Conversation with my Ottawa neighbour whom I tried to invite for an interview with former CBC journalist on Freedom Convoy
Is it possible to start a dialogue with those who had no sympathy for the Freedom Convoy? I tried once again.
Meet My Neighbor, P.
P. is one of the best neighbours anyone could ask for. Like me, he's passionate about cross-country skiing, biking, art, philosophy, ecology. We even have the same kind of reel mower from Lee Valley, and we both hold off cutting the grass too soon in the season—giving birds and insects their fair share of our front yards.
He’s also a retired senior advisor for the Canadian government, with a career that took him to many countries, including Scandinavia.
P. is deeply engaged in global issues. Long before the war began, he followed the tensions between Ukraine and Russia closely, and our chance meetings often turn into lengthy discussions about international politics.
However, P. holds strong views that stand in stark contrast to mine when it comes to Canada’s pandemic response and the Freedom Convoy. He believes the rapid development and rollout of vaccines saved millions of lives and views the “Ottawa occupation by truckers” as one of the most egregious events in the city’s history. In his opinion, figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk represent threats to democracy and humanity.
The Trish Wood’s Project
Recently, I attended a presentation by Trish Wood, a former CBC journalist best known for her work on The Fifth Estate. She has just completed a documentary on Tamara Lich, a central figure in the Freedom Convoy, aiming to offer a wholistic perspective - with a human touch - on the convoy and its leaders as opposed to narratives that were generated at that time by mainstream media.
During the presentation, Trish mentioned she was looking for Ottawa residents who did not support the Freedom Convoy to provide a balanced view. I volunteered to help her find a few individuals and immediately thought of P. and a few others in my neighbourhood.
The Conversation Begins
That very day, I bumped into P. on our street, and as usual, we began discussing the latest news from Ukraine. P. was keen to hear updates about my relatives in Odessa, Kyiv, and Kharkiv, whom I stay in regular contact with. I shared the pain and suffering caused by the war and emphasized my belief that Canadians should focus on addressing issues within our own country before turning their attention elsewhere.
Gently, I shifted the conversation to Canada’s own recent struggles. I asked P. if he had heard of Trish Wood and her documentary on the Freedom Convoy. I explained her goal of facilitating dialogue and presenting alternative viewpoints and asked if he might be open to speaking with her. He showed interest, so I followed up with email and we had a little trail of them, which is pasted below.
On Sun, Nov 24, 2024 at 4:50 PM Dmitry O. Gorodnichy wrote:
Thanks P
We all are doing our best
Cheers
On Sun., Nov. 24, 2024, 13:45 p wrote:
I appreciate your perspective Dmitry, you are the réal diplomat.
Congratulations on your récent élection and best wishes for your candidacy for Vice President of PIPSC. I’m very impressed with the announcement of your candidacy, I am certain that you have much to contribute to PIPSC, a union whose members cover a broad range of government roles and many of whom have been been collègues of mine during my working career.
Best
p
On Nov 24, 2024, at 12:01 PM, Dmitry O. Gorodnichy wrote:
Good morning P.
That's why I thought you'd be interested to talk to her. But that's ok if you're not.
To me there's no black or white, right wing or left wing , but there's a professional journalist who is interested in different opinions , and then there are others who work for state funded newspapers like PRADVA in USSR , and what unfortunately CBC has also became seems like.
But unless we enable the dialog between the different opinions instead of using hateful labels to marginalize one view over another, I don't believe we as society can prosper , which will benefit our enemies like Putin .
This is what I'm trying to do on my side - I was recently elected or Pipsc NCR exec executive board and run for VP position (https://pipsc.ca/about/governance/committees/elections-information/2024-election-pipsc-officers-and-directors/gorodnichy) , and this is what i think she is trying to do too.
Dmitry
On Sat., Nov. 23, 2024, 23:23 p wrote:
Having now reviewed several of Trish Wood’s podcasts,
[THIS PART IS REMOVED]
FYI - the only reason, we had this « freedom ((not)) convoy is because we had a new Chief of Police in Ottawa, who should have towed thèse trucks outta downtown Ottawa after three days (as required by law).
p.
On Nov 22, 2024, at 6:26 PM, Dmitry O. Gorodnichy wrote:
P.
that's her page -
https://www.trishwoodpodcast.com/
Would you be interested to be interviewed by her?
She just made a the documentary about Tamara Lich and was looking for some Ottawa citizens who have negative thoughts about her or freedom Convoy so that she could interview them in order to provide a holistic multiple opinions views on the subject, as required by professional journalism standards.
As mentioned, I had a quick conversation with her this morning, mentioned to her that I might be able to find her such what Ottawa citizens, and I was thinking about you and maybe a couple of other neighbors. You have quite impressive professional background and deep understanding of Canadian politics like few people do. I could envision you two to have a great discussion if the time works for both of you.
And most remarkably, just as I thought about you this morning, you just passed by our house exactly in the minute when I was there! :)
Please let me know.
Dmitry
The Outcome
While I was not surprised by the outcome (even the number of exclamation marks exactly on issues that polarized the society), it underscored the immense difficulty of bridging such a profound divide.
The Freedom Convoy was more than just a protest; it became a political fault line. For many, it represented hope and resistance; for others, fear and chaos. But beyon these interpretations lies a deeper problem: the loss of civil discourse.
This divide isn’t merely political. It’s personal. It’s about neighbors who can’t see eye-to-eye on foundational issues, friends who struggle to find common ground, and a nation still reeling from the consequences of decisions made during an unprecedented crisis.
Reflection
Despite our differing views, P. remains a good neighbour and a friend. Yet, his response serves as a reminder that the divides within our communities will not heal without deliberate efforts to foster understanding and conversation.
I don’t expect P. to change his mind. Nor do I expect to change mine. There’s little point in offering him more references (like on IVIM.ca/evidence) or documentaries (like the ones I’m gathering to substack quoted below) to support my perspective—his views are as firmly held as mine, perhaps even more so. In fact, it feels like a matter of deeply held belief—almost like a faith—that instantly triggers defensiveness, often even aggression, and one that no one should try to challenge or disrupt. He seems almost programmed to reject any opportunity for debate on this topic, as engaging in discussion might imply giving legitimacy to an alternative view —precisely the behavior exhibited by mainstream media and the politicians shaping their narratives.
But if we can’t even have the conversation—if we can’t even try to understand why we see the world so differently—then we risk losing more than just political battles. We risk losing the social fabric that holds our communities together.
Dialogue isn’t about winning an argument. It’s about listening, even when it’s hard. It’s about understanding, even when we disagree. And maybe, just maybe, it’s about finding a path forward—together.
What do you think? Can we bridge this divide, or is the gap too wide to cross? Share your thoughts below.
Dmitry…I can only aspire to be as open and fair minded as you. You’re a true diplomat. I am holding onto my view regarding the convoy and have chosen to “not discuss it” with family that thinks differently, as they have held onto their opposite view as well. Perhaps with time, we can be as open to listening as you are
You are very inspiring, Dmitry. I have struggled to open conversations on this topic (and others) but always feel deflated afterwards. Thanks for sharing this experience and encouraging us to keep the conversation open.