Many years ago, when I was first recovering from chronic fatigue and figuring out how to promote my journaling workshops, I did a free marketing course offered by a Christian group in the US.
My coach was a pastor in the midwest with a large family and a generous heart.
When the time came for him to offer me their paid program, I wasn’t sure what I should do.
Rather than try to upsell me, he recommended I pray on it.
At the time, I wasn’t someone who prayed much.
But on a mild spring day, I went for a walk by our neighbouring creek and I took the coaching.
“Okay God, what’s next for me?”
The answer that came was this:
Bridgebuilder.
One of the gifts of 7 years of incapacitation was the stripping away of much of my identity.
With no career or community or even a social life, I began to examine who I was with new eyes.
I let go of all my preconceived notions of my opinions and beliefs.
I began to see from other sides, to question my positions and my place in all of it, and to consider what was actually wanted and needed in the world.
Bridgebuilder made sense.
I had come from the left and would find myself standing for freedom alongside those on the right.
I had been raised without religion and embarked on a life changing spiritual exploration.
I was born to a francophone father in French Canada and raised by my anglophone mother in English Canada.
Though I was living in Ontario, in 2022 I ended up on the Quebec side of the Freedom Convoy.
It was there that I first heard about François Amalega — a man I would come to know as the face of the freedom movement in Quebec.
A man that virtually no one in English Canada had even heard of, even today.
I knew that the stories of our 2 solitudes had to be told to each other, and a new bridge building opportunity presented itself.
For the next year, I travelled around Quebec, meeting many of the province’s freedom warriors and writing some of their stories.
François’s remarkable story of countless arrests and nearly 4 months in prison for defying Covid mandates, is equalled only by his partner in crimefighting, Giselle Picard — a former nurse and nun who, at 84, is equally inspiring and unstoppable.
There is much I admire about these 2 mild-mannered truth tellers, not the least of which is their calm and collected demeanour, and their commitment to standing up against injustice with courage and compassion.
They are building bridges not only through what they’re doing, but through who they are being.
And that is why I am delighted to help build their bridge to the English-speaking world.
Since I was in Montreal where they live, I was able to meet them in person and, thanks to the generosity of Lux Media, I was able to record this episode in their studio…
Before I fill you in on the cliffhanger, I want to start with my top takeaways from my conversation with Giselle and François…
From François, I am reminded that we need courage and humility to distance ourselves from our beliefs and feelings, in order to examine the facts.
I loved what he said about teaching:
“I want to convince, not just to impose.”
We cannot use the government’s propaganda tactic.
We must be the voices of reason and the purveyors of rationale.
I’m also buoyed by his bravery, forged in the act of facing his fears.
Once he was arrested and imprisoned, the worst had happened.
He used a situation he was afraid to face to strengthen his commitment to his values.
From Giselle, I am reminded that strength does not necessarily come from the loudest or angriest person.
It is her gentle demeanour that makes her so difficult to defy.
And as an 84-year-old warrior for what is right, she shows us all that adherence to our principles and purpose is not only possible at any age, but it keeps us vital.
Now to the cliffhanger…
What is it that Giselle gets to do that no one else has done?
Many Quebeckers, like many other Canadians, have been fighting mandate fines.
And several people in la belle province have requested a constitutional challenge to the mandates themselves.
Judges have summarily dismissed these challenges, except for one.
Giselle Picard’s request has been accepted.
This means that not only can she call witnesses, but that Quebec’s Director of Public Health, Horacio Arruda, the man who imposed some of the most draconian mandates in Canada, a man who has yet to answer for his actions, will be called as a witness — and Giselle will get to question him.
On March 27th, the preparation for the 3-day process will begin, so keep an eye out for this historic event.
As for Francois, the government sent him a letter stating that he had 10 days to agree to 906 hours of community service in lieu of his nearly $98 000 in fines, or he would be arrested.
On February 26th, the 10 days were up.
As of today, François Amalega is still free, and still refusing fines or service for unjust and unscientific mandates.
It takes incredible resolve to stand against injustice, but we can all take the smallest step by stopping the funding of those who oppress us.
Stop supporting the billionaires behind the destruction of our rights and freedoms by shopping in their big box stores.
Start moving the money you’re already spending to small businesses making non-toxic products that support the health and well being of your family.
Please join me in the Switchaway Initiative.
Contact me HERE and find out how to take this simple step.
This is an easy way to true up our values with our spending.
And for those of you who would like to earn extra income while supporting this podcast, I am gathering a small team of ambassadors to help others make the switch.
There has never been a better time for us to come together as a community.
I’d like to hear your key takeaways from my conversation with Francois Amalega and Giselle Picard.
Please share in the comments section.
Stay tuned.
Be true to yourself.
And remember that we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏
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Thank you for your partnership in outing the truth and being the change. 🙏