How did a group of conspiratorial activists get onto CPAC?

Canadian Anti-Hate Network

Screenshot of a CPAC press conference held by the Canadian Democratic Defence Association. Source: CPAC

The story has been updated after Kelly Anne Farkas provided documentation showing the Canadian Democratic Defence Association has been registered with Corperations Canada.

A pair of press conferences were hosted in the 135-B Press Conference Room in West Block on Parliament Hill. Broadcast on the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) on Friday, February 16, the first three presenters posted up behind the podium.

What followed was roughly eight minutes of vague, unspecific plans that would nonetheless completely overhaul the voting system. 

Featuring Kelly Anne Wolfe, a pseudonym used by activist Kelly Anne Farkas, she introduced herself as the CEO of the Canadian Democratic Defence Association (CDDA). Farkas has been a speaker, organizer, and general presence in the “freedom” protest scene for the past four years. Previously appearing alongside figures like Pat King, an organizer of the “Freedom Convoy” and  Chris “Sky” Saccoccia, a failed mayoral candidate who gained notoriety during the activism against COVID health restrictions. 

“The system will be built on modern technology, on the blockchain, so that each Canadian can govern themselves from the palm of their hand,” Farkas said during the conference. “We are going to introduce a form of direct democracy so there will be ethical compliance on all levels of government.” 

Adding that “It’s time for real checks and balances to come back to this country.” 

Insisting the CDDA is an “internationally recognized NGO,” the press conference was described as the announcement of a “national campaign for a proposed political party.” Farkas added that they intend to run independent candidates at all levels of government to address a lack of accountability, leadership and representation in Canada. 

There was little explanation as to how the new voting would function or how electoral politics would be improved by the proposed system. There are also few traces of the CDDA online beyond a website offering people the ability to sign up to volunteer in particular ridings.

The website contains no information about the blockchain voting system. 

When reached for comment, Farkas deferred to the organization’s IT team to explain the technical aspects of the system, but said the voting system will allow for a public ledger of each vote to be available and individuals “only identified by their private wallet address” allowing for verification that their “vote was counted but their privacy will be protected.”

Farkas added that only the “MPP and [the voter] will know who each wallet's address applies to.” 

The statement means that the proposed process would reveal the identities of the electorate and who they voted for to members of provincial parliament, making voting less private than it is now. Farkas' proposal would include representatives agreeing to keep information confidential, similar to the obligations between a lawyer and their client.

“I don’t think at this point anyone disagrees that we have a government that does not serve the people,” Farkas said. “Personally, I do not care what political stripe, faith or creed anyone chooses to adopt, I only care that they have the ability to adopt it without being subjected to abuse or harm.”

The CDDA does not return any results in searches of Corporations Canada’s database, however, Farkas provided screenshots of documentation indicating she has registered the group.

There were no questions from the media at the end of the press conference. 

Also on Friday, a press conference following Farkas provided an update for the media from the organizers of an anniversary event of the end of the “Freedom Convoy” protests that choked Ottawa’s downtown in 2022.

The second conference, despite running over twice as long, seemed remarkably competent by comparison. 

“Representatives” Derek Noonan and Chris Dacey provided a quick rundown of the plans for the weekend, coordination with police, and apologies for the failure of an invited panel to turn up for the press conference. 

The Road To CPAC

Intended to connect “Canadians to their democracy,” CPAC transmits footage of a variety of public events via a television channel, website, and social media platforms.

“CPAC delivers the most comprehensive coverage of the people and events that shape Canadian public policy,” the channel says on its website. “Our core programming includes the complete televised proceedings of Canada's Parliament and in-depth coverage of key political events and public policy debates.”

After her appearance during the press conference, Farkas appeared on a Facebook Live to add to her comments. Casting the press conferences as her creation, she tells her followers that she could have brought anyone to the National Press Gallery at any time but had held back because they were not ready. 

It is relatively easy for organizations to reserve the 135-B Press Conference Room through the National Press Gallery website. Available for booking without charge, the space provides a litany of different audio and visual equipment. 

While Farkas said her organization was working with MPs across the country, the room she used does not require sponsorship from a Member of Parliament to use, unlike the National Press Theatre. 

The National Press Gallery did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. 

Lone Wolfe

The press gallery has a long tradition of being open to the public, a practice that should not change, but providing people a voice that carries from the national capital to the rest of the country often comes without context about the speaker. This is especially true when it comes to Farkas, whose activism, and self-descriptions, are constantly changing. 

Unknown before making her debut in 2020 during protests against health measures, Farkas garnered attention as an emcee and speaker at related events. 

In comments provided to the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, and on her social media, Farkas said she has left the "Freedom movement," calling it a circus.

In the summer of 2020, a Toronto resident captured an interaction with Farkas where she insisted she was “a musician, and a very popular one.” When the man tore up a flyer she was distributing, she told him he was the kind of person who “walked the Jews into the gas tanks.” During this same interaction, she claimed to have “13 degrees in psychology,” to be a member of MENSA, and to possess an IQ of 195.

During an appearance on the Dr. Phil show that followed the video of this interaction going viral, Farkas claimed she said she made ridiculous statements to garner attention. 

In July 2021, Farkas claimed to have obtained “all four vaccines” available at that time in a bid to have them tested in a laboratory and the ingredients exposed to the world. The vaccines would be examined by “registered, licensed scientists,” with results allegedly coming a few weeks later. 

Screenshots captured by activists show calls from Farkas’ social media accounts encouraging people to steal the vaccines as far back as May 2021. 

“Want to stop the kids from getting those bribed jabs? Take a bunch of people with you, stand in line, and when you it’s [sic] your turn take the vile [sic] say [thank you] and walk off with it,” she says on Instagram, according to a screenshot posted on Twitter.

She has previously claimed to be the executive director of The Line and Mothers Against Distancing, protest organizations that gained some prominence during the first years of the COVID pandemic, but have since faded from view.