Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veteran James Topp has begun a gruelling march from Vancouver to Ottawa in support of Freedom Convoy protestors against Wuhan coronavirus restrictions and mandates.
Topp began his journey from Vancouver on Sunday and is looking to walk a distance of 4,395 kilometres/2,731 miles across a large portion of Canada to reach Ottawa and is joined by a small group of others.
A 28-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, Topp released a mission statement on his website “Canada Marches” saying, “We rise to serve Canadians with honesty, respect and compassion, for the purpose of reuniting our people. We do this, with the intention of ensuring our government upholds the laws that support Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”
According to a report from broadcaster CBC, Warrant Officer Topp was under investigation by the Canadian Armed Forces over his planned march. Several others have also allegedly been placed under investigation including two active-duty members of the elite counter-terrorism force JTF2.
The marchers are expected to walk around 25 miles per day and claim that the entire journey could take between three to four months to complete.
Topp spoke to supporters in Vancouver saying, “Determination, dedication, perseverance. The sounds of our footsteps are going to carry on in front of us. They are going to hear our feet out east.”
The veteran acknowledged that he was inspired by Canadian Terry Fox, who after losing his right leg to cancer in 1977 at age 18, attempted to cross Canada on foot to raise money for cancer research, in what became known as the Marathon of Hope.
Fox was taken ill after cancer returned to his lungs on September 1st, 1980 after running for 5,373 kilometres/3,338 miles. He died several months later on June 28th 1981.
A statue of Terry Fox in Ottawa was involved in the early days of the Freedom Convoy protests after some claimed protestors had defaced the statue after placing a sign stating “Mandate Freedom” and a Canadian flag on the statue.
Topp’s long march across Canada comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau maintains his powers under the Emergencies Act, despite border blockades having ended before he invoked the act and the Ottawa protest being cleared last weekend.
A vote in the House of Commons on Monday evening saw members of Trudeau’s Liberals and the far-left New Democrats (NDP) pass a motion to approve of the use of the act, while the Conservatives and the separatist Bloc Quebecois opposed the invocation of the act.