doing, not per se (it may try again some other place), it’s rights and freedoms are not being denied but, rather the issue is that they do not have, indeed have shown to be unworthy of, any right to acquire this particular property. And property is nothing if not particular.
If nothing else, TUPOC’s and its associates’ advocacy will get the public notoriety it appears to want—while, that is, it’s getting evicted (which would seem inevitable). Perhaps this is another staged event in the arsenal of “Freedumb Convoy” grandstanding, another attempt to gain political influence it so far has plainly lacked.
So far this looks like a civil matter, but having to call police (it sounds like it was TUPOC that did that when a “bailiff” —sherif, perhaps?—showed up to lock TUPOC out of the building for rent arrears, &c) hints at possible criminal charges (assault, uttering, &c) as the dispute develops. Tenants do have limited rights, even though TUPOC appears to have abrogated whatever they might be, but it’s up to the rule of law, not a privately contracted detail of security goons to invigilate that. It seems the odds of the matter becoming a lot more than an ordinary contractual dispute are pretty good. Maybe that’s the plan.
Think about it: there is more that one way to frustrate TUPOC’s plans for the property, ways that would involve it having to proffer promises it hasn’t the reputation to take seriously. Moreover, the city of Ottawa has a very, very big file on the costs it incurred in dispersing and cleaning up after last winter’s “Freedumb Convoy.” Surely the judge will consider this along with the more perfunctory issue of bylaw infractions.
All in all, it looks like TUPOC will pit its presumed “right” to break civic (and potentially criminal) laws against that old nugget: peace, order, and good government. I can’t wait for TUPOC to explain to a judge how it respects this adage while expressly intending to press for its particularist version of rights by way of an “uprising” in violation of the law, and overthrowing the constitutionally elected government.
I just can’t wait, but, in my vicarious excitement, I remind myself and others that, for the neighbours adjacent to tho deconsecrated church and for the city of Ottawa, this is a visceral and serious matter. I for one wish them every success and thank them for their effort to frustrate this org’s malicious intent.
Jason Kenney's comments about members of the UCP in Alberta is most appropriate for TUPOC members, many who likely belong to both.
" is under seige from extremist elements... I am determined to ensure that such hateful, extreme and divisive voices do not find a home in this mainstream broad conservative party"
And the very last thing we need in Canada are these folks thinking they can just take over, and having a home in Ottawa.