Quebec truckers joining 'Freedom Convoy' as it rolls to Parliament Hill
As Canadian truckers and their supporters make their way from western Canada to Ottawa this weekend, Quebec truckers are expected to gather at several border crossings Friday morning, including Lacolle, Stanstead and St-Theophile, hoping to support the cause.
Truckers are heading to the nation’s capital to protest the vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers, but since the movement has grown other groups are associating themselves with the truckers to protest COVID-19 restrictions in general that they say violate their freedoms. Supporters of the movement say they want Ottawa to end all vaccine-related mandates, even though most of them are the responsibility of individual provinces.
“I'm heading to Ottawa for freedom,” said Quebec convoy co-organizer Simon Vallee, who rejects vaccines and sanitary measures.
“When I saw it move from British Columbia, it touched my heart and I knew I had to get involved.”
The federal government's mandate came into effect Jan. 15 and requires Canadian truckers to quarantine if they're unvaccinated when crossing the border into Canada. The United States will not allow unvaccinated Canadian truckers to cross the border as well.
The truckers are expected to cross the Champlain bridge and the Lafontaine tunnel during the afternoon and gather near Vaudreuil-Dorion on their way to Ottawa this weekend. The so-called “Freedom Convoy” is expected to reach Parliament Hill on Saturday and Ottawa police said Wednesday they expect it to be a “multi-day” event.
In recent days, some of the rhetoric from people participating in the convoy has turned violent, including some participants saying they hope the protest turns into Canada’s version of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. capitol in Washington that killed five people.
On Thursday, Parliament's Sergeant-at-Arms, Patrick McDonnell, issued a warning to MPs about security risks related to the incoming convoy, telling the parliamentarians about the potential for doxing and to avoid any demonstrations.
The movement is not supported by large trucking companies and the major trucking associations. The Canadian Trucking Alliance claims 90 per cent of their members are vaccinated and respect protocols.
But supporters of the convoy insist Canada's economy will suffer if vaccination remains mandatory to cross borders at a time when supply chain issues, due to the pandemic and labour shortages, are already affecting Canadians.
“We were already short of truckers,” Vallee said.
One leading trucking industry expert said this is a western conservative political movement that never had anything to do with truckers.
“They manipulate truckers,” said Benoit Therrien, who heads a trucking assistance group called Truck Stop Quebec. “Nobody from the trucking industry is leading this manifestation.”
What isn't clear is how many will participate, as supporters will likely gather alongside the road to encourage the convoy.
Quebec provincial police said it will keep a close tab on the situation, but declined to comment on the convoy before Friday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.