Former U.S. president Donald Trump is assailing Canada as a country of “left-wing fascists” for the way it cleared protesters out of Ottawa last weekend. Trump’s remarks at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida marked the first time in nearly a month he’s publicly acknowledged the protests. He said protesters in Canada were “slandered” as Nazis, racists and terrorists, charged with what he called “phony crimes” and accused of being loyal to foreign powers. The comments prompted a passionate standing ovation from the crowd. Trump says police crossed a line when they began removing protesters after nearly a month of their occupation of streets in downtown Ottawa, both on and nearby Parliament Hill. He says he stands with the truckers who staged the protest and with Canadians who he says are fighting to reclaim their freedom. “The tyranny we have witnessed in Canada in recent weeks should shock …