As RedState reported earlier, Justin Trudeau announced on Monday plans to enact so-called “emergency powers” under Canada’s Emergency Act to target the Freedom Convoy. For their part, the truckers have pledged to “hold the line” in the face of government aggression.

Now, Trudeau has officially followed through, giving an insane press conference detailing the measures that are going to be used.

Trudeau: “These tools include strengthening their ability to impose fines or imprisonment … financial institutions will be … directed to … regulat[e] and prohibit the use of property to fund or support illegal blockade” pic.twitter.com/NwK80wk26N

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 14, 2022

Like father, like son, I suppose.

It’s not an overstatement to call this move communistic and Orwellian. I’m confident in saying that if this were a non-Western country, there’d be an international outcry and calls for sanctions. Think about it. Canada is literally labeling peaceful protesters as terrorists and enacting emergency powers to smash dissent via imprisonment.

Just to illustrate how crazy that is, I miswrote “China” for “Canada” three times in formulating the first few paragraphs of this article. That’s how dictatorial Trudeau’s move is. Not only are martial-law tactics such as imprisonment without a trial on the table, but they are also going to broaden “terrorist financing” laws to seize bank accounts and stop all fundraising activity with no due process.

Trudeau deputy PM: “Financial service provider will be able to immediately freeze or suspend an account without a court order [if the person supports the truckers]. In doing so, they will be protected against civil liability for actions taken in good faith." pic.twitter.com/DFzWxkL0dL

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 14, 2022

Regardless of what you think of the truckers, they are not terrorists by any definition. They should be given the same protections anyone else would enjoy under the law. Freezing bank accounts without a court order is the stuff of autocracies, not free countries (which Canada obviously isn’t anymore).

Further, Canada is justifying these moves by claiming that the truckers are spreading “hate.” That’s the part of this that is so Orwellian. These political hacks want you to believe that a bunch of peaceful protesters hanging out, grilling hot dogs, and dancing with each other are merchants of something so dangerous and dire that their rights must be suspended. Again, if this situation were happening in China, there’d be an international outcry.

Trudeau: My forced vaccination program “is not dividing Canadians” pic.twitter.com/avfr6kLthX

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 14, 2022

When asked about tow-truck companies refusing to cooperate in towing the trucks in the convoy, Trudeau claimed that his emergency powers also give him the “power to compel” their service. There are apparently no limits to this cosplaying clown’s overreach.

Christina Pushaw, press secretary for Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, really drove things home with this comparison.

The same people who condemn Putin for freezing Navalny out of the Russian banking system are cheering on Trudeau for doing the same thing to countless Canadians. I am disgusted.

— Christina Pushaw 🐊🚛 (@ChristinaPushaw) February 14, 2022

Let me say this: Any conservative who has consistently spoken out against China and Russia but then makes excuses for what Canada is doing is a hypocrite. I’ve already seen a few examples of that, and those people should never be listened to again. They obviously can’t be counted on to stand up when it matters.

Canada may be a Western nation, but that is not a free pass for its leaders to devolve into tyrants. Left-wing authoritarianism is on the march around the world and it must be opposed in all its forms. Even if you think the truckers shouldn’t block roads, there are peaceful, reasonable ways for the government to deal with that. What Trudeau is doing is a purposeful show of force meant to intimidate and cause fear among a populace that once believed they were free. If that isn’t pushed back on now, there will be no limits to what these wannabe totalitarians can do in the future.