11,000-Truck, 92-Mile Long 'Freedom Convoy' Continues as Government Refuses To Back Down

11,000-Truck, 93-Mile-Long ‘Freedom Convoy’ Protests Canada’s Vaccine Mandate, as Government Digs in Heels

David Charbonneau, Ph.D.

As the “Freedom Convoy” of truckers protesting Canada’s vaccine mandates rolled through southeast Alberta, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Monday slammed conservative politicians, accusing them of fear-mongering.

“I regret that the Conservative Party and conservative politicians are fear-mongering to Canadians about the supply chain, but the reality is that vaccination is how we’re going to get through this,” Trudeau told reporters who asked if the mandate policy could disrupt supply chains.

The 11,000-truck, 93-mile long convoy is traveling from the country’s westernmost province, British Columbia, toward Ottawa, the country’s capital, where they will hold a demonstration on Jan. 29. The truckers said they will not leave until the mandates are lifted.

The Toronto Star reported the convoy drew “large crowds of supporters from across the region, many holding signs and waving flags.”

As of Jan. 15, the Canadian government required all truck drivers entering Canada from the U.S., regardless of citizenship, to be fully vaccinated against COVID. Any driver who cannot show proof of vaccination will be denied entry and placed in quarantine for two weeks.

The U.S. government implemented the same policy last week on the American side of the border.

“We’re going to end mandates,” convoy co-organizer Chris Barber said.

“It’s not about anti-vaccination — that’s everybody’s personal choice — this is about the mandates,” said Barber.

He added:

“The straw that broke the camel’s back was the U.S.A. border for commercial drivers, and you have to show the COVID passport — a lot of guys are going to lose their jobs over that.”

Barber, a truck driver of 28 years, said he himself is vaccinated, but he wants to support fellow drivers who are not.

“This (COVID-19 vaccination) passport has gone too far,” said Barber. “If we can’t get across the border freely, and we’re being forced to [be vaccinated] by the federal government, we can take a stand or we can’t.”

The Canadian Trucking Alliance and the American Trucking Associations said up to 26,000 of the 160,000 drivers who make regular trips across the Canada-U.S. border are likely to be sidelined by the vaccine mandate.

During a press conference Monday, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe calledthe mandate “unnecessary” since many truckers are vaccinated and rapid tests are widely available in Canada.

“It’s an unnecessary policy and it’s one that’s going to have, unfortunately, potentially some significant impacts on us accessing essential services, including food that we need in our communities,” said Moe.

A number of Conservative Party politicians joined Moe Monday in expressing concern about the economic impact of the mandate. Parliament member Melissa Lantsman, the party’s transport critic, urged supporters to sign a petition opposing new vaccine requirements.

Lantsman claimed the policy would result in the loss of thousands of jobs and “empty shelves in Canadian retail sectors.”

Neither Trudeau nor his ministers have yet presented a plan to deal with potential supply line disruptions, but Tuesday the government and industry allies made clear they weren’t backing down on the mandate.

Truckers Freedom Convoy Driving Through Canada Protesting Vaccine Mandates – Crowds of Country Men and Women Show Up In Support