A convoy of Canadian truckers is making its way to the nation’s capital of Ottawa to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates affecting the trucking industry.
The demonstration has been dubbed the “Freedom Convoy” and began in Vancouver on Sunday and is expected to reach Ottawa by Jan. 29, Reuters reported.
LISTEN: KID ROCK’S NEW SINGLE CHANTS ‘LET’S GO BRANDON,’ BLASTING FAUCI AND BIG TECH
Whoa! A Canadian trucker part of the freedom convoy en-route to protest vaccine mandates shares a video of supporters cheering him and others on in Langley, British Columbia. pic.twitter.com/we6cyzauHB
— Election Wizard ?? (@ElectionWiz) January 23, 2022
Last night, over 50,000 Canadian truckers formed a caravan in protest against vaccine mandates and COVID tyranny.pic.twitter.com/ICTu8N2x6P
— Michael P Senger (@MichaelPSenger) January 24, 2022
“We are a peaceful country that has helped protect nations across the globe from tyrannical governments who oppressed their people, and now it seems it is happening here,” the group’s GoFundMe says. “We are taking our fight to the doorsteps of our Federal Government and demanding that they cease all mandates against its people.”
“Small businesses are being destroyed, homes are being destroyed, and people are being mistreated and denied fundamental necessities to survive. It’s our duty as Canadians to put an end to this mandates,” the GoFundMe page continues.
The group raised CA$ 4,661,960 of its CA$ 5,000,000 goal as of Tuesday afternoon.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Freedom trucker convoy making it’s way through Brandon, Manitoba, Canada being greeted by large crowds of supporters today.
The convoy is coming from the west and east of Canada and meeting in Ottawa to protest all mandates and restrictions in the country. pic.twitter.com/ON9tHu4L2h
— Marie Oakes (@TheMarieOakes) January 25, 2022
Some 20% of the 160,000 cross-border American and Canadian truckers could be taken off the roads due to noncompliance with government vaccine mandates in both countries, the Canadian Trucking Alliance estimates. The CTA expressed in a statement that it does not support the truckers’ protest against the vaccine mandates.
“The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) does not support and strongly disapproves of any protests on public roadways, highways, and bridges. CTA believes such actions — especially those that interfere with public safety — are not how disagreements with government policies should be expressed,” the organization said in a statement.
Canada instated a new vaccine mandate policy on truckers beginning on Jan. 15, which requires unvaccinated truckers crossing back into Canada to be tested as well as undergo a quarantine period. The United States instated a similar mandate for its border, active as of Jan. 22.
NEW: Beginning Saturday, January 22, DHS will require non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the U.S, via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders to be fully vaccinated for #COVID19 and provide related proof of vaccination.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) January 20, 2022
The number of unvaccinated truckers is expected to exacerbate supply chain shortages, which are already in a cumbersome state in Canada and the U.S.
